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10 * Gnus: (gnus). The newsreader Gnus.
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280 \gnusauthor{by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen}
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289 Copyright \copyright{} 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
290 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
293 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
294 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
295 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
296 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
297 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
298 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
299 License'' in the Emacs manual.
301 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
302 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
303 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
305 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
306 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
307 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
308 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
316 This file documents Gnus, the GNU Emacs newsreader.
318 Copyright (C) 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
319 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
321 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
322 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
323 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
324 Invariant Sections being none, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
325 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
326 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
327 License'' in the Emacs manual.
329 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
330 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
331 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
333 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
334 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
335 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
336 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
344 @author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
347 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
348 Copyright @copyright{} 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
349 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
351 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
352 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
353 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
354 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
355 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
356 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
357 License'' in the Emacs manual.
359 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
360 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
361 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
363 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
364 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
365 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
366 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
375 @top The Gnus Newsreader
379 You can read news (and mail) from within Emacs by using Gnus. The news
380 can be gotten by any nefarious means you can think of---@sc{nntp}, local
381 spool or your mbox file. All at the same time, if you want to push your
384 This manual corresponds to Oort Gnus v.
395 Gnus is the advanced, self-documenting, customizable, extensible
396 unreal-time newsreader for GNU Emacs.
398 Oops. That sounds oddly familiar, so let's start over again to avoid
399 being accused of plagiarism:
401 Gnus is a message-reading laboratory. It will let you look at just
402 about anything as if it were a newsgroup. You can read mail with it,
403 you can browse directories with it, you can @code{ftp} with it---you
404 can even read news with it!
406 Gnus tries to empower people who read news the same way Emacs empowers
407 people who edit text. Gnus sets no limits to what the user should be
408 allowed to do. Users are encouraged to extend Gnus to make it behave
409 like they want it to behave. A program should not control people;
410 people should be empowered to do what they want by using (or abusing)
416 * Starting Up:: Finding news can be a pain.
417 * Group Buffer:: Selecting, subscribing and killing groups.
418 * Summary Buffer:: Reading, saving and posting articles.
419 * Article Buffer:: Displaying and handling articles.
420 * Composing Messages:: Information on sending mail and news.
421 * Select Methods:: Gnus reads all messages from various select methods.
422 * Scoring:: Assigning values to articles.
423 * Various:: General purpose settings.
424 * The End:: Farewell and goodbye.
425 * Appendices:: Terminology, Emacs intro, FAQ, History, Internals.
426 * Index:: Variable, function and concept index.
427 * Key Index:: Key Index.
430 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
434 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
435 * The First Time:: What does Gnus do the first time you start it?
436 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
437 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one Gnus active at a time.
438 * Fetching a Group:: Starting Gnus just to read a group.
439 * New Groups:: What is Gnus supposed to do with new groups?
440 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
441 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
442 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
443 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
444 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
448 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
449 * Subscription Methods:: What Gnus should do with new groups.
450 * Filtering New Groups:: Making Gnus ignore certain new groups.
454 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
455 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
456 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
457 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
458 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
459 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
460 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
461 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
462 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
463 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
464 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
465 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
466 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
467 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
468 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
469 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
470 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
474 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
475 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
476 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
480 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
481 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
482 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
483 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
484 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
488 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking Gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
489 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and Gnus.
490 * Group Timestamp:: Making Gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
491 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the Gnus files.
495 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
496 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
497 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
498 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
499 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
501 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
502 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
503 * Threading:: How threads are made.
504 * Sorting the Summary Buffer:: How articles and threads are sorted.
505 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
506 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
507 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
508 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
509 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
510 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
511 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
512 * MIME Commands:: Doing MIMEy things with the articles.
513 * Charsets:: Character set issues.
514 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
515 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
516 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
517 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
518 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
519 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
520 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
521 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer,
522 or reselecting the current group.
523 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
524 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
525 * Security:: Decrypt and Verify.
526 * Mailing List:: Mailing list minor mode.
528 Summary Buffer Format
530 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
531 * To From Newsgroups:: How to not display your own name.
532 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
533 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
537 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
538 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
540 Reply, Followup and Post
542 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
543 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
544 * Summary Message Commands:: Other Message-related commands.
545 * Canceling and Superseding::
549 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
550 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
551 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
553 * Generic Marking Commands::
554 * Setting Process Marks::
558 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
559 * Generic Marking Commands:: How to customize the marking.
560 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
564 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
565 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
567 Customizing Threading
569 * Loose Threads:: How Gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
570 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
571 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
572 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over... but you were wrong!
576 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
577 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
578 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
579 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
580 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
581 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
585 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
586 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
587 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
591 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
592 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look nice.
593 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
594 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
595 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
596 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
597 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
598 * Article Miscellania:: Various other stuff.
600 Alternative Approaches
602 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
603 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
605 Various Summary Stuff
607 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
608 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
609 * Summary Generation Commands::
610 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
614 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
615 * Using MIME:: Pushing articles through @sc{mime} before reading them.
616 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
617 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
618 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
622 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
623 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
624 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
625 * Archived Messages:: Where Gnus stores the messages you've sent.
626 * Posting Styles:: An easier way to specify who you are.
627 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
628 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
629 * Using GPG:: How to use GPG and MML to sign and encrypt messages
633 * Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
634 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
635 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
636 * Browsing the Web:: Getting messages from a plethora of Web sources.
637 * IMAP:: Using Gnus as a @sc{imap} client.
638 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
639 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
640 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
644 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
645 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
646 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
647 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
648 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
649 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
650 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
654 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
655 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
659 * Direct Functions:: Connecting directly to the server.
660 * Indirect Functions:: Connecting indirectly to the server.
661 * Common Variables:: Understood by several connection functions.
665 * Mail in a Newsreader:: Important introductory notes.
666 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
667 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
668 * Mail Sources:: How to tell Gnus where to get mail from.
669 * Mail Back End Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
670 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
671 * Group Mail Splitting:: Use group customize to drive mail splitting.
672 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
673 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
674 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
675 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
676 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail back ends for reading other files.
677 * Choosing a Mail Back End:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
678 * Archiving Mail:: How to backup your mail.
682 * Mail Source Specifiers:: How to specify what a mail source is.
683 * Mail Source Customization:: Some variables that influence things.
684 * Fetching Mail:: Using the mail source specifiers.
686 Choosing a Mail Back End
688 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
689 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
690 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
691 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like back end.
692 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
693 * Comparing Mail Back Ends:: An in-depth looks at pros and cons.
697 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
698 * Slashdot:: Reading the Slashdot comments.
699 * Ultimate:: The Ultimate Bulletin Board systems.
700 * Web Archive:: Reading mailing list archived on web.
701 * RSS:: Reading RDF site summary.
702 * Customizing w3:: Doing stuff to Emacs/w3 from Gnus.
706 * Splitting in IMAP:: Splitting mail with nnimap.
707 * Editing IMAP ACLs:: Limiting/enabling other users access to a mailbox.
708 * Expunging mailboxes:: Equivalent of a "compress mailbox" button.
712 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
713 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
714 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
715 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{soup} packets ``offline''.
716 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
720 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
724 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
725 * SOUP Groups:: A back end for reading @sc{soup} packets.
726 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
730 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
731 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
735 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
736 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
737 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
738 * Agent Expiry:: How to make old articles go away.
739 * Agent and IMAP:: How to use the Agent with IMAP.
740 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
741 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
742 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
743 * Batching Agents:: How to fetch news from a @code{cron} job.
744 * Agent Caveats:: What you think it'll do and what it does.
748 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
749 * Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
750 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
754 * Group Agent Commands::
755 * Summary Agent Commands::
756 * Server Agent Commands::
760 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
761 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
762 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
763 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
764 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
765 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
766 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
767 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
768 * Scoring On Other Headers:: Scoring on non-standard headers.
769 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
770 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
771 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
772 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
773 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
774 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
775 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
776 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
780 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
781 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
782 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
783 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
787 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
788 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
789 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
793 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
794 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
795 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
796 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
797 * Window Layout:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
798 * Faces and Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
799 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
800 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
801 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
802 * Buttons:: Get tendinitis in ten easy steps!
803 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
804 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
805 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
806 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
807 * XEmacs Enhancements:: There are more pictures and stuff under XEmacs.
808 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
809 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolicited commercial email.
810 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
814 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
815 * Mode Line Formatting:: Some rules about mode line formatting variables.
816 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
817 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
818 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
819 * Positioning Point:: Moving point to a position after an operation.
820 * Tabulation:: Tabulating your output.
821 * Wide Characters:: Dealing with wide characters.
825 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
826 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
827 * Toolbar:: Click'n'drool.
828 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
832 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
833 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
834 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
835 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
836 * Picon Useless Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
840 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
841 * On Writing Manuals:: Why this is not a beginner's guide.
842 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
843 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
844 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
845 * Gnus Reference Guide:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
846 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
850 * Gnus Versions:: What Gnus versions have been released.
851 * Other Gnus Versions:: Other Gnus versions that also have been released.
852 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
853 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
854 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
855 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
856 * Gnus Development:: How Gnus is developed.
857 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
858 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
862 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
863 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.2/5.3.
864 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
865 * Quassia Gnus:: Two times two is four, or Gnus 5.6/5.7.
866 * Pterodactyl Gnus:: Pentad also starts with P, AKA Gnus 5.8/5.9.
870 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
871 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
872 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
873 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
877 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
878 * Back End Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
879 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
880 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
881 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
882 * Group Info:: The group info format.
883 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
884 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
885 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
889 * Required Back End Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
890 * Optional Back End Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
891 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
892 * Writing New Back Ends:: Extending old back ends.
893 * Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
894 * Mail-like Back Ends:: Some tips on mail back ends.
898 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
899 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
903 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
904 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
910 @chapter Starting Gnus
915 If your system administrator has set things up properly, starting Gnus
916 and reading news is extremely easy---you just type @kbd{M-x gnus} in
919 @findex gnus-other-frame
920 @kindex M-x gnus-other-frame
921 If you want to start Gnus in a different frame, you can use the command
922 @kbd{M-x gnus-other-frame} instead.
924 If things do not go smoothly at startup, you have to twiddle some
925 variables in your @file{~/.gnus} file. This file is similar to
926 @file{~/.emacs}, but is read when gnus starts.
928 If you puzzle at any terms used in this manual, please refer to the
929 terminology section (@pxref{Terminology}).
932 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
933 * The First Time:: What does Gnus do the first time you start it?
934 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
935 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one Gnus active at a time.
936 * Fetching a Group:: Starting Gnus just to read a group.
937 * New Groups:: What is Gnus supposed to do with new groups?
938 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
939 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
940 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
941 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
942 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
946 @node Finding the News
947 @section Finding the News
950 @vindex gnus-select-method
952 The @code{gnus-select-method} variable says where Gnus should look for
953 news. This variable should be a list where the first element says
954 @dfn{how} and the second element says @dfn{where}. This method is your
955 native method. All groups not fetched with this method are
958 For instance, if the @samp{news.somewhere.edu} @sc{nntp} server is where
959 you want to get your daily dosage of news from, you'd say:
962 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"))
965 If you want to read directly from the local spool, say:
968 (setq gnus-select-method '(nnspool ""))
971 If you can use a local spool, you probably should, as it will almost
972 certainly be much faster. But do not use the local spool if your
973 server is running Leafnode; in this case, use @code{(nntp "localhost")}.
975 @vindex gnus-nntpserver-file
977 @cindex @sc{nntp} server
978 If this variable is not set, Gnus will take a look at the
979 @code{NNTPSERVER} environment variable. If that variable isn't set,
980 Gnus will see whether @code{gnus-nntpserver-file}
981 (@file{/etc/nntpserver} by default) has any opinions on the matter. If
982 that fails as well, Gnus will try to use the machine running Emacs as an @sc{nntp} server. That's a long shot, though.
984 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
985 If @code{gnus-nntp-server} is set, this variable will override
986 @code{gnus-select-method}. You should therefore set
987 @code{gnus-nntp-server} to @code{nil}, which is what it is by default.
989 @vindex gnus-secondary-servers
990 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
991 You can also make Gnus prompt you interactively for the name of an
992 @sc{nntp} server. If you give a non-numerical prefix to @code{gnus}
993 (i.e., @kbd{C-u M-x gnus}), Gnus will let you choose between the servers
994 in the @code{gnus-secondary-servers} list (if any). You can also just
995 type in the name of any server you feel like visiting. (Note that this
996 will set @code{gnus-nntp-server}, which means that if you then @kbd{M-x
997 gnus} later in the same Emacs session, Gnus will contact the same
1000 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
1002 However, if you use one @sc{nntp} server regularly and are just
1003 interested in a couple of groups from a different server, you would be
1004 better served by using the @kbd{B} command in the group buffer. It will
1005 let you have a look at what groups are available, and you can subscribe
1006 to any of the groups you want to. This also makes @file{.newsrc}
1007 maintenance much tidier. @xref{Foreign Groups}.
1009 @vindex gnus-secondary-select-methods
1011 A slightly different approach to foreign groups is to set the
1012 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods} variable. The select methods
1013 listed in this variable are in many ways just as native as the
1014 @code{gnus-select-method} server. They will also be queried for active
1015 files during startup (if that's required), and new newsgroups that
1016 appear on these servers will be subscribed (or not) just as native
1019 For instance, if you use the @code{nnmbox} back end to read your mail,
1020 you would typically set this variable to
1023 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnmbox "")))
1027 @node The First Time
1028 @section The First Time
1029 @cindex first time usage
1031 If no startup files exist, Gnus will try to determine what groups should
1032 be subscribed by default.
1034 @vindex gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups
1035 If the variable @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is set, Gnus
1036 will subscribe you to just those groups in that list, leaving the rest
1037 killed. Your system administrator should have set this variable to
1040 Since she hasn't, Gnus will just subscribe you to a few arbitrarily
1041 picked groups (i.e., @samp{*.newusers}). (@dfn{Arbitrary} is defined
1042 here as @dfn{whatever Lars thinks you should read}.)
1044 You'll also be subscribed to the Gnus documentation group, which should
1045 help you with most common problems.
1047 If @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is @code{t}, Gnus will just
1048 use the normal functions for handling new groups, and not do anything
1052 @node The Server is Down
1053 @section The Server is Down
1054 @cindex server errors
1056 If the default server is down, Gnus will understandably have some
1057 problems starting. However, if you have some mail groups in addition to
1058 the news groups, you may want to start Gnus anyway.
1060 Gnus, being the trusting sort of program, will ask whether to proceed
1061 without a native select method if that server can't be contacted. This
1062 will happen whether the server doesn't actually exist (i.e., you have
1063 given the wrong address) or the server has just momentarily taken ill
1064 for some reason or other. If you decide to continue and have no foreign
1065 groups, you'll find it difficult to actually do anything in the group
1066 buffer. But, hey, that's your problem. Blllrph!
1068 @findex gnus-no-server
1069 @kindex M-x gnus-no-server
1071 If you know that the server is definitely down, or you just want to read
1072 your mail without bothering with the server at all, you can use the
1073 @code{gnus-no-server} command to start Gnus. That might come in handy
1074 if you're in a hurry as well. This command will not attempt to contact
1075 your primary server---instead, it will just activate all groups on level
1076 1 and 2. (You should preferably keep no native groups on those two
1077 levels.) Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
1081 @section Slave Gnusae
1084 You might want to run more than one Emacs with more than one Gnus at the
1085 same time. If you are using different @file{.newsrc} files (e.g., if you
1086 are using the two different Gnusae to read from two different servers),
1087 that is no problem whatsoever. You just do it.
1089 The problem appears when you want to run two Gnusae that use the same
1090 @code{.newsrc} file.
1092 To work around that problem some, we here at the Think-Tank at the Gnus
1093 Towers have come up with a new concept: @dfn{Masters} and
1094 @dfn{slaves}. (We have applied for a patent on this concept, and have
1095 taken out a copyright on those words. If you wish to use those words in
1096 conjunction with each other, you have to send $1 per usage instance to
1097 me. Usage of the patent (@dfn{Master/Slave Relationships In Computer
1098 Applications}) will be much more expensive, of course.)
1100 Anyway, you start one Gnus up the normal way with @kbd{M-x gnus} (or
1101 however you do it). Each subsequent slave Gnusae should be started with
1102 @kbd{M-x gnus-slave}. These slaves won't save normal @file{.newsrc}
1103 files, but instead save @dfn{slave files} that contain information only
1104 on what groups have been read in the slave session. When a master Gnus
1105 starts, it will read (and delete) these slave files, incorporating all
1106 information from them. (The slave files will be read in the sequence
1107 they were created, so the latest changes will have precedence.)
1109 Information from the slave files has, of course, precedence over the
1110 information in the normal (i.e., master) @code{.newsrc} file.
1113 @node Fetching a Group
1114 @section Fetching a Group
1115 @cindex fetching a group
1117 @findex gnus-fetch-group
1118 It is sometimes convenient to be able to just say ``I want to read this
1119 group and I don't care whether Gnus has been started or not''. This is
1120 perhaps more useful for people who write code than for users, but the
1121 command @code{gnus-fetch-group} provides this functionality in any case.
1122 It takes the group name as a parameter.
1128 @cindex subscription
1130 @vindex gnus-check-new-newsgroups
1131 If you are satisfied that you really never want to see any new groups,
1132 you can set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil}. This will
1133 also save you some time at startup. Even if this variable is
1134 @code{nil}, you can always subscribe to the new groups just by pressing
1135 @kbd{U} in the group buffer (@pxref{Group Maintenance}). This variable
1136 is @code{ask-server} by default. If you set this variable to
1137 @code{always}, then Gnus will query the back ends for new groups even
1138 when you do the @kbd{g} command (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
1141 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
1142 * Subscription Methods:: What Gnus should do with new groups.
1143 * Filtering New Groups:: Making Gnus ignore certain new groups.
1147 @node Checking New Groups
1148 @subsection Checking New Groups
1150 Gnus normally determines whether a group is new or not by comparing the
1151 list of groups from the active file(s) with the lists of subscribed and
1152 dead groups. This isn't a particularly fast method. If
1153 @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} is @code{ask-server}, Gnus will ask the
1154 server for new groups since the last time. This is both faster and
1155 cheaper. This also means that you can get rid of the list of killed
1156 groups altogether, so you may set @code{gnus-save-killed-list} to
1157 @code{nil}, which will save time both at startup, at exit, and all over.
1158 Saves disk space, too. Why isn't this the default, then?
1159 Unfortunately, not all servers support this command.
1161 I bet I know what you're thinking now: How do I find out whether my
1162 server supports @code{ask-server}? No? Good, because I don't have a
1163 fail-safe answer. I would suggest just setting this variable to
1164 @code{ask-server} and see whether any new groups appear within the next
1165 few days. If any do, then it works. If none do, then it doesn't
1166 work. I could write a function to make Gnus guess whether the server
1167 supports @code{ask-server}, but it would just be a guess. So I won't.
1168 You could @code{telnet} to the server and say @code{HELP} and see
1169 whether it lists @samp{NEWGROUPS} among the commands it understands. If
1170 it does, then it might work. (But there are servers that lists
1171 @samp{NEWGROUPS} without supporting the function properly.)
1173 This variable can also be a list of select methods. If so, Gnus will
1174 issue an @code{ask-server} command to each of the select methods, and
1175 subscribe them (or not) using the normal methods. This might be handy
1176 if you are monitoring a few servers for new groups. A side effect is
1177 that startup will take much longer, so you can meditate while waiting.
1178 Use the mantra ``dingnusdingnusdingnus'' to achieve permanent bliss.
1181 @node Subscription Methods
1182 @subsection Subscription Methods
1184 @vindex gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method
1185 What Gnus does when it encounters a new group is determined by the
1186 @code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} variable.
1188 This variable should contain a function. This function will be called
1189 with the name of the new group as the only parameter.
1191 Some handy pre-fab functions are:
1195 @item gnus-subscribe-zombies
1196 @vindex gnus-subscribe-zombies
1197 Make all new groups zombies. This is the default. You can browse the
1198 zombies later (with @kbd{A z}) and either kill them all off properly
1199 (with @kbd{S z}), or subscribe to them (with @kbd{u}).
1201 @item gnus-subscribe-randomly
1202 @vindex gnus-subscribe-randomly
1203 Subscribe all new groups in arbitrary order. This really means that all
1204 new groups will be added at ``the top'' of the group buffer.
1206 @item gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
1207 @vindex gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
1208 Subscribe all new groups in alphabetical order.
1210 @item gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
1211 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
1212 Subscribe all new groups hierarchically. The difference between this
1213 function and @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} is slight.
1214 @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} will subscribe new groups in a strictly
1215 alphabetical fashion, while this function will enter groups into its
1216 hierarchy. So if you want to have the @samp{rec} hierarchy before the
1217 @samp{comp} hierarchy, this function will not mess that configuration
1218 up. Or something like that.
1220 @item gnus-subscribe-interactively
1221 @vindex gnus-subscribe-interactively
1222 Subscribe new groups interactively. This means that Gnus will ask
1223 you about @strong{all} new groups. The groups you choose to subscribe
1224 to will be subscribed hierarchically.
1226 @item gnus-subscribe-killed
1227 @vindex gnus-subscribe-killed
1228 Kill all new groups.
1230 @item gnus-subscribe-topics
1231 @vindex gnus-subscribe-topics
1232 Put the groups into the topic that has a matching @code{subscribe} topic
1233 parameter (@pxref{Topic Parameters}). For instance, a @code{subscribe}
1234 topic parameter that looks like
1240 will mean that all groups that match that regex will be subscribed under
1243 If no topics match the groups, the groups will be subscribed in the
1248 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive
1249 A closely related variable is
1250 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. (That's quite a
1251 mouthful.) If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will ask you in a
1252 hierarchical fashion whether to subscribe to new groups or not. Gnus
1253 will ask you for each sub-hierarchy whether you want to descend the
1256 One common mistake is to set the variable a few paragraphs above
1257 (@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method}) to
1258 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. This is an error. This
1259 will not work. This is ga-ga. So don't do it.
1262 @node Filtering New Groups
1263 @subsection Filtering New Groups
1265 A nice and portable way to control which new newsgroups should be
1266 subscribed (or ignored) is to put an @dfn{options} line at the start of
1267 the @file{.newsrc} file. Here's an example:
1270 options -n !alt.all !rec.all sci.all
1273 @vindex gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method
1274 This line obviously belongs to a serious-minded intellectual scientific
1275 person (or she may just be plain old boring), because it says that all
1276 groups that have names beginning with @samp{alt} and @samp{rec} should
1277 be ignored, and all groups with names beginning with @samp{sci} should
1278 be subscribed. Gnus will not use the normal subscription method for
1279 subscribing these groups.
1280 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method} is used instead. This
1281 variable defaults to @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically}.
1283 @vindex gnus-options-not-subscribe
1284 @vindex gnus-options-subscribe
1285 If you don't want to mess with your @file{.newsrc} file, you can just
1286 set the two variables @code{gnus-options-subscribe} and
1287 @code{gnus-options-not-subscribe}. These two variables do exactly the
1288 same as the @file{.newsrc} @samp{options -n} trick. Both are regexps,
1289 and if the new group matches the former, it will be unconditionally
1290 subscribed, and if it matches the latter, it will be ignored.
1292 @vindex gnus-auto-subscribed-groups
1293 Yet another variable that meddles here is
1294 @code{gnus-auto-subscribed-groups}. It works exactly like
1295 @code{gnus-options-subscribe}, and is therefore really superfluous, but I
1296 thought it would be nice to have two of these. This variable is more
1297 meant for setting some ground rules, while the other variable is used
1298 more for user fiddling. By default this variable makes all new groups
1299 that come from mail back ends (@code{nnml}, @code{nnbabyl},
1300 @code{nnfolder}, @code{nnmbox}, and @code{nnmh}) subscribed. If you
1301 don't like that, just set this variable to @code{nil}.
1303 New groups that match this regexp are subscribed using
1304 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method}.
1307 @node Changing Servers
1308 @section Changing Servers
1309 @cindex changing servers
1311 Sometimes it is necessary to move from one @sc{nntp} server to another.
1312 This happens very rarely, but perhaps you change jobs, or one server is
1313 very flaky and you want to use another.
1315 Changing the server is pretty easy, right? You just change
1316 @code{gnus-select-method} to point to the new server?
1320 Article numbers are not (in any way) kept synchronized between different
1321 @sc{nntp} servers, and the only way Gnus keeps track of what articles
1322 you have read is by keeping track of article numbers. So when you
1323 change @code{gnus-select-method}, your @file{.newsrc} file becomes
1326 Gnus provides a few functions to attempt to translate a @file{.newsrc}
1327 file from one server to another. They all have one thing in
1328 common---they take a looong time to run. You don't want to use these
1329 functions more than absolutely necessary.
1331 @kindex M-x gnus-change-server
1332 @findex gnus-change-server
1333 If you have access to both servers, Gnus can request the headers for all
1334 the articles you have read and compare @code{Message-ID}s and map the
1335 article numbers of the read articles and article marks. The @kbd{M-x
1336 gnus-change-server} command will do this for all your native groups. It
1337 will prompt for the method you want to move to.
1339 @kindex M-x gnus-group-move-group-to-server
1340 @findex gnus-group-move-group-to-server
1341 You can also move individual groups with the @kbd{M-x
1342 gnus-group-move-group-to-server} command. This is useful if you want to
1343 move a (foreign) group from one server to another.
1345 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1346 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1347 If you don't have access to both the old and new server, all your marks
1348 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use the @kbd{M-x
1349 gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups} command to clear out all data
1350 that you have on your native groups. Use with caution.
1352 After changing servers, you @strong{must} move the cache hierarchy away,
1353 since the cached articles will have wrong article numbers, which will
1354 affect which articles Gnus thinks are read.
1358 @section Startup Files
1359 @cindex startup files
1364 Now, you all know about the @file{.newsrc} file. All subscription
1365 information is traditionally stored in this file.
1367 Things got a bit more complicated with @sc{gnus}. In addition to
1368 keeping the @file{.newsrc} file updated, it also used a file called
1369 @file{.newsrc.el} for storing all the information that didn't fit into
1370 the @file{.newsrc} file. (Actually, it also duplicated everything in
1371 the @file{.newsrc} file.) @sc{gnus} would read whichever one of these
1372 files was the most recently saved, which enabled people to swap between
1373 @sc{gnus} and other newsreaders.
1375 That was kinda silly, so Gnus went one better: In addition to the
1376 @file{.newsrc} and @file{.newsrc.el} files, Gnus also has a file called
1377 @file{.newsrc.eld}. It will read whichever of these files that are most
1378 recent, but it will never write a @file{.newsrc.el} file. You should
1379 never delete the @file{.newsrc.eld} file---it contains much information
1380 not stored in the @file{.newsrc} file.
1382 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-file
1383 @vindex gnus-read-newsrc-file
1384 You can turn off writing the @file{.newsrc} file by setting
1385 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-file} to @code{nil}, which means you can delete
1386 the file and save some space, as well as exiting from Gnus faster.
1387 However, this will make it impossible to use other newsreaders than
1388 Gnus. But hey, who would want to, right? Similarly, setting
1389 @code{gnus-read-newsrc-file} to @code{nil} makes Gnus ignore the
1390 @file{.newsrc} file and any @file{.newsrc-SERVER} files, which is
1391 convenient if you have a tendency to use Netscape once in a while.
1393 @vindex gnus-save-killed-list
1394 If @code{gnus-save-killed-list} (default @code{t}) is @code{nil}, Gnus
1395 will not save the list of killed groups to the startup file. This will
1396 save both time (when starting and quitting) and space (on disk). It
1397 will also mean that Gnus has no record of what groups are new or old,
1398 so the automatic new groups subscription methods become meaningless.
1399 You should always set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil} or
1400 @code{ask-server} if you set this variable to @code{nil} (@pxref{New
1401 Groups}). This variable can also be a regular expression. If that's
1402 the case, remove all groups that do not match this regexp before
1403 saving. This can be useful in certain obscure situations that involve
1404 several servers where not all servers support @code{ask-server}.
1406 @vindex gnus-startup-file
1407 The @code{gnus-startup-file} variable says where the startup files are.
1408 The default value is @file{~/.newsrc}, with the Gnus (El Dingo) startup
1409 file being whatever that one is, with a @samp{.eld} appended.
1411 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-hook
1412 @vindex gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook
1413 @vindex gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook
1414 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-hook} is called before saving any of the newsrc
1415 files, while @code{gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook} is called just before
1416 saving the @file{.newsrc.eld} file, and
1417 @code{gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook} is called just before saving the
1418 @file{.newsrc} file. The latter two are commonly used to turn version
1419 control on or off. Version control is on by default when saving the
1420 startup files. If you want to turn backup creation off, say something like:
1423 (defun turn-off-backup ()
1424 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
1426 (add-hook 'gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
1427 (add-hook 'gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
1430 @vindex gnus-init-file
1431 When Gnus starts, it will read the @code{gnus-site-init-file}
1432 (@file{.../site-lisp/gnus} by default) and @code{gnus-init-file}
1433 (@file{~/.gnus} by default) files. These are normal Emacs Lisp files
1434 and can be used to avoid cluttering your @file{~/.emacs} and
1435 @file{site-init} files with Gnus stuff. Gnus will also check for files
1436 with the same names as these, but with @file{.elc} and @file{.el}
1437 suffixes. In other words, if you have set @code{gnus-init-file} to
1438 @file{~/.gnus}, it will look for @file{~/.gnus.elc}, @file{~/.gnus.el},
1439 and finally @file{~/.gnus} (in this order).
1445 @cindex dribble file
1448 Whenever you do something that changes the Gnus data (reading articles,
1449 catching up, killing/subscribing groups), the change is added to a
1450 special @dfn{dribble buffer}. This buffer is auto-saved the normal
1451 Emacs way. If your Emacs should crash before you have saved the
1452 @file{.newsrc} files, all changes you have made can be recovered from
1455 If Gnus detects this file at startup, it will ask the user whether to
1456 read it. The auto save file is deleted whenever the real startup file is
1459 @vindex gnus-use-dribble-file
1460 If @code{gnus-use-dribble-file} is @code{nil}, Gnus won't create and
1461 maintain a dribble buffer. The default is @code{t}.
1463 @vindex gnus-dribble-directory
1464 Gnus will put the dribble file(s) in @code{gnus-dribble-directory}. If
1465 this variable is @code{nil}, which it is by default, Gnus will dribble
1466 into the directory where the @file{.newsrc} file is located. (This is
1467 normally the user's home directory.) The dribble file will get the same
1468 file permissions as the @code{.newsrc} file.
1470 @vindex gnus-always-read-dribble-file
1471 If @code{gnus-always-read-dribble-file} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will
1472 read the dribble file on startup without querying the user.
1475 @node The Active File
1476 @section The Active File
1478 @cindex ignored groups
1480 When Gnus starts, or indeed whenever it tries to determine whether new
1481 articles have arrived, it reads the active file. This is a very large
1482 file that lists all the active groups and articles on the server.
1484 @vindex gnus-ignored-newsgroups
1485 Before examining the active file, Gnus deletes all lines that match the
1486 regexp @code{gnus-ignored-newsgroups}. This is done primarily to reject
1487 any groups with bogus names, but you can use this variable to make Gnus
1488 ignore hierarchies you aren't ever interested in. However, this is not
1489 recommended. In fact, it's highly discouraged. Instead, @pxref{New
1490 Groups} for an overview of other variables that can be used instead.
1493 @c @code{nil} by default, and will slow down active file handling somewhat
1494 @c if you set it to anything else.
1496 @vindex gnus-read-active-file
1498 The active file can be rather Huge, so if you have a slow network, you
1499 can set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{nil} to prevent Gnus from
1500 reading the active file. This variable is @code{some} by default.
1502 Gnus will try to make do by getting information just on the groups that
1503 you actually subscribe to.
1505 Note that if you subscribe to lots and lots of groups, setting this
1506 variable to @code{nil} will probably make Gnus slower, not faster. At
1507 present, having this variable @code{nil} will slow Gnus down
1508 considerably, unless you read news over a 2400 baud modem.
1510 This variable can also have the value @code{some}. Gnus will then
1511 attempt to read active info only on the subscribed groups. On some
1512 servers this is quite fast (on sparkling, brand new INN servers that
1513 support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command), on others this isn't fast
1514 at all. In any case, @code{some} should be faster than @code{nil}, and
1515 is certainly faster than @code{t} over slow lines.
1517 Some news servers (old versions of Leafnode and old versions of INN, for
1518 instance) do not support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group}. For these
1519 servers, @code{nil} is probably the most efficient value for this
1522 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will ask for group info in total
1523 lock-step, which isn't very fast. If it is @code{some} and you use an
1524 @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will pump out commands as fast as it can, and
1525 read all the replies in one swoop. This will normally result in better
1526 performance, but if the server does not support the aforementioned
1527 @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command, this isn't very nice to the server.
1529 If you think that starting up Gnus takes too long, try all the three
1530 different values for this variable and see what works best for you.
1532 In any case, if you use @code{some} or @code{nil}, you should definitely
1533 kill all groups that you aren't interested in to speed things up.
1535 Note that this variable also affects active file retrieval from
1536 secondary select methods.
1539 @node Startup Variables
1540 @section Startup Variables
1544 @item gnus-load-hook
1545 @vindex gnus-load-hook
1546 A hook run while Gnus is being loaded. Note that this hook will
1547 normally be run just once in each Emacs session, no matter how many
1548 times you start Gnus.
1550 @item gnus-before-startup-hook
1551 @vindex gnus-before-startup-hook
1552 A hook run after starting up Gnus successfully.
1554 @item gnus-startup-hook
1555 @vindex gnus-startup-hook
1556 A hook run as the very last thing after starting up Gnus
1558 @item gnus-started-hook
1559 @vindex gnus-started-hook
1560 A hook that is run as the very last thing after starting up Gnus
1563 @item gnus-setup-news-hook
1564 @vindex gnus-setup-news-hook
1565 A hook that is run after reading the @file{.newsrc} file(s), but before
1566 generating the group buffer.
1568 @item gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1569 @vindex gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1570 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will check for and delete all bogus groups at
1571 startup. A @dfn{bogus group} is a group that you have in your
1572 @file{.newsrc} file, but doesn't exist on the news server. Checking for
1573 bogus groups can take quite a while, so to save time and resources it's
1574 best to leave this option off, and do the checking for bogus groups once
1575 in a while from the group buffer instead (@pxref{Group Maintenance}).
1577 @item gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1578 @vindex gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1579 If non-@code{nil}, the startup message won't be displayed. That way,
1580 your boss might not notice as easily that you are reading news instead
1581 of doing your job. Note that this variable is used before
1582 @file{.gnus.el} is loaded, so it should be set in @code{.emacs} instead.
1584 @item gnus-no-groups-message
1585 @vindex gnus-no-groups-message
1586 Message displayed by Gnus when no groups are available.
1588 @item gnus-play-startup-jingle
1589 @vindex gnus-play-startup-jingle
1590 If non-@code{nil}, play the Gnus jingle at startup.
1592 @item gnus-startup-jingle
1593 @vindex gnus-startup-jingle
1594 Jingle to be played if the above variable is non-@code{nil}. The
1595 default is @samp{Tuxedomoon.Jingle4.au}.
1601 @chapter Group Buffer
1602 @cindex group buffer
1604 @c Alex Schroeder suggests to rearrange this as follows:
1606 @c <kensanata> ok, just save it for reference. I'll go to bed in a minute.
1607 @c 1. Selecting a Group, 2. (new) Finding a Group, 3. Group Levels,
1608 @c 4. Subscription Commands, 5. Group Maneuvering, 6. Group Data,
1609 @c 7. Group Score, 8. Group Buffer Format
1610 @c <kensanata> Group Levels should have more information on levels 5 to 9. I
1611 @c suggest to split the 4th paragraph ("Gnus considers groups...") as follows:
1612 @c <kensanata> First, "Gnus considers groups... (default 9)."
1613 @c <kensanata> New, a table summarizing what levels 1 to 9 mean.
1614 @c <kensanata> Third, "Gnus treats subscribed ... reasons of efficiency"
1615 @c <kensanata> Then expand the next paragraph or add some more to it.
1616 @c This short one sentence explains levels 1 and 2, therefore I understand
1617 @c that I should keep important news at 3 and boring news at 4.
1618 @c Say so! Then go on to explain why I should bother with levels 6 to 9.
1619 @c Maybe keep those that you don't want to read temporarily at 6,
1620 @c those that you never want to read at 8, those that offend your
1621 @c human rights at 9...
1624 The @dfn{group buffer} lists all (or parts) of the available groups. It
1625 is the first buffer shown when Gnus starts, and will never be killed as
1626 long as Gnus is active.
1630 \gnusfigure{The Group Buffer}{320}{
1631 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=ps/group,height=9cm}}
1632 \put(120,37){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Buffer name}}
1633 \put(120,38){\vector(1,2){10}}
1634 \put(40,60){\makebox(0,0)[r]{Mode line}}
1635 \put(40,58){\vector(1,0){30}}
1636 \put(200,28){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Native select method}}
1637 \put(200,26){\vector(-1,2){15}}
1643 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
1644 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
1645 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
1646 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
1647 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
1648 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
1649 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
1650 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
1651 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
1652 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
1653 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
1654 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
1655 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
1656 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
1657 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
1658 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
1659 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
1663 @node Group Buffer Format
1664 @section Group Buffer Format
1667 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
1668 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
1669 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
1673 @node Group Line Specification
1674 @subsection Group Line Specification
1675 @cindex group buffer format
1677 The default format of the group buffer is nice and dull, but you can
1678 make it as exciting and ugly as you feel like.
1680 Here's a couple of example group lines:
1683 25: news.announce.newusers
1684 * 0: alt.fan.andrea-dworkin
1689 You can see that there are 25 unread articles in
1690 @samp{news.announce.newusers}. There are no unread articles, but some
1691 ticked articles, in @samp{alt.fan.andrea-dworkin} (see that little
1692 asterisk at the beginning of the line?).
1694 @vindex gnus-group-line-format
1695 You can change that format to whatever you want by fiddling with the
1696 @code{gnus-group-line-format} variable. This variable works along the
1697 lines of a @code{format} specification, which is pretty much the same as
1698 a @code{printf} specifications, for those of you who use (feh!) C.
1699 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
1701 @samp{%M%S%5y: %(%g%)\n} is the value that produced those lines above.
1703 There should always be a colon on the line; the cursor always moves to
1704 the colon after performing an operation. Nothing else is required---not
1705 even the group name. All displayed text is just window dressing, and is
1706 never examined by Gnus. Gnus stores all real information it needs using
1709 (Note that if you make a really strange, wonderful, spreadsheet-like
1710 layout, everybody will believe you are hard at work with the accounting
1711 instead of wasting time reading news.)
1713 Here's a list of all available format characters:
1718 An asterisk if the group only has marked articles.
1721 Whether the group is subscribed.
1724 Level of subscribedness.
1727 Number of unread articles.
1730 Number of dormant articles.
1733 Number of ticked articles.
1736 Number of read articles.
1739 Estimated total number of articles. (This is really @var{max-number}
1740 minus @var{min-number} plus 1.)
1742 Gnus uses this estimation because the NNTP protocol provides efficient
1743 access to @var{max-number} and @var{min-number} but getting the true
1744 unread message count is not possible efficiently. For hysterical
1745 raisins, even the mail back ends, where the true number of unread
1746 messages might be available efficiently, use the same limited
1747 interface. To remove this restriction from Gnus means that the
1748 back end interface has to be changed, which is not an easy job. If you
1749 want to work on this, please contact the Gnus mailing list.
1752 Number of unread, unticked, non-dormant articles.
1755 Number of ticked and dormant articles.
1764 Newsgroup description.
1767 @samp{m} if moderated.
1770 @samp{(m)} if moderated.
1779 A string that looks like @samp{<%s:%n>} if a foreign select method is
1783 Indentation based on the level of the topic (@pxref{Group Topics}).
1786 @vindex gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels
1787 Short (collapsed) group name. The @code{gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels}
1788 variable says how many levels to leave at the end of the group name.
1789 The default is 1---this will mean that group names like
1790 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} will be shortened to @samp{g.e.gnus}.
1793 @vindex gnus-new-mail-mark
1795 @samp{%} (@code{gnus-new-mail-mark}) if there has arrived new mail to
1799 @samp{#} (@code{gnus-process-mark}) if the group is process marked.
1802 A string that says when you last read the group (@pxref{Group
1806 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
1807 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
1808 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
1809 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed a single dummy
1810 parameter as argument. The function should return a string, which will
1811 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
1816 All the ``number-of'' specs will be filled with an asterisk (@samp{*})
1817 if no info is available---for instance, if it is a non-activated foreign
1818 group, or a bogus native group.
1821 @node Group Modeline Specification
1822 @subsection Group Modeline Specification
1823 @cindex group modeline
1825 @vindex gnus-group-mode-line-format
1826 The mode line can be changed by setting
1827 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
1828 doesn't understand that many format specifiers:
1832 The native news server.
1834 The native select method.
1838 @node Group Highlighting
1839 @subsection Group Highlighting
1840 @cindex highlighting
1841 @cindex group highlighting
1843 @vindex gnus-group-highlight
1844 Highlighting in the group buffer is controlled by the
1845 @code{gnus-group-highlight} variable. This is an alist with elements
1846 that look like @code{(@var{form} . @var{face})}. If @var{form} evaluates to
1847 something non-@code{nil}, the @var{face} will be used on the line.
1849 Here's an example value for this variable that might look nice if the
1853 (cond (window-system
1854 (setq custom-background-mode 'light)
1855 (defface my-group-face-1
1856 '((t (:foreground "Red" :bold t))) "First group face")
1857 (defface my-group-face-2
1858 '((t (:foreground "DarkSeaGreen4" :bold t))) "Second group face")
1859 (defface my-group-face-3
1860 '((t (:foreground "Green4" :bold t))) "Third group face")
1861 (defface my-group-face-4
1862 '((t (:foreground "SteelBlue" :bold t))) "Fourth group face")
1863 (defface my-group-face-5
1864 '((t (:foreground "Blue" :bold t))) "Fifth group face")))
1866 (setq gnus-group-highlight
1867 '(((> unread 200) . my-group-face-1)
1868 ((and (< level 3) (zerop unread)) . my-group-face-2)
1869 ((< level 3) . my-group-face-3)
1870 ((zerop unread) . my-group-face-4)
1871 (t . my-group-face-5)))
1874 Also @pxref{Faces and Fonts}.
1876 Variables that are dynamically bound when the forms are evaluated
1883 The number of unread articles in the group.
1887 Whether the group is a mail group.
1889 The level of the group.
1891 The score of the group.
1893 The number of ticked articles in the group.
1895 The total number of articles in the group. Or rather, MAX-NUMBER minus
1896 MIN-NUMBER plus one.
1898 When using the topic minor mode, this variable is bound to the current
1899 topic being inserted.
1902 When the forms are @code{eval}ed, point is at the beginning of the line
1903 of the group in question, so you can use many of the normal Gnus
1904 functions for snarfing info on the group.
1906 @vindex gnus-group-update-hook
1907 @findex gnus-group-highlight-line
1908 @code{gnus-group-update-hook} is called when a group line is changed.
1909 It will not be called when @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}. This hook
1910 calls @code{gnus-group-highlight-line} by default.
1913 @node Group Maneuvering
1914 @section Group Maneuvering
1915 @cindex group movement
1917 All movement commands understand the numeric prefix and will behave as
1918 expected, hopefully.
1924 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
1925 Go to the next group that has unread articles
1926 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group}).
1932 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
1933 Go to the previous group that has unread articles
1934 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group}).
1938 @findex gnus-group-next-group
1939 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
1943 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
1944 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
1948 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level
1949 Go to the next unread group on the same (or lower) level
1950 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level}).
1954 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level
1955 Go to the previous unread group on the same (or lower) level
1956 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level}).
1959 Three commands for jumping to groups:
1965 @findex gnus-group-jump-to-group
1966 Jump to a group (and make it visible if it isn't already)
1967 (@code{gnus-group-jump-to-group}). Killed groups can be jumped to, just
1972 @findex gnus-group-best-unread-group
1973 Jump to the unread group with the lowest level
1974 (@code{gnus-group-best-unread-group}).
1978 @findex gnus-group-first-unread-group
1979 Jump to the first group with unread articles
1980 (@code{gnus-group-first-unread-group}).
1983 @vindex gnus-group-goto-unread
1984 If @code{gnus-group-goto-unread} is @code{nil}, all the movement
1985 commands will move to the next group, not the next unread group. Even
1986 the commands that say they move to the next unread group. The default
1990 @node Selecting a Group
1991 @section Selecting a Group
1992 @cindex group selection
1997 @kindex SPACE (Group)
1998 @findex gnus-group-read-group
1999 Select the current group, switch to the summary buffer and display the
2000 first unread article (@code{gnus-group-read-group}). If there are no
2001 unread articles in the group, or if you give a non-numerical prefix to
2002 this command, Gnus will offer to fetch all the old articles in this
2003 group from the server. If you give a numerical prefix @var{N}, @var{N}
2004 determines the number of articles Gnus will fetch. If @var{N} is
2005 positive, Gnus fetches the @var{N} newest articles, if @var{N} is
2006 negative, Gnus fetches the @code{abs(@var{N})} oldest articles.
2008 Thus, @kbd{SPC} enters the group normally, @kbd{C-u SPC} offers old
2009 articles, @kbd{C-u 4 2 SPC} fetches the 42 newest articles, and @kbd{C-u
2010 - 4 2 SPC} fetches the 42 oldest ones.
2012 When you are in the group (in the Summary buffer), you can type
2013 @kbd{M-g} to fetch new articles, or @kbd{C-u M-g} to also show the old
2018 @findex gnus-group-select-group
2019 Select the current group and switch to the summary buffer
2020 (@code{gnus-group-select-group}). Takes the same arguments as
2021 @code{gnus-group-read-group}---the only difference is that this command
2022 does not display the first unread article automatically upon group
2026 @kindex M-RET (Group)
2027 @findex gnus-group-quick-select-group
2028 This does the same as the command above, but tries to do it with the
2029 minimum amount of fuzz (@code{gnus-group-quick-select-group}). No
2030 scoring/killing will be performed, there will be no highlights and no
2031 expunging. This might be useful if you're in a real hurry and have to
2032 enter some humongous group. If you give a 0 prefix to this command
2033 (i.e., @kbd{0 M-RET}), Gnus won't even generate the summary buffer,
2034 which is useful if you want to toggle threading before generating the
2035 summary buffer (@pxref{Summary Generation Commands}).
2038 @kindex M-SPACE (Group)
2039 @findex gnus-group-visible-select-group
2040 This is yet one more command that does the same as the @kbd{RET}
2041 command, but this one does it without expunging and hiding dormants
2042 (@code{gnus-group-visible-select-group}).
2045 @kindex M-C-RET (Group)
2046 @findex gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally
2047 Finally, this command selects the current group ephemerally without
2048 doing any processing of its contents
2049 (@code{gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally}). Even threading has been
2050 turned off. Everything you do in the group after selecting it in this
2051 manner will have no permanent effects.
2055 @vindex gnus-large-newsgroup
2056 The @code{gnus-large-newsgroup} variable says what Gnus should consider
2057 to be a big group. This is 200 by default. If the group has more
2058 (unread and/or ticked) articles than this, Gnus will query the user
2059 before entering the group. The user can then specify how many articles
2060 should be fetched from the server. If the user specifies a negative
2061 number (@code{-n}), the @code{n} oldest articles will be fetched. If it
2062 is positive, the @code{n} articles that have arrived most recently will
2065 @vindex gnus-select-group-hook
2066 @vindex gnus-auto-select-first
2067 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} control whether any articles are selected
2068 automatically when entering a group with the @kbd{SPACE} command.
2073 Don't select any articles when entering the group. Just display the
2074 full summary buffer.
2077 Select the first unread article when entering the group.
2080 Select the highest scored article in the group when entering the
2085 This variable can also be a function. In that case, that function will
2086 be called to place point on a subject line, and/or select some article.
2087 Useful functions include:
2090 @item gnus-summary-first-unread-subject
2091 Place point on the subject line of the first unread article, but
2092 don't select the article.
2094 @item gnus-summary-first-unread-article
2095 Select the first unread article.
2097 @item gnus-summary-best-unread-article
2098 Select the highest-scored unread article.
2102 If you want to prevent automatic selection in some group (say, in a
2103 binary group with Huge articles) you can set this variable to @code{nil}
2104 in @code{gnus-select-group-hook}, which is called when a group is
2108 @node Subscription Commands
2109 @section Subscription Commands
2110 @cindex subscription
2118 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
2119 @c @icon{gnus-group-unsubscribe}
2120 Toggle subscription to the current group
2121 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group}).
2127 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-group
2128 Prompt for a group to subscribe, and then subscribe it. If it was
2129 subscribed already, unsubscribe it instead
2130 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-group}).
2136 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
2137 @c @icon{gnus-group-kill-group}
2138 Kill the current group (@code{gnus-group-kill-group}).
2144 @findex gnus-group-yank-group
2145 Yank the last killed group (@code{gnus-group-yank-group}).
2148 @kindex C-x C-t (Group)
2149 @findex gnus-group-transpose-groups
2150 Transpose two groups (@code{gnus-group-transpose-groups}). This isn't
2151 really a subscription command, but you can use it instead of a
2152 kill-and-yank sequence sometimes.
2158 @findex gnus-group-kill-region
2159 Kill all groups in the region (@code{gnus-group-kill-region}).
2163 @findex gnus-group-kill-all-zombies
2164 Kill all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-kill-all-zombies}).
2167 @kindex S C-k (Group)
2168 @findex gnus-group-kill-level
2169 Kill all groups on a certain level (@code{gnus-group-kill-level}).
2170 These groups can't be yanked back after killing, so this command should
2171 be used with some caution. The only time where this command comes in
2172 really handy is when you have a @file{.newsrc} with lots of unsubscribed
2173 groups that you want to get rid off. @kbd{S C-k} on level 7 will
2174 kill off all unsubscribed groups that do not have message numbers in the
2175 @file{.newsrc} file.
2179 Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
2189 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current
2190 @vindex gnus-group-catchup-group-hook
2191 @c @icon{gnus-group-catchup-current}
2192 Mark all unticked articles in this group as read
2193 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current}).
2194 @code{gnus-group-catchup-group-hook} is called when catching up a group from
2199 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current-all
2200 Mark all articles in this group, even the ticked ones, as read
2201 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current-all}).
2205 @findex gnus-group-clear-data
2206 Clear the data from the current group---nix out marks and the list of
2207 read articles (@code{gnus-group-clear-data}).
2209 @item M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2210 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2211 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2212 If you have switched from one @sc{nntp} server to another, all your marks
2213 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use this command to
2214 clear out all data that you have on your native groups. Use with
2221 @section Group Levels
2225 All groups have a level of @dfn{subscribedness}. For instance, if a
2226 group is on level 2, it is more subscribed than a group on level 5. You
2227 can ask Gnus to just list groups on a given level or lower
2228 (@pxref{Listing Groups}), or to just check for new articles in groups on
2229 a given level or lower (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
2231 Remember: The higher the level of the group, the less important it is.
2237 @findex gnus-group-set-current-level
2238 Set the level of the current group. If a numeric prefix is given, the
2239 next @var{n} groups will have their levels set. The user will be
2240 prompted for a level.
2243 @vindex gnus-level-killed
2244 @vindex gnus-level-zombie
2245 @vindex gnus-level-unsubscribed
2246 @vindex gnus-level-subscribed
2247 Gnus considers groups from levels 1 to
2248 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (inclusive) (default 5) to be subscribed,
2249 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (exclusive) and
2250 @code{gnus-level-unsubscribed} (inclusive) (default 7) to be
2251 unsubscribed, @code{gnus-level-zombie} to be zombies (walking dead)
2252 (default 8) and @code{gnus-level-killed} to be killed (completely dead)
2253 (default 9). Gnus treats subscribed and unsubscribed groups exactly the
2254 same, but zombie and killed groups have no information on what articles
2255 you have read, etc, stored. This distinction between dead and living
2256 groups isn't done because it is nice or clever, it is done purely for
2257 reasons of efficiency.
2259 It is recommended that you keep all your mail groups (if any) on quite
2260 low levels (e.g. 1 or 2).
2262 Maybe the following description of the default behavior of Gnus helps to
2263 understand what these levels are all about. By default, Gnus shows you
2264 subscribed nonempty groups, but by hitting @kbd{L} you can have it show
2265 empty subscribed groups and unsubscribed groups, too. Type @kbd{l} to
2266 go back to showing nonempty subscribed groups again. Thus, unsubscribed
2267 groups are hidden, in a way.
2269 Zombie and killed groups are similar to unsubscribed groups in that they
2270 are hidden by default. But they are different from subscribed and
2271 unsubscribed groups in that Gnus doesn't ask the news server for
2272 information (number of messages, number of unread messages) on zombie
2273 and killed groups. Normally, you use @kbd{C-k} to kill the groups you
2274 aren't interested in. If most groups are killed, Gnus is faster.
2276 Why does Gnus distinguish between zombie and killed groups? Well, when
2277 a new group arrives on the server, Gnus by default makes it a zombie
2278 group. This means that you are normally not bothered with new groups,
2279 but you can type @kbd{A z} to get a list of all new groups. Subscribe
2280 the ones you like and kill the ones you don't want. (@kbd{A k} shows a
2281 list of killed groups.)
2283 If you want to play with the level variables, you should show some care.
2284 Set them once, and don't touch them ever again. Better yet, don't touch
2285 them at all unless you know exactly what you're doing.
2287 @vindex gnus-level-default-unsubscribed
2288 @vindex gnus-level-default-subscribed
2289 Two closely related variables are @code{gnus-level-default-subscribed}
2290 (default 3) and @code{gnus-level-default-unsubscribed} (default 6),
2291 which are the levels that new groups will be put on if they are
2292 (un)subscribed. These two variables should, of course, be inside the
2293 relevant valid ranges.
2295 @vindex gnus-keep-same-level
2296 If @code{gnus-keep-same-level} is non-@code{nil}, some movement commands
2297 will only move to groups of the same level (or lower). In
2298 particular, going from the last article in one group to the next group
2299 will go to the next group of the same level (or lower). This might be
2300 handy if you want to read the most important groups before you read the
2303 If this variable is @code{best}, Gnus will make the next newsgroup the
2304 one with the best level.
2306 @vindex gnus-group-default-list-level
2307 All groups with a level less than or equal to
2308 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level} will be listed in the group buffer
2311 @vindex gnus-group-list-inactive-groups
2312 If @code{gnus-group-list-inactive-groups} is non-@code{nil}, non-active
2313 groups will be listed along with the unread groups. This variable is
2314 @code{t} by default. If it is @code{nil}, inactive groups won't be
2317 @vindex gnus-group-use-permanent-levels
2318 If @code{gnus-group-use-permanent-levels} is non-@code{nil}, once you
2319 give a level prefix to @kbd{g} or @kbd{l}, all subsequent commands will
2320 use this level as the ``work'' level.
2322 @vindex gnus-activate-level
2323 Gnus will normally just activate (i. e., query the server about) groups
2324 on level @code{gnus-activate-level} or less. If you don't want to
2325 activate unsubscribed groups, for instance, you might set this variable
2326 to 5. The default is 6.
2330 @section Group Score
2335 You would normally keep important groups on high levels, but that scheme
2336 is somewhat restrictive. Don't you wish you could have Gnus sort the
2337 group buffer according to how often you read groups, perhaps? Within
2340 This is what @dfn{group score} is for. You can have Gnus assign a score
2341 to each group through the mechanism described below. You can then sort
2342 the group buffer based on this score. Alternatively, you can sort on
2343 score and then level. (Taken together, the level and the score is
2344 called the @dfn{rank} of the group. A group that is on level 4 and has
2345 a score of 1 has a higher rank than a group on level 5 that has a score
2346 of 300. (The level is the most significant part and the score is the
2347 least significant part.))
2349 @findex gnus-summary-bubble-group
2350 If you want groups you read often to get higher scores than groups you
2351 read seldom you can add the @code{gnus-summary-bubble-group} function to
2352 the @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} hook. This will result (after
2353 sorting) in a bubbling sort of action. If you want to see that in
2354 action after each summary exit, you can add
2355 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank} or
2356 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score} to the same hook, but that will
2357 slow things down somewhat.
2360 @node Marking Groups
2361 @section Marking Groups
2362 @cindex marking groups
2364 If you want to perform some command on several groups, and they appear
2365 subsequently in the group buffer, you would normally just give a
2366 numerical prefix to the command. Most group commands will then do your
2367 bidding on those groups.
2369 However, if the groups are not in sequential order, you can still
2370 perform a command on several groups. You simply mark the groups first
2371 with the process mark and then execute the command.
2379 @findex gnus-group-mark-group
2380 Set the mark on the current group (@code{gnus-group-mark-group}).
2386 @findex gnus-group-unmark-group
2387 Remove the mark from the current group
2388 (@code{gnus-group-unmark-group}).
2392 @findex gnus-group-unmark-all-groups
2393 Remove the mark from all groups (@code{gnus-group-unmark-all-groups}).
2397 @findex gnus-group-mark-region
2398 Mark all groups between point and mark (@code{gnus-group-mark-region}).
2402 @findex gnus-group-mark-buffer
2403 Mark all groups in the buffer (@code{gnus-group-mark-buffer}).
2407 @findex gnus-group-mark-regexp
2408 Mark all groups that match some regular expression
2409 (@code{gnus-group-mark-regexp}).
2412 Also @pxref{Process/Prefix}.
2414 @findex gnus-group-universal-argument
2415 If you want to execute some command on all groups that have been marked
2416 with the process mark, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
2417 (@code{gnus-group-universal-argument}) command. It will prompt you for
2418 the command to be executed.
2421 @node Foreign Groups
2422 @section Foreign Groups
2423 @cindex foreign groups
2425 Below are some group mode commands for making and editing general foreign
2426 groups, as well as commands to ease the creation of a few
2427 special-purpose groups. All these commands insert the newly created
2428 groups under point---@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} is not
2435 @findex gnus-group-make-group
2436 @cindex making groups
2437 Make a new group (@code{gnus-group-make-group}). Gnus will prompt you
2438 for a name, a method and possibly an @dfn{address}. For an easier way
2439 to subscribe to @sc{nntp} groups, @pxref{Browse Foreign Server}.
2443 @findex gnus-group-rename-group
2444 @cindex renaming groups
2445 Rename the current group to something else
2446 (@code{gnus-group-rename-group}). This is valid only on some
2447 groups---mail groups mostly. This command might very well be quite slow
2453 @findex gnus-group-customize
2454 Customize the group parameters (@code{gnus-group-customize}).
2458 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-method
2459 @cindex renaming groups
2460 Enter a buffer where you can edit the select method of the current
2461 group (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-method}).
2465 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-parameters
2466 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group parameters
2467 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-parameters}).
2471 @findex gnus-group-edit-group
2472 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group info
2473 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group}).
2477 @findex gnus-group-make-directory-group
2479 Make a directory group (@pxref{Directory Groups}). You will be prompted
2480 for a directory name (@code{gnus-group-make-directory-group}).
2485 @findex gnus-group-make-help-group
2486 Make the Gnus help group (@code{gnus-group-make-help-group}).
2490 @cindex (ding) archive
2491 @cindex archive group
2492 @findex gnus-group-make-archive-group
2493 @vindex gnus-group-archive-directory
2494 @vindex gnus-group-recent-archive-directory
2495 Make a Gnus archive group (@code{gnus-group-make-archive-group}). By
2496 default a group pointing to the most recent articles will be created
2497 (@code{gnus-group-recent-archive-directory}), but given a prefix, a full
2498 group will be created from @code{gnus-group-archive-directory}.
2502 @findex gnus-group-make-kiboze-group
2504 Make a kiboze group. You will be prompted for a name, for a regexp to
2505 match groups to be ``included'' in the kiboze group, and a series of
2506 strings to match on headers (@code{gnus-group-make-kiboze-group}).
2507 @xref{Kibozed Groups}.
2511 @findex gnus-group-enter-directory
2513 Read an arbitrary directory as if it were a newsgroup with the
2514 @code{nneething} back end (@code{gnus-group-enter-directory}).
2515 @xref{Anything Groups}.
2519 @findex gnus-group-make-doc-group
2520 @cindex ClariNet Briefs
2522 Make a group based on some file or other
2523 (@code{gnus-group-make-doc-group}). If you give a prefix to this
2524 command, you will be prompted for a file name and a file type.
2525 Currently supported types are @code{mbox}, @code{babyl},
2526 @code{digest}, @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{mmdf}, @code{forward},
2527 @code{rfc934}, @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{mime-parts},
2528 @code{standard-digest}, @code{slack-digest}, @code{clari-briefs},
2529 @code{nsmail}, @code{outlook}, @code{oe-dbx}, and @code{mailman}. If
2530 you run this command without a prefix, Gnus will guess at the file
2531 type. @xref{Document Groups}.
2535 @vindex gnus-useful-groups
2536 @findex gnus-group-make-useful-group
2537 Create one of the groups mentioned in @code{gnus-useful-groups}
2538 (@code{gnus-group-make-useful-group}).
2542 @findex gnus-group-make-web-group
2547 Make an ephemeral group based on a web search
2548 (@code{gnus-group-make-web-group}). If you give a prefix to this
2549 command, make a solid group instead. You will be prompted for the
2550 search engine type and the search string. Valid search engine types
2551 include @code{dejanews}, @code{altavista} and @code{reference}.
2552 @xref{Web Searches}.
2554 If you use the @code{dejanews} search engine, you can limit the search
2555 to a particular group by using a match string like
2556 @samp{~g alt.sysadmin.recovery shaving}.
2559 @kindex G DEL (Group)
2560 @findex gnus-group-delete-group
2561 This function will delete the current group
2562 (@code{gnus-group-delete-group}). If given a prefix, this function will
2563 actually delete all the articles in the group, and forcibly remove the
2564 group itself from the face of the Earth. Use a prefix only if you are
2565 absolutely sure of what you are doing. This command can't be used on
2566 read-only groups (like @code{nntp} group), though.
2570 @findex gnus-group-make-empty-virtual
2571 Make a new, fresh, empty @code{nnvirtual} group
2572 (@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}). @xref{Virtual Groups}.
2576 @findex gnus-group-add-to-virtual
2577 Add the current group to an @code{nnvirtual} group
2578 (@code{gnus-group-add-to-virtual}). Uses the process/prefix convention.
2581 @xref{Select Methods}, for more information on the various select
2584 @vindex gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups
2585 If @code{gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups} is a positive number,
2586 Gnus will check all foreign groups with this level or lower at startup.
2587 This might take quite a while, especially if you subscribe to lots of
2588 groups from different @sc{nntp} servers. Also @pxref{Group Levels};
2589 @code{gnus-activate-level} also affects activation of foreign
2593 @node Group Parameters
2594 @section Group Parameters
2595 @cindex group parameters
2597 The group parameters store information local to a particular group.
2598 Here's an example group parameter list:
2601 ((to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")
2605 We see that each element consists of a "dotted pair"---the thing before
2606 the dot is the key, while the thing after the dot is the value. All the
2607 parameters have this form @emph{except} local variable specs, which are
2608 not dotted pairs, but proper lists.
2610 Some parameters have correspondant customizable variables, each of which
2611 is an alist of regexps and values.
2613 The following group parameters can be used:
2618 Address used by when doing followups and new posts.
2621 (to-address . "some@@where.com")
2624 This is primarily useful in mail groups that represent closed mailing
2625 lists---mailing lists where it's expected that everybody that writes to
2626 the mailing list is subscribed to it. Since using this parameter
2627 ensures that the mail only goes to the mailing list itself, it means
2628 that members won't receive two copies of your followups.
2630 Using @code{to-address} will actually work whether the group is foreign
2631 or not. Let's say there's a group on the server that is called
2632 @samp{fa.4ad-l}. This is a real newsgroup, but the server has gotten
2633 the articles from a mail-to-news gateway. Posting directly to this
2634 group is therefore impossible---you have to send mail to the mailing
2635 list address instead.
2637 See also @code{gnus-parameter-to-address-alist}.
2641 Address used when doing @kbd{a} in that group.
2644 (to-list . "some@@where.com")
2647 It is totally ignored
2648 when doing a followup---except that if it is present in a news group,
2649 you'll get mail group semantics when doing @kbd{f}.
2651 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you have neither a
2652 @code{to-list} group parameter nor a @code{to-address} group parameter,
2653 then a @code{to-list} group parameter will be added automatically upon
2654 sending the message if @code{gnus-add-to-list} is set to @code{t}.
2655 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
2657 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you don't have a
2658 @code{to-list} group parameter, one will be added automatically upon
2659 sending the message.
2661 @findex gnus-mailing-list-mode
2662 @cindex Mail List Groups
2663 If this variable is set, @code{gnus-mailing-list-mode} is turned on when
2664 entering summary buffer.
2666 See also @code{gnus-parameter-to-list-alist}.
2670 If the group parameter list has the element @code{(visible . t)},
2671 that group will always be visible in the Group buffer, regardless
2672 of whether it has any unread articles.
2674 @item broken-reply-to
2675 @cindex broken-reply-to
2676 Elements like @code{(broken-reply-to . t)} signals that @code{Reply-To}
2677 headers in this group are to be ignored. This can be useful if you're
2678 reading a mailing list group where the listserv has inserted
2679 @code{Reply-To} headers that point back to the listserv itself. This is
2680 broken behavior. So there!
2684 Elements like @code{(to-group . "some.group.name")} means that all
2685 posts in that group will be sent to @code{some.group.name}.
2689 If you have @code{(newsgroup . t)} in the group parameter list, Gnus
2690 will treat all responses as if they were responses to news articles.
2691 This can be useful if you have a mail group that's really a mirror of a
2696 If @code{(gcc-self . t)} is present in the group parameter list, newly
2697 composed messages will be @code{Gcc}'d to the current group. If
2698 @code{(gcc-self . none)} is present, no @code{Gcc:} header will be
2699 generated, if @code{(gcc-self . "string")} is present, this string will
2700 be inserted literally as a @code{gcc} header. This parameter takes
2701 precedence over any default @code{Gcc} rules as described later
2702 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
2706 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(auto-expire
2707 . t)}, all articles read will be marked as expirable. For an
2708 alternative approach, @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
2710 See also @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups}.
2713 @cindex total-expire
2714 If the group parameter has an element that looks like
2715 @code{(total-expire . t)}, all read articles will be put through the
2716 expiry process, even if they are not marked as expirable. Use with
2717 caution. Unread, ticked and dormant articles are not eligible for
2720 See also @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups}.
2724 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
2725 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(expiry-wait
2726 . 10)}, this value will override any @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} and
2727 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} when expiring expirable messages.
2728 The value can either be a number of days (not necessarily an integer) or
2729 the symbols @code{never} or @code{immediate}.
2732 @cindex score file group parameter
2733 Elements that look like @code{(score-file . "file")} will make
2734 @file{file} into the current score file for the group in question. All
2735 interactive score entries will be put into this file.
2738 @cindex adapt file group parameter
2739 Elements that look like @code{(adapt-file . "file")} will make
2740 @file{file} into the current adaptive file for the group in question.
2741 All adaptive score entries will be put into this file.
2744 @cindex admin-address
2745 When unsubscribing from a mailing list you should never send the
2746 unsubscription notice to the mailing list itself. Instead, you'd send
2747 messages to the administrative address. This parameter allows you to
2748 put the admin address somewhere convenient.
2752 Elements that look like @code{(display . MODE)} say which articles to
2753 display on entering the group. Valid values are:
2757 Display all articles, both read and unread.
2760 Display the default visible articles, which normally includes unread and
2764 Display articles that satisfy a predicate.
2766 Here are some examples:
2770 Display only read articles.
2773 Display everything except expirable articles.
2775 @item [and (not reply) (not expire)]
2776 Display everything except expirable and articles you've already
2780 The available operators are @code{not}, @code{and} and @code{or}.
2781 Predicates include @code{tick}, @code{unsend}, @code{undownload},
2782 @code{read}, @code{dormant}, @code{expire}, @code{reply},
2783 @code{killed}, @code{bookmark}, @code{score}, @code{save},
2784 @code{cache}, @code{forward}, @code{seen} and @code{recent}.
2788 The @code{display} parameter works by limiting the summary buffer to
2789 the subset specified. You can pop the limit by using the @kbd{/ w}
2790 command (@pxref{Limiting}).
2794 Elements that look like @code{(comment . "This is a comment")}
2795 are arbitrary comments on the group. They are currently ignored by
2796 Gnus, but provide a place for you to store information on particular
2801 Elements that look like @code{(charset . iso-8859-1)} will make
2802 @code{iso-8859-1} the default charset; that is, the charset that will be
2803 used for all articles that do not specify a charset.
2805 See also @code{gnus-group-charset-alist}.
2807 @item ignored-charsets
2808 @cindex ignored-charset
2809 Elements that look like @code{(ignored-charsets x-unknown iso-8859-1)}
2810 will make @code{iso-8859-1} and @code{x-unknown} ignored; that is, the
2811 default charset will be used for decoding articles.
2813 See also @code{gnus-group-ignored-charsets-alist}.
2816 @cindex posting-style
2817 You can store additional posting style information for this group only
2818 here (@pxref{Posting Styles}). The format is that of an entry in the
2819 @code{gnus-posting-styles} alist, except that there's no regexp matching
2820 the group name (of course). Style elements in this group parameter will
2821 take precedence over the ones found in @code{gnus-posting-styles}.
2823 For instance, if you want a funky name and signature in this group only,
2824 instead of hacking @code{gnus-posting-styles}, you could put something
2825 like this in the group parameters:
2830 (signature "Funky Signature"))
2835 If it is set, the value is used as the method for posting message
2836 instead of @code{gnus-post-method}.
2840 An item like @code{(banner . "regex")} causes any part of an article
2841 that matches the regular expression "regex" to be stripped. Instead of
2842 "regex", you can also use the symbol @code{signature} which strips the
2843 last signature or any of the elements of the alist
2844 @code{gnus-article-banner-alist}.
2846 @item (@var{variable} @var{form})
2847 You can use the group parameters to set variables local to the group you
2848 are entering. If you want to turn threading off in @samp{news.answers},
2849 you could put @code{(gnus-show-threads nil)} in the group parameters of
2850 that group. @code{gnus-show-threads} will be made into a local variable
2851 in the summary buffer you enter, and the form @code{nil} will be
2852 @code{eval}ed there.
2854 This can also be used as a group-specific hook function, if you'd like.
2855 If you want to hear a beep when you enter a group, you could put
2856 something like @code{(dummy-variable (ding))} in the parameters of that
2857 group. @code{dummy-variable} will be set to the result of the
2858 @code{(ding)} form, but who cares?
2862 Use the @kbd{G p} or the @kbd{G c} command to edit group parameters of a
2863 group. (@kbd{G p} presents you with a Lisp-based interface, @kbd{G c}
2864 presents you with a Customize-like interface. The latter helps avoid
2865 silly Lisp errors.) You might also be interested in reading about topic
2866 parameters (@pxref{Topic Parameters}).
2868 Group parameters can be set via the @code{gnus-parameters} variable too.
2869 But some variables, such as @code{visible}, have no effect. For
2873 (setq gnus-parameters
2875 (gnus-show-threads nil)
2876 (gnus-use-scoring nil)
2877 (gnus-summary-line-format
2878 "%U%R%z%I%(%[%d:%ub%-23,23f%]%) %s\n")
2882 ("^nnimap:\\(foo.bar\\)$"
2886 (gnus-use-scoring t))
2890 (broken-reply-to . t))))
2893 String value of parameters will be subjected to regexp substitution, as
2894 the @code{to-group} example shows.
2897 @node Listing Groups
2898 @section Listing Groups
2899 @cindex group listing
2901 These commands all list various slices of the groups available.
2909 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
2910 List all groups that have unread articles
2911 (@code{gnus-group-list-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used, this
2912 command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default, it
2913 only lists groups of level five (i. e.,
2914 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level}) or lower (i.e., just subscribed
2921 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
2922 List all groups, whether they have unread articles or not
2923 (@code{gnus-group-list-all-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used,
2924 this command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default,
2925 it lists groups of level seven or lower (i.e., just subscribed and
2926 unsubscribed groups).
2930 @findex gnus-group-list-level
2931 List all unread groups on a specific level
2932 (@code{gnus-group-list-level}). If given a prefix, also list the groups
2933 with no unread articles.
2937 @findex gnus-group-list-killed
2938 List all killed groups (@code{gnus-group-list-killed}). If given a
2939 prefix argument, really list all groups that are available, but aren't
2940 currently (un)subscribed. This could entail reading the active file
2945 @findex gnus-group-list-zombies
2946 List all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-list-zombies}).
2950 @findex gnus-group-list-matching
2951 List all unread, subscribed groups with names that match a regexp
2952 (@code{gnus-group-list-matching}).
2956 @findex gnus-group-list-all-matching
2957 List groups that match a regexp (@code{gnus-group-list-all-matching}).
2961 @findex gnus-group-list-active
2962 List absolutely all groups in the active file(s) of the
2963 server(s) you are connected to (@code{gnus-group-list-active}). This
2964 might very well take quite a while. It might actually be a better idea
2965 to do a @kbd{A M} to list all matching, and just give @samp{.} as the
2966 thing to match on. Also note that this command may list groups that
2967 don't exist (yet)---these will be listed as if they were killed groups.
2968 Take the output with some grains of salt.
2972 @findex gnus-group-apropos
2973 List all groups that have names that match a regexp
2974 (@code{gnus-group-apropos}).
2978 @findex gnus-group-description-apropos
2979 List all groups that have names or descriptions that match a regexp
2980 (@code{gnus-group-description-apropos}).
2984 @findex gnus-group-list-cached
2985 List all groups with cached articles (@code{gnus-group-list-cached}).
2989 @findex gnus-group-list-dormant
2990 List all groups with dormant articles (@code{gnus-group-list-dormant}).
2994 @findex gnus-group-list-limit
2995 List groups limited within the current selection
2996 (@code{gnus-group-list-limit}).
3000 @findex gnus-group-list-flush
3001 Flush groups from the current selection (@code{gnus-group-list-flush}).
3005 @findex gnus-group-list-plus
3006 List groups plus the current selection (@code{gnus-group-list-plus}).
3010 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3011 @cindex visible group parameter
3012 Groups that match the @code{gnus-permanently-visible-groups} regexp will
3013 always be shown, whether they have unread articles or not. You can also
3014 add the @code{visible} element to the group parameters in question to
3015 get the same effect.
3017 @vindex gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles
3018 Groups that have just ticked articles in it are normally listed in the
3019 group buffer. If @code{gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles} is
3020 @code{nil}, these groups will be treated just like totally empty
3021 groups. It is @code{t} by default.
3024 @node Sorting Groups
3025 @section Sorting Groups
3026 @cindex sorting groups
3028 @kindex C-c C-s (Group)
3029 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups
3030 @vindex gnus-group-sort-function
3031 The @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups}) command sorts the
3032 group buffer according to the function(s) given by the
3033 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} variable. Available sorting functions
3038 @item gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
3039 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
3040 Sort the group names alphabetically. This is the default.
3042 @item gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
3043 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
3044 Sort the group alphabetically on the real (unprefixed) group names.
3046 @item gnus-group-sort-by-level
3047 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-level
3048 Sort by group level.
3050 @item gnus-group-sort-by-score
3051 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-score
3052 Sort by group score. @xref{Group Score}.
3054 @item gnus-group-sort-by-rank
3055 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-rank
3056 Sort by group score and then the group level. The level and the score
3057 are, when taken together, the group's @dfn{rank}. @xref{Group Score}.
3059 @item gnus-group-sort-by-unread
3060 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-unread
3061 Sort by number of unread articles.
3063 @item gnus-group-sort-by-method
3064 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-method
3065 Sort alphabetically on the select method.
3067 @item gnus-group-sort-by-server
3068 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-server
3069 Sort alphabetically on the Gnus server name.
3074 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} can also be a list of sorting
3075 functions. In that case, the most significant sort key function must be
3079 There are also a number of commands for sorting directly according to
3080 some sorting criteria:
3084 @kindex G S a (Group)
3085 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet
3086 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by group name
3087 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
3090 @kindex G S u (Group)
3091 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread
3092 Sort the group buffer by the number of unread articles
3093 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread}).
3096 @kindex G S l (Group)
3097 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level
3098 Sort the group buffer by group level
3099 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level}).
3102 @kindex G S v (Group)
3103 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score
3104 Sort the group buffer by group score
3105 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3108 @kindex G S r (Group)
3109 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank
3110 Sort the group buffer by group rank
3111 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3114 @kindex G S m (Group)
3115 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method
3116 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by back end name
3117 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method}).
3121 All the commands below obey the process/prefix convention
3122 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3124 When given a symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}), all these
3125 commands will sort in reverse order.
3127 You can also sort a subset of the groups:
3131 @kindex G P a (Group)
3132 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet
3133 Sort the groups alphabetically by group name
3134 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet}).
3137 @kindex G P u (Group)
3138 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread
3139 Sort the groups by the number of unread articles
3140 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread}).
3143 @kindex G P l (Group)
3144 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level
3145 Sort the groups by group level
3146 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level}).
3149 @kindex G P v (Group)
3150 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score
3151 Sort the groups by group score
3152 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3155 @kindex G P r (Group)
3156 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank
3157 Sort the groups by group rank
3158 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3161 @kindex G P m (Group)
3162 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method
3163 Sort the groups alphabetically by back end name
3164 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method}).
3168 And finally, note that you can use @kbd{C-k} and @kbd{C-y} to manually
3172 @node Group Maintenance
3173 @section Group Maintenance
3174 @cindex bogus groups
3179 @findex gnus-group-check-bogus-groups
3180 Find bogus groups and delete them
3181 (@code{gnus-group-check-bogus-groups}).
3185 @findex gnus-group-find-new-groups
3186 Find new groups and process them (@code{gnus-group-find-new-groups}).
3187 With 1 @kbd{C-u}, use the @code{ask-server} method to query the server
3188 for new groups. With 2 @kbd{C-u}'s, use most complete method possible
3189 to query the server for new groups, and subscribe the new groups as
3193 @kindex C-c C-x (Group)
3194 @findex gnus-group-expire-articles
3195 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
3196 process (if any) (@code{gnus-group-expire-articles}). That is, delete
3197 all expirable articles in the group that have been around for a while.
3198 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
3201 @kindex C-c M-C-x (Group)
3202 @findex gnus-group-expire-all-groups
3203 Run all expirable articles in all groups through the expiry process
3204 (@code{gnus-group-expire-all-groups}).
3209 @node Browse Foreign Server
3210 @section Browse Foreign Server
3211 @cindex foreign servers
3212 @cindex browsing servers
3217 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
3218 You will be queried for a select method and a server name. Gnus will
3219 then attempt to contact this server and let you browse the groups there
3220 (@code{gnus-group-browse-foreign-server}).
3223 @findex gnus-browse-mode
3224 A new buffer with a list of available groups will appear. This buffer
3225 will use the @code{gnus-browse-mode}. This buffer looks a bit (well,
3226 a lot) like a normal group buffer.
3228 Here's a list of keystrokes available in the browse mode:
3233 @findex gnus-group-next-group
3234 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
3238 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
3239 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
3242 @kindex SPACE (Browse)
3243 @findex gnus-browse-read-group
3244 Enter the current group and display the first article
3245 (@code{gnus-browse-read-group}).
3248 @kindex RET (Browse)
3249 @findex gnus-browse-select-group
3250 Enter the current group (@code{gnus-browse-select-group}).
3254 @findex gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group
3255 Unsubscribe to the current group, or, as will be the case here,
3256 subscribe to it (@code{gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group}).
3262 @findex gnus-browse-exit
3263 Exit browse mode (@code{gnus-browse-exit}).
3267 @findex gnus-browse-describe-briefly
3268 Describe browse mode briefly (well, there's not much to describe, is
3269 there) (@code{gnus-browse-describe-briefly}).
3274 @section Exiting Gnus
3275 @cindex exiting Gnus
3277 Yes, Gnus is ex(c)iting.
3282 @findex gnus-group-suspend
3283 Suspend Gnus (@code{gnus-group-suspend}). This doesn't really exit Gnus,
3284 but it kills all buffers except the Group buffer. I'm not sure why this
3285 is a gain, but then who am I to judge?
3289 @findex gnus-group-exit
3290 @c @icon{gnus-group-exit}
3291 Quit Gnus (@code{gnus-group-exit}).
3295 @findex gnus-group-quit
3296 Quit Gnus without saving the @file{.newsrc} files (@code{gnus-group-quit}).
3297 The dribble file will be saved, though (@pxref{Auto Save}).
3300 @vindex gnus-exit-gnus-hook
3301 @vindex gnus-suspend-gnus-hook
3302 @code{gnus-suspend-gnus-hook} is called when you suspend Gnus and
3303 @code{gnus-exit-gnus-hook} is called when you quit Gnus, while
3304 @code{gnus-after-exiting-gnus-hook} is called as the final item when
3309 If you wish to completely unload Gnus and all its adherents, you can use
3310 the @code{gnus-unload} command. This command is also very handy when
3311 trying to customize meta-variables.
3316 Miss Lisa Cannifax, while sitting in English class, felt her feet go
3317 numbly heavy and herself fall into a hazy trance as the boy sitting
3318 behind her drew repeated lines with his pencil across the back of her
3324 @section Group Topics
3327 If you read lots and lots of groups, it might be convenient to group
3328 them hierarchically according to topics. You put your Emacs groups over
3329 here, your sex groups over there, and the rest (what, two groups or so?)
3330 you put in some misc section that you never bother with anyway. You can
3331 even group the Emacs sex groups as a sub-topic to either the Emacs
3332 groups or the sex groups---or both! Go wild!
3336 \gnusfigure{Group Topics}{400}{
3337 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=ps/group-topic,height=9cm}}
3348 2: alt.religion.emacs
3351 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3353 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3354 13: comp.sources.unix
3357 @findex gnus-topic-mode
3359 To get this @emph{fab} functionality you simply turn on (ooh!) the
3360 @code{gnus-topic} minor mode---type @kbd{t} in the group buffer. (This
3361 is a toggling command.)
3363 Go ahead, just try it. I'll still be here when you get back. La de
3364 dum... Nice tune, that... la la la... What, you're back? Yes, and
3365 now press @kbd{l}. There. All your groups are now listed under
3366 @samp{misc}. Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Hot and
3369 If you want this permanently enabled, you should add that minor mode to
3370 the hook for the group mode. Put the following line in your
3371 @file{~/.gnus} file:
3374 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
3378 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
3379 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
3380 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
3381 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
3382 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
3386 @node Topic Commands
3387 @subsection Topic Commands
3388 @cindex topic commands
3390 When the topic minor mode is turned on, a new @kbd{T} submap will be
3391 available. In addition, a few of the standard keys change their
3392 definitions slightly.
3394 In general, the following kinds of operations are possible on topics.
3395 First of all, you want to create topics. Secondly, you want to put
3396 groups in topics and to move them around until you have an order you
3397 like. The third kind of operation is to show/hide parts of the whole
3398 shebang. You might want to hide a topic including its subtopics and
3399 groups, to get a better overview of the other groups.
3401 Here is a list of the basic keys that you might need to set up topics
3408 @findex gnus-topic-create-topic
3409 Prompt for a new topic name and create it
3410 (@code{gnus-topic-create-topic}).
3414 @kindex T TAB (Topic)
3416 @findex gnus-topic-indent
3417 ``Indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
3418 previous topic (@code{gnus-topic-indent}). If given a prefix,
3419 ``un-indent'' the topic instead.
3422 @kindex M-TAB (Topic)
3423 @findex gnus-topic-unindent
3424 ``Un-indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
3425 parent of its current parent (@code{gnus-topic-unindent}).
3429 The following two keys can be used to move groups and topics around.
3430 They work like the well-known cut and paste. @kbd{C-k} is like cut and
3431 @kbd{C-y} is like paste. Of course, this being Emacs, we use the terms
3432 kill and yank rather than cut and paste.
3438 @findex gnus-topic-kill-group
3439 Kill a group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-kill-group}). All groups in the
3440 topic will be removed along with the topic.
3444 @findex gnus-topic-yank-group
3445 Yank the previously killed group or topic
3446 (@code{gnus-topic-yank-group}). Note that all topics will be yanked
3449 So, to move a topic to the beginning of the list of topics, just hit
3450 @kbd{C-k} on it. This is like the `cut' part of cut and paste. Then,
3451 move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer (just below the `Gnus'
3452 topic) and hit @kbd{C-y}. This is like the `paste' part of cut and
3453 paste. Like I said -- E-Z.
3455 You can use @kbd{C-k} and @kbd{C-y} on groups as well as on topics. So
3456 you can move topics around as well as groups.
3460 After setting up the topics the way you like them, you might wish to
3461 hide a topic, or to show it again. That's why we have the following
3468 @findex gnus-topic-select-group
3470 Either select a group or fold a topic (@code{gnus-topic-select-group}).
3471 When you perform this command on a group, you'll enter the group, as
3472 usual. When done on a topic line, the topic will be folded (if it was
3473 visible) or unfolded (if it was folded already). So it's basically a
3474 toggling command on topics. In addition, if you give a numerical
3475 prefix, group on that level (and lower) will be displayed.
3479 Now for a list of other commands, in no particular order.
3485 @findex gnus-topic-move-group
3486 Move the current group to some other topic
3487 (@code{gnus-topic-move-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
3488 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3492 @findex gnus-topic-jump-to-topic
3493 Go to a topic (@code{gnus-topic-jump-to-topic}).
3497 @findex gnus-topic-copy-group
3498 Copy the current group to some other topic
3499 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
3500 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3504 @findex gnus-topic-hide-topic
3505 Hide the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-hide-topic}). If given
3506 a prefix, hide the topic permanently.
3510 @findex gnus-topic-show-topic
3511 Show the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-show-topic}). If given
3512 a prefix, show the topic permanently.
3516 @findex gnus-topic-remove-group
3517 Remove a group from the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-remove-group}).
3518 This command is mainly useful if you have the same group in several
3519 topics and wish to remove it from one of the topics. You may also
3520 remove a group from all topics, but in that case, Gnus will add it to
3521 the root topic the next time you start Gnus. In fact, all new groups
3522 (which, naturally, don't belong to any topic) will show up in the root
3525 This command uses the process/prefix convention
3526 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3530 @findex gnus-topic-move-matching
3531 Move all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
3532 (@code{gnus-topic-move-matching}).
3536 @findex gnus-topic-copy-matching
3537 Copy all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
3538 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-matching}).
3542 @findex gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics
3543 Toggle hiding empty topics
3544 (@code{gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics}).
3548 @findex gnus-topic-mark-topic
3549 Mark all groups in the current topic with the process mark
3550 (@code{gnus-topic-mark-topic}).
3553 @kindex T M-# (Topic)
3554 @findex gnus-topic-unmark-topic
3555 Remove the process mark from all groups in the current topic
3556 (@code{gnus-topic-unmark-topic}).
3559 @kindex C-c C-x (Topic)
3560 @findex gnus-topic-expire-articles
3561 Run all expirable articles in the current group or topic through the
3562 expiry process (if any)
3563 (@code{gnus-topic-expire-articles}). (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
3567 @findex gnus-topic-rename
3568 Rename a topic (@code{gnus-topic-rename}).
3571 @kindex T DEL (Topic)
3572 @findex gnus-topic-delete
3573 Delete an empty topic (@code{gnus-topic-delete}).
3577 @findex gnus-topic-list-active
3578 List all groups that Gnus knows about in a topics-ified way
3579 (@code{gnus-topic-list-active}).
3583 @findex gnus-topic-edit-parameters
3584 @cindex group parameters
3585 @cindex topic parameters
3587 Edit the topic parameters (@code{gnus-topic-edit-parameters}).
3588 @xref{Topic Parameters}.
3593 @node Topic Variables
3594 @subsection Topic Variables
3595 @cindex topic variables
3597 The previous section told you how to tell Gnus which topics to display.
3598 This section explains how to tell Gnus what to display about each topic.
3600 @vindex gnus-topic-line-format
3601 The topic lines themselves are created according to the
3602 @code{gnus-topic-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
3615 Number of groups in the topic.
3617 Number of unread articles in the topic.
3619 Number of unread articles in the topic and all its subtopics.
3622 @vindex gnus-topic-indent-level
3623 Each sub-topic (and the groups in the sub-topics) will be indented with
3624 @code{gnus-topic-indent-level} times the topic level number of spaces.
3627 @vindex gnus-topic-mode-hook
3628 @code{gnus-topic-mode-hook} is called in topic minor mode buffers.
3630 @vindex gnus-topic-display-empty-topics
3631 The @code{gnus-topic-display-empty-topics} says whether to display even
3632 topics that have no unread articles in them. The default is @code{t}.
3636 @subsection Topic Sorting
3637 @cindex topic sorting
3639 You can sort the groups in each topic individually with the following
3645 @kindex T S a (Topic)
3646 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet
3647 Sort the current topic alphabetically by group name
3648 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
3651 @kindex T S u (Topic)
3652 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread
3653 Sort the current topic by the number of unread articles
3654 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread}).
3657 @kindex T S l (Topic)
3658 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level
3659 Sort the current topic by group level
3660 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level}).
3663 @kindex T S v (Topic)
3664 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score
3665 Sort the current topic by group score
3666 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3669 @kindex T S r (Topic)
3670 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank
3671 Sort the current topic by group rank
3672 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3675 @kindex T S m (Topic)
3676 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method
3677 Sort the current topic alphabetically by back end name
3678 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method}).
3681 @kindex T S e (Topic)
3682 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-server
3683 Sort the current topic alphabetically by server name
3684 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-server}).
3688 @xref{Sorting Groups}, for more information about group sorting.
3691 @node Topic Topology
3692 @subsection Topic Topology
3693 @cindex topic topology
3696 So, let's have a look at an example group buffer:
3702 2: alt.religion.emacs
3705 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3707 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3708 13: comp.sources.unix
3711 So, here we have one top-level topic (@samp{Gnus}), two topics under
3712 that, and one sub-topic under one of the sub-topics. (There is always
3713 just one (1) top-level topic). This topology can be expressed as
3718 (("Emacs -- I wuw it!" visible)
3719 (("Naughty Emacs" visible)))
3723 @vindex gnus-topic-topology
3724 This is in fact how the variable @code{gnus-topic-topology} would look
3725 for the display above. That variable is saved in the @file{.newsrc.eld}
3726 file, and shouldn't be messed with manually---unless you really want
3727 to. Since this variable is read from the @file{.newsrc.eld} file,
3728 setting it in any other startup files will have no effect.
3730 This topology shows what topics are sub-topics of what topics (right),
3731 and which topics are visible. Two settings are currently
3732 allowed---@code{visible} and @code{invisible}.
3735 @node Topic Parameters
3736 @subsection Topic Parameters
3737 @cindex topic parameters
3739 All groups in a topic will inherit group parameters from the parent (and
3740 ancestor) topic parameters. All valid group parameters are valid topic
3741 parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
3743 In addition, the following parameters are only valid as topic
3748 When subscribing new groups by topic (@pxref{Subscription Methods}), the
3749 @code{subscribe} topic parameter says what groups go in what topic. Its
3750 value should be a regexp to match the groups that should go in that
3755 Group parameters (of course) override topic parameters, and topic
3756 parameters in sub-topics override topic parameters in super-topics. You
3757 know. Normal inheritance rules. (@dfn{Rules} is here a noun, not a
3758 verb, although you may feel free to disagree with me here.)
3764 2: alt.religion.emacs
3768 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3770 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3771 13: comp.sources.unix
3775 The @samp{Emacs} topic has the topic parameter @code{(score-file
3776 . "emacs.SCORE")}; the @samp{Relief} topic has the topic parameter
3777 @code{(score-file . "relief.SCORE")}; and the @samp{Misc} topic has the
3778 topic parameter @code{(score-file . "emacs.SCORE")}. In addition,
3779 @* @samp{alt.religion.emacs} has the group parameter @code{(score-file
3780 . "religion.SCORE")}.
3782 Now, when you enter @samp{alt.sex.emacs} in the @samp{Relief} topic, you
3783 will get the @file{relief.SCORE} home score file. If you enter the same
3784 group in the @samp{Emacs} topic, you'll get the @file{emacs.SCORE} home
3785 score file. If you enter the group @samp{alt.religion.emacs}, you'll
3786 get the @file{religion.SCORE} home score file.
3788 This seems rather simple and self-evident, doesn't it? Well, yes. But
3789 there are some problems, especially with the @code{total-expiry}
3790 parameter. Say you have a mail group in two topics; one with
3791 @code{total-expiry} and one without. What happens when you do @kbd{M-x
3792 gnus-expire-all-expirable-groups}? Gnus has no way of telling which one
3793 of these topics you mean to expire articles from, so anything may
3794 happen. In fact, I hereby declare that it is @dfn{undefined} what
3795 happens. You just have to be careful if you do stuff like that.
3798 @node Misc Group Stuff
3799 @section Misc Group Stuff
3802 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking Gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
3803 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and Gnus.
3804 * Group Timestamp:: Making Gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
3805 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the Gnus files.
3812 @findex gnus-group-enter-server-mode
3813 Enter the server buffer (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}).
3814 @xref{Server Buffer}.
3818 @findex gnus-group-post-news
3819 Post an article to a group (@code{gnus-group-post-news}). If given a
3820 prefix, the current group name will be used as the default.
3824 @findex gnus-group-mail
3825 Mail a message somewhere (@code{gnus-group-mail}).
3829 Variables for the group buffer:
3833 @item gnus-group-mode-hook
3834 @vindex gnus-group-mode-hook
3835 is called after the group buffer has been
3838 @item gnus-group-prepare-hook
3839 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
3840 is called after the group buffer is
3841 generated. It may be used to modify the buffer in some strange,
3844 @item gnus-group-prepared-hook
3845 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
3846 is called as the very last thing after the group buffer has been
3847 generated. It may be used to move point around, for instance.
3849 @item gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3850 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3851 Groups matching this regexp will always be listed in the group buffer,
3852 whether they are empty or not.
3854 @item gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
3855 @vindex gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
3856 An alist of method and the charset for group names. It is used to show
3857 non-ASCII group names.
3861 (setq gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
3862 '(((nntp "news.com.cn") . cn-gb-2312)))
3865 @item gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
3866 @cindex UTF-8 group names
3867 @vindex gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
3868 An alist of regexp of group name and the charset for group names. It
3869 is used to show non-ASCII group names. @code{((".*" utf-8))} is the
3870 default value if UTF-8 is supported, otherwise the default is nil.
3874 (setq gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
3875 '(("\\.com\\.cn:" . cn-gb-2312)))
3880 @node Scanning New Messages
3881 @subsection Scanning New Messages
3882 @cindex new messages
3883 @cindex scanning new news
3889 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news
3890 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news}
3891 Check the server(s) for new articles. If the numerical prefix is used,
3892 this command will check only groups of level @var{arg} and lower
3893 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news}). If given a non-numerical prefix, this
3894 command will force a total re-reading of the active file(s) from the
3899 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group
3900 @vindex gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating
3901 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}
3902 Check whether new articles have arrived in the current group
3903 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}).
3904 @code{gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating} says whether this command is
3905 to move point to the next group or not. It is @code{t} by default.
3907 @findex gnus-activate-all-groups
3908 @cindex activating groups
3910 @kindex C-c M-g (Group)
3911 Activate absolutely all groups (@code{gnus-activate-all-groups}).
3916 @findex gnus-group-restart
3917 Restart Gnus (@code{gnus-group-restart}). This saves the @file{.newsrc}
3918 file(s), closes the connection to all servers, clears up all run-time
3919 Gnus variables, and then starts Gnus all over again.
3923 @vindex gnus-get-new-news-hook
3924 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is run just before checking for new news.
3926 @vindex gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook
3927 @code{gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook} is run after checking for new
3931 @node Group Information
3932 @subsection Group Information
3933 @cindex group information
3934 @cindex information on groups
3941 @findex gnus-group-fetch-faq
3942 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
3945 Try to fetch the FAQ for the current group
3946 (@code{gnus-group-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the FAQ from
3947 @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory on a
3948 remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories. In
3949 that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
3950 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} (or @code{efs}) will be used
3951 for fetching the file.
3953 If fetching from the first site is unsuccessful, Gnus will attempt to go
3954 through @code{gnus-group-faq-directory} and try to open them one by one.
3958 @c @icon{gnus-group-describe-group}
3960 @kindex C-c C-d (Group)
3961 @cindex describing groups
3962 @cindex group description
3963 @findex gnus-group-describe-group
3964 Describe the current group (@code{gnus-group-describe-group}). If given
3965 a prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description from the server.
3969 @findex gnus-group-describe-all-groups
3970 Describe all groups (@code{gnus-group-describe-all-groups}). If given a
3971 prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description file from the server.
3978 @findex gnus-version
3979 Display current Gnus version numbers (@code{gnus-version}).
3983 @findex gnus-group-describe-briefly
3984 Give a very short help message (@code{gnus-group-describe-briefly}).
3987 @kindex C-c C-i (Group)
3990 @findex gnus-info-find-node
3991 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
3995 @node Group Timestamp
3996 @subsection Group Timestamp
3998 @cindex group timestamps
4000 It can be convenient to let Gnus keep track of when you last read a
4001 group. To set the ball rolling, you should add
4002 @code{gnus-group-set-timestamp} to @code{gnus-select-group-hook}:
4005 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook 'gnus-group-set-timestamp)
4008 After doing this, each time you enter a group, it'll be recorded.
4010 This information can be displayed in various ways---the easiest is to
4011 use the @samp{%d} spec in the group line format:
4014 (setq gnus-group-line-format
4015 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %d\n")
4018 This will result in lines looking like:
4021 * 0: mail.ding 19961002T012943
4022 0: custom 19961002T012713
4025 As you can see, the date is displayed in compact ISO 8601 format. This
4026 may be a bit too much, so to just display the date, you could say
4030 (setq gnus-group-line-format
4031 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %6,6~(cut 2)d\n")
4036 @subsection File Commands
4037 @cindex file commands
4043 @findex gnus-group-read-init-file
4044 @vindex gnus-init-file
4045 @cindex reading init file
4046 Re-read the init file (@code{gnus-init-file}, which defaults to
4047 @file{~/.gnus}) (@code{gnus-group-read-init-file}).
4051 @findex gnus-group-save-newsrc
4052 @cindex saving .newsrc
4053 Save the @file{.newsrc.eld} file (and @file{.newsrc} if wanted)
4054 (@code{gnus-group-save-newsrc}). If given a prefix, force saving the
4055 file(s) whether Gnus thinks it is necessary or not.
4058 @c @kindex Z (Group)
4059 @c @findex gnus-group-clear-dribble
4060 @c Clear the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-group-clear-dribble}).
4065 @node Summary Buffer
4066 @chapter Summary Buffer
4067 @cindex summary buffer
4069 A line for each article is displayed in the summary buffer. You can
4070 move around, read articles, post articles and reply to articles.
4072 The most common way to a summary buffer is to select a group from the
4073 group buffer (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
4075 You can have as many summary buffers open as you wish.
4078 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
4079 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
4080 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
4081 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
4082 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
4083 * Delayed Articles::
4084 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
4085 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
4086 * Threading:: How threads are made.
4087 * Sorting the Summary Buffer:: How articles and threads are sorted.
4088 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
4089 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
4090 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
4091 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
4092 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
4093 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
4094 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
4095 * MIME Commands:: Doing MIMEy things with the articles.
4096 * Charsets:: Character set issues.
4097 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
4098 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
4099 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
4100 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
4101 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
4102 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
4103 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
4104 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer,
4105 or reselecting the current group.
4106 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
4107 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
4108 * Security:: Decrypt and Verify.
4109 * Mailing List:: Mailing list minor mode.
4113 @node Summary Buffer Format
4114 @section Summary Buffer Format
4115 @cindex summary buffer format
4119 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{180}{
4120 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=ps/summary,width=7.5cm}}
4121 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-article,width=7.5cm}}}
4127 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
4128 * To From Newsgroups:: How to not display your own name.
4129 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
4130 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
4133 @findex mail-extract-address-components
4134 @findex gnus-extract-address-components
4135 @vindex gnus-extract-address-components
4136 Gnus will use the value of the @code{gnus-extract-address-components}
4137 variable as a function for getting the name and address parts of a
4138 @code{From} header. Two pre-defined functions exist:
4139 @code{gnus-extract-address-components}, which is the default, quite
4140 fast, and too simplistic solution; and
4141 @code{mail-extract-address-components}, which works very nicely, but is
4142 slower. The default function will return the wrong answer in 5% of the
4143 cases. If this is unacceptable to you, use the other function instead:
4146 (setq gnus-extract-address-components
4147 'mail-extract-address-components)
4150 @vindex gnus-summary-same-subject
4151 @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} is a string indicating that the current
4152 article has the same subject as the previous. This string will be used
4153 with those specs that require it. The default is @code{""}.
4156 @node Summary Buffer Lines
4157 @subsection Summary Buffer Lines
4159 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
4160 You can change the format of the lines in the summary buffer by changing
4161 the @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable. It works along the same
4162 lines as a normal @code{format} string, with some extensions
4163 (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
4165 There should always be a colon or a point position marker on the line;
4166 the cursor always moves to the point position marker or the colon after
4167 performing an operation. (Of course, Gnus wouldn't be Gnus if it wasn't
4168 possible to change this. Just write a new function
4169 @code{gnus-goto-colon} which does whatever you like with the cursor.)
4171 The default string is @samp{%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-23,23n%]%) %s\n}.
4173 The following format specification characters and extended format
4174 specification(s) are understood:
4180 Subject string. List identifiers stripped,
4181 @code{gnus-list-identifies}. @xref{Article Hiding}.
4183 Subject if the article is the root of the thread or the previous article
4184 had a different subject, @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} otherwise.
4185 (@code{gnus-summary-same-subject} defaults to @code{""}.)
4187 Full @code{From} header.
4189 The name (from the @code{From} header).
4191 The name, code @code{To} header or the @code{Newsgroups} header
4192 (@pxref{To From Newsgroups}).
4194 The name (from the @code{From} header). This differs from the @code{n}
4195 spec in that it uses the function designated by the
4196 @code{gnus-extract-address-components} variable, which is slower, but
4197 may be more thorough.
4199 The address (from the @code{From} header). This works the same way as
4202 Number of lines in the article.
4204 Number of characters in the article. This specifier is not supported
4205 in some methods (like nnfolder).
4207 Indentation based on thread level (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
4209 A complex trn-style thread tree, showing response-connecting trace
4212 Nothing if the article is a root and lots of spaces if it isn't (it
4213 pushes everything after it off the screen).
4215 Opening bracket, which is normally @samp{[}, but can also be @samp{<}
4216 for adopted articles (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
4218 Closing bracket, which is normally @samp{]}, but can also be @samp{>}
4219 for adopted articles.
4221 One space for each thread level.
4223 Twenty minus thread level spaces.
4228 This misleadingly named specifier is the @dfn{secondary mark}. This
4229 mark will say whether the article has been replied to, has been cached,
4233 Score as a number (@pxref{Scoring}).
4235 @vindex gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz
4236 Zcore, @samp{+} if above the default level and @samp{-} if below the
4237 default level. If the difference between
4238 @code{gnus-summary-default-score} and the score is less than
4239 @code{gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz}, this spec will not be used.
4247 The @code{Date} in @code{DD-MMM} format.
4249 The @code{Date} in @var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS} format.
4255 Number of articles in the current sub-thread. Using this spec will slow
4256 down summary buffer generation somewhat.
4258 An @samp{=} (@code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark}) will be displayed if the
4259 article has any children.
4265 Age sensitive date format. Various date format is defined in
4266 @code{gnus-user-date-format-alist}.
4268 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
4269 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
4270 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
4271 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed the current header as
4272 argument. The function should return a string, which will be inserted
4273 into the summary just like information from any other summary specifier.
4276 Text between @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} will be highlighted with
4277 @code{gnus-mouse-face} when the mouse point is placed inside the area.
4278 There can only be one such area.
4280 The @samp{%U} (status), @samp{%R} (replied) and @samp{%z} (zcore) specs
4281 have to be handled with care. For reasons of efficiency, Gnus will
4282 compute what column these characters will end up in, and ``hard-code''
4283 that. This means that it is invalid to have these specs after a
4284 variable-length spec. Well, you might not be arrested, but your summary
4285 buffer will look strange, which is bad enough.
4287 The smart choice is to have these specs as far to the left as possible.
4288 (Isn't that the case with everything, though? But I digress.)
4290 This restriction may disappear in later versions of Gnus.
4293 @node To From Newsgroups
4294 @subsection To From Newsgroups
4298 In some groups (particularly in archive groups), the @code{From} header
4299 isn't very interesting, since all the articles there are written by
4300 you. To display the information in the @code{To} or @code{Newsgroups}
4301 headers instead, you need to decide three things: What information to
4302 gather; where to display it; and when to display it.
4306 @vindex gnus-extra-headers
4307 The reading of extra header information is controlled by the
4308 @code{gnus-extra-headers}. This is a list of header symbols. For
4312 (setq gnus-extra-headers
4313 '(To Newsgroups X-Newsreader))
4316 This will result in Gnus trying to obtain these three headers, and
4317 storing it in header structures for later easy retrieval.
4320 @findex gnus-extra-header
4321 The value of these extra headers can be accessed via the
4322 @code{gnus-extra-header} function. Here's a format line spec that will
4323 access the @code{X-Newsreader} header:
4326 "%~(form (gnus-extra-header 'X-Newsreader))@@"
4330 @vindex gnus-ignored-from-addresses
4331 The @code{gnus-ignored-from-addresses} variable says when the @samp{%f}
4332 summary line spec returns the @code{To}, @code{Newsreader} or
4333 @code{From} header. If this regexp matches the contents of the
4334 @code{From} header, the value of the @code{To} or @code{Newsreader}
4335 headers are used instead.
4339 @vindex nnmail-extra-headers
4340 A related variable is @code{nnmail-extra-headers}, which controls when
4341 to include extra headers when generating overview (@sc{nov}) files. If
4342 you have old overview files, you should regenerate them after changing
4345 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
4346 You also have to instruct Gnus to display the data by changing the
4347 @code{%n} spec to the @code{%f} spec in the
4348 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable.
4350 In summary, you'd typically put something like the following in
4354 (setq gnus-extra-headers
4356 (setq nnmail-extra-headers gnus-extra-headers)
4357 (setq gnus-summary-line-format
4358 "%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-23,23f%]%) %s\n")
4359 (setq gnus-ignored-from-addresses
4363 Now, this is mostly useful for mail groups, where you have control over
4364 the @sc{nov} files that are created. However, if you can persuade your
4371 to the end of her @file{overview.fmt} file, then you can use that just
4372 as you would the extra headers from the mail groups.
4375 @node Summary Buffer Mode Line
4376 @subsection Summary Buffer Mode Line
4378 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-line-format
4379 You can also change the format of the summary mode bar (@pxref{Mode Line
4380 Formatting}). Set @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} to whatever you
4381 like. The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b [%A] %Z}.
4383 Here are the elements you can play with:
4389 Unprefixed group name.
4391 Current article number.
4393 Current article score.
4397 Number of unread articles in this group.
4399 Number of unread articles in this group that aren't displayed in the
4402 A string with the number of unread and unselected articles represented
4403 either as @samp{<%U(+%e) more>} if there are both unread and unselected
4404 articles, and just as @samp{<%U more>} if there are just unread articles
4405 and no unselected ones.
4407 Shortish group name. For instance, @samp{rec.arts.anime} will be
4408 shortened to @samp{r.a.anime}.
4410 Subject of the current article.
4412 User-defined spec (@pxref{User-Defined Specs}).
4414 Name of the current score file (@pxref{Scoring}).
4416 Number of dormant articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
4418 Number of ticked articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
4420 Number of articles that have been marked as read in this session.
4422 Number of articles expunged by the score files.
4426 @node Summary Highlighting
4427 @subsection Summary Highlighting
4431 @item gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
4432 @vindex gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
4433 This hook is run after selecting an article. It is meant to be used for
4434 highlighting the article in some way. It is not run if
4435 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
4437 @item gnus-summary-update-hook
4438 @vindex gnus-summary-update-hook
4439 This hook is called when a summary line is changed. It is not run if
4440 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
4442 @item gnus-summary-selected-face
4443 @vindex gnus-summary-selected-face
4444 This is the face (or @dfn{font} as some people call it) used to
4445 highlight the current article in the summary buffer.
4447 @item gnus-summary-highlight
4448 @vindex gnus-summary-highlight
4449 Summary lines are highlighted according to this variable, which is a
4450 list where the elements are of the format @code{(@var{form}
4451 . @var{face})}. If you would, for instance, like ticked articles to be
4452 italic and high-scored articles to be bold, you could set this variable
4455 (((eq mark gnus-ticked-mark) . italic)
4456 ((> score default) . bold))
4458 As you may have guessed, if @var{form} returns a non-@code{nil} value,
4459 @var{face} will be applied to the line.
4463 @node Summary Maneuvering
4464 @section Summary Maneuvering
4465 @cindex summary movement
4467 All the straight movement commands understand the numeric prefix and
4468 behave pretty much as you'd expect.
4470 None of these commands select articles.
4475 @kindex M-n (Summary)
4476 @kindex G M-n (Summary)
4477 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-subject
4478 Go to the next summary line of an unread article
4479 (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-subject}).
4483 @kindex M-p (Summary)
4484 @kindex G M-p (Summary)
4485 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject
4486 Go to the previous summary line of an unread article
4487 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject}).
4490 @kindex G g (Summary)
4491 @findex gnus-summary-goto-subject
4492 Ask for an article number and then go to the summary line of that article
4493 without displaying the article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-subject}).
4496 If Gnus asks you to press a key to confirm going to the next group, you
4497 can use the @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} keys to move around the group
4498 buffer, searching for the next group to read without actually returning
4499 to the group buffer.
4501 Variables related to summary movement:
4505 @vindex gnus-auto-select-next
4506 @item gnus-auto-select-next
4507 If you issue one of the movement commands (like @kbd{n}) and there are
4508 no more unread articles after the current one, Gnus will offer to go to
4509 the next group. If this variable is @code{t} and the next group is
4510 empty, Gnus will exit summary mode and return to the group buffer. If
4511 this variable is neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, Gnus will select the
4512 next group, no matter whether it has any unread articles or not. As a
4513 special case, if this variable is @code{quietly}, Gnus will select the
4514 next group without asking for confirmation. If this variable is
4515 @code{almost-quietly}, the same will happen only if you are located on
4516 the last article in the group. Finally, if this variable is
4517 @code{slightly-quietly}, the @kbd{Z n} command will go to the next group
4518 without confirmation. Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
4520 @item gnus-auto-select-same
4521 @vindex gnus-auto-select-same
4522 If non-@code{nil}, all the movement commands will try to go to the next
4523 article with the same subject as the current. (@dfn{Same} here might
4524 mean @dfn{roughly equal}. See @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}
4525 for details (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).) If there are no more
4526 articles with the same subject, go to the first unread article.
4528 This variable is not particularly useful if you use a threaded display.
4530 @item gnus-summary-check-current
4531 @vindex gnus-summary-check-current
4532 If non-@code{nil}, all the ``unread'' movement commands will not proceed
4533 to the next (or previous) article if the current article is unread.
4534 Instead, they will choose the current article.
4536 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
4537 @vindex gnus-auto-center-summary
4538 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will keep the point in the summary buffer
4539 centered at all times. This makes things quite tidy, but if you have a
4540 slow network connection, or simply do not like this un-Emacsism, you can
4541 set this variable to @code{nil} to get the normal Emacs scrolling
4542 action. This will also inhibit horizontal re-centering of the summary
4543 buffer, which might make it more inconvenient to read extremely long
4546 This variable can also be a number. In that case, center the window at
4547 the given number of lines from the top.
4552 @node Choosing Articles
4553 @section Choosing Articles
4554 @cindex selecting articles
4557 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
4558 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
4562 @node Choosing Commands
4563 @subsection Choosing Commands
4565 None of the following movement commands understand the numeric prefix,
4566 and they all select and display an article.
4568 If you want to fetch new articles or redisplay the group, see
4569 @ref{Exiting the Summary Buffer}.
4573 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
4574 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
4575 Select the current article, or, if that one's read already, the next
4576 unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
4581 @kindex G n (Summary)
4582 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
4583 @c @icon{gnus-summary-next-unread}
4584 Go to next unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-article}).
4589 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
4590 @c @icon{gnus-summary-prev-unread}
4591 Go to previous unread article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-article}).
4596 @kindex G N (Summary)
4597 @findex gnus-summary-next-article
4598 Go to the next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-article}).
4603 @kindex G P (Summary)
4604 @findex gnus-summary-prev-article
4605 Go to the previous article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-article}).
4608 @kindex G C-n (Summary)
4609 @findex gnus-summary-next-same-subject
4610 Go to the next article with the same subject
4611 (@code{gnus-summary-next-same-subject}).
4614 @kindex G C-p (Summary)
4615 @findex gnus-summary-prev-same-subject
4616 Go to the previous article with the same subject
4617 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-same-subject}).
4621 @kindex G f (Summary)
4623 @findex gnus-summary-first-unread-article
4624 Go to the first unread article
4625 (@code{gnus-summary-first-unread-article}).
4629 @kindex G b (Summary)
4631 @findex gnus-summary-best-unread-article
4632 Go to the article with the highest score
4633 (@code{gnus-summary-best-unread-article}).
4638 @kindex G l (Summary)
4639 @findex gnus-summary-goto-last-article
4640 Go to the previous article read (@code{gnus-summary-goto-last-article}).
4643 @kindex G o (Summary)
4644 @findex gnus-summary-pop-article
4646 @cindex article history
4647 Pop an article off the summary history and go to this article
4648 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-article}). This command differs from the
4649 command above in that you can pop as many previous articles off the
4650 history as you like, while @kbd{l} toggles the two last read articles.
4651 For a somewhat related issue (if you use these commands a lot),
4652 @pxref{Article Backlog}.
4657 @kindex G j (Summary)
4658 @findex gnus-summary-goto-article
4659 Ask for an article number or @code{Message-ID}, and then go to that
4660 article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-article}).
4665 @node Choosing Variables
4666 @subsection Choosing Variables
4668 Some variables relevant for moving and selecting articles:
4671 @item gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
4672 @vindex gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
4673 All the movement commands will try to go to the previous (or next)
4674 article, even if that article isn't displayed in the Summary buffer if
4675 this variable is non-@code{nil}. Gnus will then fetch the article from
4676 the server and display it in the article buffer.
4678 @item gnus-select-article-hook
4679 @vindex gnus-select-article-hook
4680 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. By default it
4681 exposes any threads hidden under the selected article.
4683 @item gnus-mark-article-hook
4684 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
4685 @findex gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read
4686 @findex gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read
4687 @findex gnus-unread-mark
4688 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. It is intended to
4689 be used for marking articles as read. The default value is
4690 @code{gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read}, and will change the
4691 mark of almost any article you read to @code{gnus-unread-mark}. The
4692 only articles not affected by this function are ticked, dormant, and
4693 expirable articles. If you'd instead like to just have unread articles
4694 marked as read, you can use @code{gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read}
4695 instead. It will leave marks like @code{gnus-low-score-mark},
4696 @code{gnus-del-mark} (and so on) alone.
4701 @node Paging the Article
4702 @section Scrolling the Article
4703 @cindex article scrolling
4708 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
4709 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
4710 Pressing @kbd{SPACE} will scroll the current article forward one page,
4711 or, if you have come to the end of the current article, will choose the
4712 next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
4715 @kindex DEL (Summary)
4716 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
4717 Scroll the current article back one page (@code{gnus-summary-prev-page}).
4720 @kindex RET (Summary)
4721 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-up
4722 Scroll the current article one line forward
4723 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-up}).
4726 @kindex M-RET (Summary)
4727 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-down
4728 Scroll the current article one line backward
4729 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-down}).
4733 @kindex A g (Summary)
4735 @findex gnus-summary-show-article
4736 @vindex gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist
4737 (Re)fetch the current article (@code{gnus-summary-show-article}). If
4738 given a prefix, fetch the current article, but don't run any of the
4739 article treatment functions. This will give you a ``raw'' article, just
4740 the way it came from the server.
4742 If given a numerical prefix, you can do semi-manual charset stuff.
4743 @kbd{C-u 0 g cn-gb-2312 RET} will decode the message as if it were
4744 encoded in the @code{cn-gb-2312} charset. If you have
4747 (setq gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist
4752 then you can say @kbd{C-u 1 g} to get the same effect.
4757 @kindex A < (Summary)
4758 @findex gnus-summary-beginning-of-article
4759 Scroll to the beginning of the article
4760 (@code{gnus-summary-beginning-of-article}).
4765 @kindex A > (Summary)
4766 @findex gnus-summary-end-of-article
4767 Scroll to the end of the article (@code{gnus-summary-end-of-article}).
4771 @kindex A s (Summary)
4773 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
4774 Perform an isearch in the article buffer
4775 (@code{gnus-summary-isearch-article}).
4779 @findex gnus-summary-select-article-buffer
4780 Select the article buffer (@code{gnus-summary-select-article-buffer}).
4785 @node Reply Followup and Post
4786 @section Reply, Followup and Post
4789 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
4790 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
4791 * Summary Message Commands:: Other Message-related commands.
4792 * Canceling and Superseding::
4796 @node Summary Mail Commands
4797 @subsection Summary Mail Commands
4799 @cindex composing mail
4801 Commands for composing a mail message:
4807 @kindex S r (Summary)
4809 @findex gnus-summary-reply
4810 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-reply}
4811 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply}
4812 Mail a reply to the author of the current article
4813 (@code{gnus-summary-reply}).
4818 @kindex S R (Summary)
4819 @findex gnus-summary-reply-with-original
4820 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}
4821 Mail a reply to the author of the current article and include the
4822 original message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This
4823 command uses the process/prefix convention.
4826 @kindex S w (Summary)
4827 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply
4828 Mail a wide reply to the author of the current article
4829 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{wide reply} is a reply that
4830 goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
4831 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers.
4834 @kindex S W (Summary)
4835 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original
4836 Mail a wide reply to the current article and include the original
4837 message (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original}). This command uses
4838 the process/prefix convention.
4841 @kindex S v (Summary)
4842 @findex gnus-summary-very-wide-reply
4843 Mail a very wide reply to the author of the current article
4844 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{very wide reply} is a reply
4845 that goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
4846 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers in all the process/prefixed
4847 articles. This command uses the process/prefix convention.
4851 @kindex S o m (Summary)
4852 @kindex C-c C-f (Summary)
4853 @findex gnus-summary-mail-forward
4854 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-forward}
4855 Forward the current article to some other person
4856 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-forward}). If no prefix is given, the message
4857 is forwarded according to the value of (@code{message-forward-as-mime})
4858 and (@code{message-forward-show-mml}); if the prefix is 1, decode the
4859 message and forward directly inline; if the prefix is 2, forward message
4860 as an rfc822 MIME section; if the prefix is 3, decode message and
4861 forward as an rfc822 MIME section; if the prefix is 4, forward message
4862 directly inline; otherwise, the message is forwarded as no prefix given
4863 but use the flipped value of (@code{message-forward-as-mime}). By
4864 default, the message is decoded and forwarded as an rfc822 MIME section.
4869 @kindex S m (Summary)
4870 @findex gnus-summary-mail-other-window
4871 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-originate}
4872 Send a mail to some other person
4873 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}).
4876 @kindex S D b (Summary)
4877 @findex gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail
4878 @cindex bouncing mail
4879 If you have sent a mail, but the mail was bounced back to you for some
4880 reason (wrong address, transient failure), you can use this command to
4881 resend that bounced mail (@code{gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail}). You
4882 will be popped into a mail buffer where you can edit the headers before
4883 sending the mail off again. If you give a prefix to this command, and
4884 the bounced mail is a reply to some other mail, Gnus will try to fetch
4885 that mail and display it for easy perusal of its headers. This might
4886 very well fail, though.
4889 @kindex S D r (Summary)
4890 @findex gnus-summary-resend-message
4891 Not to be confused with the previous command,
4892 @code{gnus-summary-resend-message} will prompt you for an address to
4893 send the current message off to, and then send it to that place. The
4894 headers of the message won't be altered---but lots of headers that say
4895 @code{Resent-To}, @code{Resent-From} and so on will be added. This
4896 means that you actually send a mail to someone that has a @code{To}
4897 header that (probably) points to yourself. This will confuse people.
4898 So, natcherly you'll only do that if you're really eVIl.
4900 This command is mainly used if you have several accounts and want to
4901 ship a mail to a different account of yours. (If you're both
4902 @code{root} and @code{postmaster} and get a mail for @code{postmaster}
4903 to the @code{root} account, you may want to resend it to
4904 @code{postmaster}. Ordnung muß sein!
4906 This command understands the process/prefix convention
4907 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
4910 @kindex S O m (Summary)
4911 @findex gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward
4912 Digest the current series (@pxref{Decoding Articles}) and forward the
4913 result using mail (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command
4914 uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
4917 @kindex S M-c (Summary)
4918 @findex gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint
4919 @cindex crossposting
4920 @cindex excessive crossposting
4921 Send a complaint about excessive crossposting to the author of the
4922 current article (@code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint}).
4924 @findex gnus-crosspost-complaint
4925 This command is provided as a way to fight back against the current
4926 crossposting pandemic that's sweeping Usenet. It will compose a reply
4927 using the @code{gnus-crosspost-complaint} variable as a preamble. This
4928 command understands the process/prefix convention
4929 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) and will prompt you before sending each mail.
4933 Also @xref{Header Commands, ,Header Commands, message, The Message
4934 Manual}, for more information.
4937 @node Summary Post Commands
4938 @subsection Summary Post Commands
4940 @cindex composing news
4942 Commands for posting a news article:
4948 @kindex S p (Summary)
4949 @findex gnus-summary-post-news
4950 @c @icon{gnus-summary-post-news}
4951 Post an article to the current group
4952 (@code{gnus-summary-post-news}).
4957 @kindex S f (Summary)
4958 @findex gnus-summary-followup
4959 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup}
4960 Post a followup to the current article (@code{gnus-summary-followup}).
4964 @kindex S F (Summary)
4966 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}
4967 @findex gnus-summary-followup-with-original
4968 Post a followup to the current article and include the original message
4969 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}). This command uses the
4970 process/prefix convention.
4973 @kindex S n (Summary)
4974 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail
4975 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
4976 message through mail (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail}).
4979 @kindex S N (Summary)
4980 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original
4981 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
4982 message through mail and include the original message
4983 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original}). This command uses
4984 the process/prefix convention.
4987 @kindex S o p (Summary)
4988 @findex gnus-summary-post-forward
4989 Forward the current article to a newsgroup
4990 (@code{gnus-summary-post-forward}).
4991 If no prefix is given, the message is forwarded according to the value
4992 of (@code{message-forward-as-mime}) and
4993 (@code{message-forward-show-mml}); if the prefix is 1, decode the
4994 message and forward directly inline; if the prefix is 2, forward message
4995 as an rfc822 MIME section; if the prefix is 3, decode message and
4996 forward as an rfc822 MIME section; if the prefix is 4, forward message
4997 directly inline; otherwise, the message is forwarded as no prefix given
4998 but use the flipped value of (@code{message-forward-as-mime}). By
4999 default, the message is decoded and forwarded as an rfc822 MIME section.
5002 @kindex S O p (Summary)
5003 @findex gnus-uu-digest-post-forward
5005 @cindex making digests
5006 Digest the current series and forward the result to a newsgroup
5007 (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command uses the
5008 process/prefix convention.
5011 @kindex S u (Summary)
5012 @findex gnus-uu-post-news
5013 @c @icon{gnus-uu-post-news}
5014 Uuencode a file, split it into parts, and post it as a series
5015 (@code{gnus-uu-post-news}). (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
5018 Also @xref{Header Commands, ,Header Commands, message, The Message
5019 Manual}, for more information.
5022 @node Summary Message Commands
5023 @subsection Summary Message Commands
5027 @kindex S y (Summary)
5028 @findex gnus-summary-yank-message
5029 Yank the current article into an already existing Message composition
5030 buffer (@code{gnus-summary-yank-message}). This command prompts for
5031 what message buffer you want to yank into, and understands the
5032 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5037 @node Canceling and Superseding
5038 @subsection Canceling Articles
5039 @cindex canceling articles
5040 @cindex superseding articles
5042 Have you ever written something, and then decided that you really,
5043 really, really wish you hadn't posted that?
5045 Well, you can't cancel mail, but you can cancel posts.
5047 @findex gnus-summary-cancel-article
5049 @c @icon{gnus-summary-cancel-article}
5050 Find the article you wish to cancel (you can only cancel your own
5051 articles, so don't try any funny stuff). Then press @kbd{C} or @kbd{S
5052 c} (@code{gnus-summary-cancel-article}). Your article will be
5053 canceled---machines all over the world will be deleting your article.
5054 This command uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5056 Be aware, however, that not all sites honor cancels, so your article may
5057 live on here and there, while most sites will delete the article in
5060 Gnus will use the ``current'' select method when canceling. If you
5061 want to use the standard posting method, use the @samp{a} symbolic
5062 prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}).
5064 If you discover that you have made some mistakes and want to do some
5065 corrections, you can post a @dfn{superseding} article that will replace
5066 your original article.
5068 @findex gnus-summary-supersede-article
5070 Go to the original article and press @kbd{S s}
5071 (@code{gnus-summary-supersede-article}). You will be put in a buffer
5072 where you can edit the article all you want before sending it off the
5075 The same goes for superseding as for canceling, only more so: Some
5076 sites do not honor superseding. On those sites, it will appear that you
5077 have posted almost the same article twice.
5079 If you have just posted the article, and change your mind right away,
5080 there is a trick you can use to cancel/supersede the article without
5081 waiting for the article to appear on your site first. You simply return
5082 to the post buffer (which is called @code{*sent ...*}). There you will
5083 find the article you just posted, with all the headers intact. Change
5084 the @code{Message-ID} header to a @code{Cancel} or @code{Supersedes}
5085 header by substituting one of those words for the word
5086 @code{Message-ID}. Then just press @kbd{C-c C-c} to send the article as
5087 you would do normally. The previous article will be
5088 canceled/superseded.
5090 Just remember, kids: There is no 'c' in 'supersede'.
5092 @node Delayed Articles
5093 @section Delayed Articles
5094 @cindex delayed sending
5095 @cindex send delayed
5097 Sometimes, you might wish to delay the sending of a message. For
5098 example, you might wish to arrange for a message to turn up just in time
5099 to remind your about the birthday of your Significant Other. For this,
5100 there is the @code{gnus-delay} package. Setup is simple:
5103 (gnus-delay-initialize)
5106 @findex gnus-delay-article
5107 Normally, to send a message you use the @kbd{C-c C-c} command from
5108 Message mode. To delay a message, use @kbd{C-c C-j}
5109 (@code{gnus-delay-article}) instead. This will ask you for how long the
5110 message should be delayed. Possible answers are:
5114 A time span. Consists of an integer and a letter. For example,
5115 @code{42d} means to delay for 42 days. Available letters are @code{m}
5116 (minutes), @code{h} (hours), @code{d} (days), @code{w} (weeks), @code{M}
5117 (months) and @code{Y} (years).
5120 A specific date. Looks like @code{YYYYY-MM-DD}. The message will be
5121 delayed until that day, at a specific time (eight o'clock by default).
5122 See also @code{gnus-delay-default-hour}.
5125 A specific time of day. Given in @code{hh:mm} format, 24h, no am/pm
5126 stuff. The deadline will be at that time today, except if that time has
5127 already passed, then it's at the given time tomorrow. So if it's ten
5128 o'clock in the morning and you specify @code{11:15}, then the deadline
5129 is one hour and fifteen minutes hence. But if you specify @code{9:20},
5130 that means a time tomorrow.
5133 The action of the @code{gnus-delay-article} command is influenced by a
5134 couple of variables:
5137 @item gnus-delay-default-hour
5138 @vindex gnus-delay-default-hour
5139 When you specify a specific date, the message will be due on that hour
5140 on the given date. Possible values are integers 0 through 23.
5142 @item gnus-delay-default-delay
5143 @vindex gnus-delay-default-delay
5144 This is a string and gives the default delay. It can be of any of the
5145 formats described above.
5147 @item gnus-delay-group
5148 @vindex gnus-delay-group
5149 Delayed articles will be kept in this group on the drafts server until
5150 they are due. You probably don't need to change this. The default
5151 value is @code{"delayed"}.
5153 @item gnus-delay-header
5154 @vindex gnus-delay-header
5155 The deadline for each article will be stored in a header. This variable
5156 is a string and gives the header name. You probably don't need to
5157 change this. The default value is @code{"X-Gnus-Delayed"}.
5160 The way delaying works is like this: when you use the
5161 @code{gnus-delay-article} command, you give a certain delay. Gnus
5162 calculates the deadline of the message and stores it in the
5163 @code{X-Gnus-Delayed} header and puts the message in the
5164 @code{nndraft:delayed} group.
5166 And whenever you get new news, Gnus looks through the group for articles
5167 which are due and sends them. It uses the @code{gnus-delay-send-drafts}
5168 function for this. By default, this function is added to the hook
5169 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook}. But of course, you can change this.
5170 Maybe you want to use the demon to send drafts? Just tell the demon to
5171 execute the @code{gnus-delay-send-drafts} function.
5174 @item gnus-delay-initialize
5175 @findex gnus-delay-initialize
5176 By default, this function installs the @kbd{C-c C-j} key binding in
5177 Message mode and @code{gnus-delay-send-drafts} in
5178 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook}. But it accepts two optional arguments,
5179 @code{no-keymap} and @code{no-check}. If @code{no-keymap} is non-nil,
5180 the @kbd{C-c C-j} binding is not intalled. If @code{no-check} is
5181 non-nil, @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is not changed.
5183 For example, @code{(gnus-delay-initialize nil t)} means to change the
5184 keymap but not to change @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook}. Presumably, you
5185 want to use the demon for sending due delayed articles. Just don't
5186 forget to set that up :-)
5190 @node Marking Articles
5191 @section Marking Articles
5192 @cindex article marking
5193 @cindex article ticking
5196 There are several marks you can set on an article.
5198 You have marks that decide the @dfn{readedness} (whoo, neato-keano
5199 neologism ohoy!) of the article. Alphabetic marks generally mean
5200 @dfn{read}, while non-alphabetic characters generally mean @dfn{unread}.
5202 In addition, you also have marks that do not affect readedness.
5205 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
5206 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
5207 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
5211 There's a plethora of commands for manipulating these marks:
5215 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
5216 * Generic Marking Commands:: How to customize the marking.
5217 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
5221 @node Unread Articles
5222 @subsection Unread Articles
5224 The following marks mark articles as (kinda) unread, in one form or
5229 @vindex gnus-ticked-mark
5230 Marked as ticked (@code{gnus-ticked-mark}).
5232 @dfn{Ticked articles} are articles that will remain visible always. If
5233 you see an article that you find interesting, or you want to put off
5234 reading it, or replying to it, until sometime later, you'd typically
5235 tick it. However, articles can be expired (from news servers by the
5236 news server software, Gnus itself never expires ticked messages), so if
5237 you want to keep an article forever, you'll have to make it persistent
5238 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
5241 @vindex gnus-dormant-mark
5242 Marked as dormant (@code{gnus-dormant-mark}).
5244 @dfn{Dormant articles} will only appear in the summary buffer if there
5245 are followups to it. If you want to see them even if they don't have
5246 followups, you can use the @kbd{/ D} command (@pxref{Limiting}).
5247 Otherwise (except for the visibility issue), they are just like ticked
5251 @vindex gnus-unread-mark
5252 Marked as unread (@code{gnus-unread-mark}).
5254 @dfn{Unread articles} are articles that haven't been read at all yet.
5259 @subsection Read Articles
5260 @cindex expirable mark
5262 All the following marks mark articles as read.
5267 @vindex gnus-del-mark
5268 These are articles that the user has marked as read with the @kbd{d}
5269 command manually, more or less (@code{gnus-del-mark}).
5272 @vindex gnus-read-mark
5273 Articles that have actually been read (@code{gnus-read-mark}).
5276 @vindex gnus-ancient-mark
5277 Articles that were marked as read in previous sessions and are now
5278 @dfn{old} (@code{gnus-ancient-mark}).
5281 @vindex gnus-killed-mark
5282 Marked as killed (@code{gnus-killed-mark}).
5285 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mark
5286 Marked as killed by kill files (@code{gnus-kill-file-mark}).
5289 @vindex gnus-low-score-mark
5290 Marked as read by having too low a score (@code{gnus-low-score-mark}).
5293 @vindex gnus-catchup-mark
5294 Marked as read by a catchup (@code{gnus-catchup-mark}).
5297 @vindex gnus-canceled-mark
5298 Canceled article (@code{gnus-canceled-mark})
5301 @vindex gnus-souped-mark
5302 @sc{soup}ed article (@code{gnus-souped-mark}). @xref{SOUP}.
5305 @vindex gnus-sparse-mark
5306 Sparsely reffed article (@code{gnus-sparse-mark}). @xref{Customizing
5310 @vindex gnus-duplicate-mark
5311 Article marked as read by duplicate suppression
5312 (@code{gnus-duplicate-mark}). @xref{Duplicate Suppression}.
5316 All these marks just mean that the article is marked as read, really.
5317 They are interpreted differently when doing adaptive scoring, though.
5319 One more special mark, though:
5323 @vindex gnus-expirable-mark
5324 Marked as expirable (@code{gnus-expirable-mark}).
5326 Marking articles as @dfn{expirable} (or have them marked as such
5327 automatically) doesn't make much sense in normal groups---a user doesn't
5328 control expiring of news articles, but in mail groups, for instance,
5329 articles marked as @dfn{expirable} can be deleted by Gnus at
5335 @subsection Other Marks
5336 @cindex process mark
5339 There are some marks that have nothing to do with whether the article is
5345 You can set a bookmark in the current article. Say you are reading a
5346 long thesis on cats' urinary tracts, and have to go home for dinner
5347 before you've finished reading the thesis. You can then set a bookmark
5348 in the article, and Gnus will jump to this bookmark the next time it
5349 encounters the article. @xref{Setting Marks}.
5352 @vindex gnus-replied-mark
5353 All articles that you have replied to or made a followup to (i.e., have
5354 answered) will be marked with an @samp{A} in the second column
5355 (@code{gnus-replied-mark}).
5357 @vindex gnus-forwarded-mark
5358 All articles that you have forwarded will be marked with an @samp{F} in
5359 the second column (@code{gnus-forwarded-mark}).
5361 @vindex gnus-recent-mark
5362 Articles that are ``recently'' arrived in the group will be marked
5363 with an @samp{N} in the second column (@code{gnus-recent-mark}). Most
5364 back end doesn't support the mark, in which case it's not shown.
5367 @vindex gnus-cached-mark
5368 Articles stored in the article cache will be marked with an @samp{*} in
5369 the second column (@code{gnus-cached-mark}). @xref{Article Caching}.
5372 @vindex gnus-saved-mark
5373 Articles ``saved'' (in some manner or other; not necessarily
5374 religiously) are marked with an @samp{S} in the second column
5375 (@code{gnus-saved-mark}).
5378 @vindex gnus-recent-mark
5379 Articles that according to the back end haven't been seen by the user
5380 before are marked with a @samp{N} in the second column
5381 (@code{gnus-recent-mark}). Note that not all back ends support this
5382 mark, in which case it simply never appear.
5385 @vindex gnus-unseen-mark
5386 Articles that haven't been seen by the user before are marked with a
5387 @samp{.} in the second column (@code{gnus-unseen-mark}).
5390 @vindex gnus-not-empty-thread-mark
5391 @vindex gnus-empty-thread-mark
5392 If the @samp{%e} spec is used, the presence of threads or not will be
5393 marked with @code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark} and
5394 @code{gnus-empty-thread-mark} in the third column, respectively.
5397 @vindex gnus-process-mark
5398 Finally we have the @dfn{process mark} (@code{gnus-process-mark}). A
5399 variety of commands react to the presence of the process mark. For
5400 instance, @kbd{X u} (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}) will uudecode and view
5401 all articles that have been marked with the process mark. Articles
5402 marked with the process mark have a @samp{#} in the second column.
5406 You might have noticed that most of these ``non-readedness'' marks
5407 appear in the second column by default. So if you have a cached, saved,
5408 replied article that you have process-marked, what will that look like?
5410 Nothing much. The precedence rules go as follows: process -> cache ->
5411 replied -> saved. So if the article is in the cache and is replied,
5412 you'll only see the cache mark and not the replied mark.
5416 @subsection Setting Marks
5417 @cindex setting marks
5419 All the marking commands understand the numeric prefix.
5424 @kindex M c (Summary)
5425 @kindex M-u (Summary)
5426 @findex gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward
5427 @cindex mark as unread
5428 Clear all readedness-marks from the current article
5429 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward}). In other words, mark the
5435 @kindex M t (Summary)
5436 @findex gnus-summary-tick-article-forward
5437 Tick the current article (@code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}).
5438 @xref{Article Caching}.
5443 @kindex M ? (Summary)
5444 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant
5445 Mark the current article as dormant
5446 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant}). @xref{Article Caching}.
5450 @kindex M d (Summary)
5452 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward
5453 Mark the current article as read
5454 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward}).
5458 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward
5459 Mark the current article as read and move point to the previous line
5460 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward}).
5465 @kindex M k (Summary)
5466 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select
5467 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read,
5468 and then select the next unread article
5469 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select}).
5473 @kindex M K (Summary)
5474 @kindex C-k (Summary)
5475 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject
5476 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read
5477 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject}).
5480 @kindex M C (Summary)
5481 @findex gnus-summary-catchup
5482 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup}
5483 Mark all unread articles as read (@code{gnus-summary-catchup}).
5486 @kindex M C-c (Summary)
5487 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all
5488 Mark all articles in the group as read---even the ticked and dormant
5489 articles (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all}).
5492 @kindex M H (Summary)
5493 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-to-here
5494 Catchup the current group to point (before the point)
5495 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-to-here}).
5498 @kindex M h (Summary)
5499 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-from-here
5500 Catchup the current group from point (after the point)
5501 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-from-here}).
5504 @kindex C-w (Summary)
5505 @findex gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read
5506 Mark all articles between point and mark as read
5507 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read}).
5510 @kindex M V k (Summary)
5511 @findex gnus-summary-kill-below
5512 Kill all articles with scores below the default score (or below the
5513 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-kill-below}).
5517 @kindex M e (Summary)
5519 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable
5520 Mark the current article as expirable
5521 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable}).
5524 @kindex M b (Summary)
5525 @findex gnus-summary-set-bookmark
5526 Set a bookmark in the current article
5527 (@code{gnus-summary-set-bookmark}).
5530 @kindex M B (Summary)
5531 @findex gnus-summary-remove-bookmark
5532 Remove the bookmark from the current article
5533 (@code{gnus-summary-remove-bookmark}).
5536 @kindex M V c (Summary)
5537 @findex gnus-summary-clear-above
5538 Clear all marks from articles with scores over the default score (or
5539 over the numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
5542 @kindex M V u (Summary)
5543 @findex gnus-summary-tick-above
5544 Tick all articles with scores over the default score (or over the
5545 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-tick-above}).
5548 @kindex M V m (Summary)
5549 @findex gnus-summary-mark-above
5550 Prompt for a mark, and mark all articles with scores over the default
5551 score (or over the numeric prefix) with this mark
5552 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
5555 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
5556 The @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} variable controls what action should
5557 be taken after setting a mark. If non-@code{nil}, point will move to
5558 the next/previous unread article. If @code{nil}, point will just move
5559 one line up or down. As a special case, if this variable is
5560 @code{never}, all the marking commands as well as other commands (like
5561 @kbd{SPACE}) will move to the next article, whether it is unread or not.
5562 The default is @code{t}.
5565 @node Generic Marking Commands
5566 @subsection Generic Marking Commands
5568 Some people would like the command that ticks an article (@kbd{!}) go to
5569 the next article. Others would like it to go to the next unread
5570 article. Yet others would like it to stay on the current article. And
5571 even though I haven't heard of anybody wanting it to go to the
5572 previous (unread) article, I'm sure there are people that want that as
5575 Multiply these five behaviors with five different marking commands, and
5576 you get a potentially complex set of variable to control what each
5579 To sidestep that mess, Gnus provides commands that do all these
5580 different things. They can be found on the @kbd{M M} map in the summary
5581 buffer. Type @kbd{M M C-h} to see them all---there are too many of them
5582 to list in this manual.
5584 While you can use these commands directly, most users would prefer
5585 altering the summary mode keymap. For instance, if you would like the
5586 @kbd{!} command to go to the next article instead of the next unread
5587 article, you could say something like:
5590 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'my-alter-summary-map)
5591 (defun my-alter-summary-map ()
5592 (local-set-key "!" 'gnus-summary-put-mark-as-ticked-next))
5598 (defun my-alter-summary-map ()
5599 (local-set-key "!" "MM!n"))
5603 @node Setting Process Marks
5604 @subsection Setting Process Marks
5605 @cindex setting process marks
5612 @kindex M P p (Summary)
5613 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
5614 Mark the current article with the process mark
5615 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}).
5616 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
5620 @kindex M P u (Summary)
5621 @kindex M-# (Summary)
5622 Remove the process mark, if any, from the current article
5623 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
5626 @kindex M P U (Summary)
5627 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
5628 Remove the process mark from all articles
5629 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
5632 @kindex M P i (Summary)
5633 @findex gnus-uu-invert-processable
5634 Invert the list of process marked articles
5635 (@code{gnus-uu-invert-processable}).
5638 @kindex M P R (Summary)
5639 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
5640 Mark articles that have a @code{Subject} header that matches a regular
5641 expression (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
5644 @kindex M P G (Summary)
5645 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp
5646 Unmark articles that have a @code{Subject} header that matches a regular
5647 expression (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp}).
5650 @kindex M P r (Summary)
5651 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
5652 Mark articles in region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
5655 @kindex M P t (Summary)
5656 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
5657 Mark all articles in the current (sub)thread
5658 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
5661 @kindex M P T (Summary)
5662 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
5663 Unmark all articles in the current (sub)thread
5664 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
5667 @kindex M P v (Summary)
5668 @findex gnus-uu-mark-over
5669 Mark all articles that have a score above the prefix argument
5670 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-over}).
5673 @kindex M P s (Summary)
5674 @findex gnus-uu-mark-series
5675 Mark all articles in the current series (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
5678 @kindex M P S (Summary)
5679 @findex gnus-uu-mark-sparse
5680 Mark all series that have already had some articles marked
5681 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-sparse}).
5684 @kindex M P a (Summary)
5685 @findex gnus-uu-mark-all
5686 Mark all articles in series order (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
5689 @kindex M P b (Summary)
5690 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
5691 Mark all articles in the buffer in the order they appear
5692 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
5695 @kindex M P k (Summary)
5696 @findex gnus-summary-kill-process-mark
5697 Push the current process mark set onto the stack and unmark all articles
5698 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-process-mark}).
5701 @kindex M P y (Summary)
5702 @findex gnus-summary-yank-process-mark
5703 Pop the previous process mark set from the stack and restore it
5704 (@code{gnus-summary-yank-process-mark}).
5707 @kindex M P w (Summary)
5708 @findex gnus-summary-save-process-mark
5709 Push the current process mark set onto the stack
5710 (@code{gnus-summary-save-process-mark}).
5714 Also see the @kbd{&} command in @pxref{Searching for Articles} for how to
5715 set process marks based on article body contents.
5722 It can be convenient to limit the summary buffer to just show some
5723 subset of the articles currently in the group. The effect most limit
5724 commands have is to remove a few (or many) articles from the summary
5727 All limiting commands work on subsets of the articles already fetched
5728 from the servers. None of these commands query the server for
5729 additional articles.
5735 @kindex / / (Summary)
5736 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-subject
5737 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some subject
5738 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-subject}).
5741 @kindex / a (Summary)
5742 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-author
5743 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some author
5744 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-author}).
5747 @kindex / x (Summary)
5748 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-extra
5749 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match one of the ``extra''
5750 headers (@pxref{To From Newsgroups})
5751 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-extra}).
5755 @kindex / u (Summary)
5757 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-unread
5758 Limit the summary buffer to articles not marked as read
5759 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-unread}). If given a prefix, limit the
5760 buffer to articles strictly unread. This means that ticked and
5761 dormant articles will also be excluded.
5764 @kindex / m (Summary)
5765 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-marks
5766 Ask for a mark and then limit to all articles that have been marked
5767 with that mark (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}).
5770 @kindex / t (Summary)
5771 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-age
5772 Ask for a number and then limit the summary buffer to articles older than (or equal to) that number of days
5773 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-age}). If given a prefix, limit to
5774 articles younger than that number of days.
5777 @kindex / n (Summary)
5778 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-articles
5779 Limit the summary buffer to the current article
5780 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-articles}). Uses the process/prefix
5781 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5784 @kindex / w (Summary)
5785 @findex gnus-summary-pop-limit
5786 Pop the previous limit off the stack and restore it
5787 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-limit}). If given a prefix, pop all limits off
5791 @kindex / v (Summary)
5792 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-score
5793 Limit the summary buffer to articles that have a score at or above some
5794 score (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-score}).
5797 @kindex / p (Summary)
5798 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-display-parameter
5799 Limit the summary buffer to articles that satisfy the @code{display}
5800 group parameter predicate
5801 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-display-parameter}). See @pxref{Group
5802 Parameters} for more on this predicate.
5806 @kindex M S (Summary)
5807 @kindex / E (Summary)
5808 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged
5809 Include all expunged articles in the limit
5810 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged}).
5813 @kindex / D (Summary)
5814 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant
5815 Include all dormant articles in the limit
5816 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant}).
5819 @kindex / * (Summary)
5820 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-cached
5821 Include all cached articles in the limit
5822 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-cached}).
5825 @kindex / d (Summary)
5826 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant
5827 Exclude all dormant articles from the limit
5828 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant}).
5831 @kindex / M (Summary)
5832 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-marks
5833 Exclude all marked articles (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-marks}).
5836 @kindex / T (Summary)
5837 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-thread
5838 Include all the articles in the current thread in the limit.
5841 @kindex / c (Summary)
5842 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant
5843 Exclude all dormant articles that have no children from the limit
5844 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant}).
5847 @kindex / C (Summary)
5848 @findex gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read
5849 Mark all excluded unread articles as read
5850 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read}). If given a prefix,
5851 also mark excluded ticked and dormant articles as read.
5854 @kindex / N (Summary)
5855 @findex gnus-summary-insert-new-articles
5856 Insert all new articles in the summary buffer. It scans for new emails
5857 if @var{back-end}@code{-get-new-mail} is non-@code{nil}.
5860 @kindex / o (Summary)
5861 @findex gnus-summary-insert-old-articles
5862 Insert all old articles in the summary buffer. If given a numbered
5863 prefix, fetch this number of articles.
5871 @cindex article threading
5873 Gnus threads articles by default. @dfn{To thread} is to put responses
5874 to articles directly after the articles they respond to---in a
5875 hierarchical fashion.
5877 Threading is done by looking at the @code{References} headers of the
5878 articles. In a perfect world, this would be enough to build pretty
5879 trees, but unfortunately, the @code{References} header is often broken
5880 or simply missing. Weird news propagation exacerbates the problem,
5881 so one has to employ other heuristics to get pleasing results. A
5882 plethora of approaches exists, as detailed in horrible detail in
5883 @pxref{Customizing Threading}.
5885 First, a quick overview of the concepts:
5889 The top-most article in a thread; the first article in the thread.
5892 A tree-like article structure.
5895 A small(er) section of this tree-like structure.
5898 Threads often lose their roots due to article expiry, or due to the root
5899 already having been read in a previous session, and not displayed in the
5900 summary buffer. We then typically have many sub-threads that really
5901 belong to one thread, but are without connecting roots. These are
5902 called loose threads.
5904 @item thread gathering
5905 An attempt to gather loose threads into bigger threads.
5907 @item sparse threads
5908 A thread where the missing articles have been ``guessed'' at, and are
5909 displayed as empty lines in the summary buffer.
5915 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
5916 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
5920 @node Customizing Threading
5921 @subsection Customizing Threading
5922 @cindex customizing threading
5925 * Loose Threads:: How Gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
5926 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
5927 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
5928 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over... but you were wrong!
5933 @subsubsection Loose Threads
5936 @cindex loose threads
5939 @item gnus-summary-make-false-root
5940 @vindex gnus-summary-make-false-root
5941 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will gather all loose subtrees into one big tree
5942 and create a dummy root at the top. (Wait a minute. Root at the top?
5943 Yup.) Loose subtrees occur when the real root has expired, or you've
5944 read or killed the root in a previous session.
5946 When there is no real root of a thread, Gnus will have to fudge
5947 something. This variable says what fudging method Gnus should use.
5948 There are four possible values:
5952 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{390}{
5953 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-adopt,width=7.5cm}}
5954 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-empty,width=7.5cm}}}
5955 \put(0,400){\makebox(0,0)[tl]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-none,width=7.5cm}}}
5956 \put(445,400){\makebox(0,0)[tr]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-dummy,width=7.5cm}}}
5961 @cindex adopting articles
5966 Gnus will make the first of the orphaned articles the parent. This
5967 parent will adopt all the other articles. The adopted articles will be
5968 marked as such by pointy brackets (@samp{<>}) instead of the standard
5969 square brackets (@samp{[]}). This is the default method.
5972 @vindex gnus-summary-dummy-line-format
5973 Gnus will create a dummy summary line that will pretend to be the
5974 parent. This dummy line does not correspond to any real article, so
5975 selecting it will just select the first real article after the dummy
5976 article. @code{gnus-summary-dummy-line-format} is used to specify the
5977 format of the dummy roots. It accepts only one format spec: @samp{S},
5978 which is the subject of the article. @xref{Formatting Variables}.
5981 Gnus won't actually make any article the parent, but simply leave the
5982 subject field of all orphans except the first empty. (Actually, it will
5983 use @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} as the subject (@pxref{Summary
5987 Don't make any article parent at all. Just gather the threads and
5988 display them after one another.
5991 Don't gather loose threads.
5994 @item gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
5995 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
5996 Loose threads are gathered by comparing subjects of articles. If this
5997 variable is @code{nil}, Gnus requires an exact match between the
5998 subjects of the loose threads before gathering them into one big
5999 super-thread. This might be too strict a requirement, what with the
6000 presence of stupid newsreaders that chop off long subject lines. If
6001 you think so, set this variable to, say, 20 to require that only the
6002 first 20 characters of the subjects have to match. If you set this
6003 variable to a really low number, you'll find that Gnus will gather
6004 everything in sight into one thread, which isn't very helpful.
6006 @cindex fuzzy article gathering
6007 If you set this variable to the special value @code{fuzzy}, Gnus will
6008 use a fuzzy string comparison algorithm on the subjects (@pxref{Fuzzy
6011 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
6012 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
6013 This can either be a regular expression or list of regular expressions
6014 that match strings that will be removed from subjects if fuzzy subject
6015 simplification is used.
6017 @item gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
6018 @vindex gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
6019 If you set @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit} to something as low
6020 as 10, you might consider setting this variable to something sensible:
6022 @c Written by Michael Ernst <mernst@cs.rice.edu>
6024 (setq gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
6030 "wanted" "followup" "summary\\( of\\)?"
6031 "help" "query" "problem" "question"
6032 "answer" "reference" "announce"
6033 "How can I" "How to" "Comparison of"
6038 (mapconcat 'identity
6039 '("for" "for reference" "with" "about")
6041 "\\)?\\]?:?[ \t]*"))
6044 All words that match this regexp will be removed before comparing two
6047 @item gnus-simplify-subject-functions
6048 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-functions
6049 If non-@code{nil}, this variable overrides
6050 @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}. This variable should be a
6051 list of functions to apply to the @code{Subject} string iteratively to
6052 arrive at the simplified version of the string.
6054 Useful functions to put in this list include:
6057 @item gnus-simplify-subject-re
6058 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-re
6059 Strip the leading @samp{Re:}.
6061 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
6062 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
6065 @item gnus-simplify-whitespace
6066 @findex gnus-simplify-whitespace
6067 Remove excessive whitespace.
6070 You may also write your own functions, of course.
6073 @item gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
6074 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
6075 Since loose thread gathering is done on subjects only, that might lead
6076 to many false hits, especially with certain common subjects like
6077 @samp{} and @samp{(none)}. To make the situation slightly better,
6078 you can use the regexp @code{gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject} to say
6079 what subjects should be excluded from the gathering process.@*
6080 The default is @samp{^ *$\\|^(none)$}.
6082 @item gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
6083 @vindex gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
6084 Gnus gathers threads by looking at @code{Subject} headers. This means
6085 that totally unrelated articles may end up in the same ``thread'', which
6086 is confusing. An alternate approach is to look at all the
6087 @code{Message-ID}s in all the @code{References} headers to find matches.
6088 This will ensure that no gathered threads ever include unrelated
6089 articles, but it also means that people who have posted with broken
6090 newsreaders won't be gathered properly. The choice is yours---plague or
6094 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
6095 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
6096 This function is the default gathering function and looks at
6097 @code{Subject}s exclusively.
6099 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-references
6100 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-references
6101 This function looks at @code{References} headers exclusively.
6104 If you want to test gathering by @code{References}, you could say
6108 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
6109 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
6115 @node Filling In Threads
6116 @subsubsection Filling In Threads
6119 @item gnus-fetch-old-headers
6120 @vindex gnus-fetch-old-headers
6121 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will attempt to build old threads by fetching
6122 more old headers---headers to articles marked as read. If you
6123 would like to display as few summary lines as possible, but still
6124 connect as many loose threads as possible, you should set this variable
6125 to @code{some} or a number. If you set it to a number, no more than
6126 that number of extra old headers will be fetched. In either case,
6127 fetching old headers only works if the back end you are using carries
6128 overview files---this would normally be @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and
6129 @code{nnml}. Also remember that if the root of the thread has been
6130 expired by the server, there's not much Gnus can do about that.
6132 This variable can also be set to @code{invisible}. This won't have any
6133 visible effects, but is useful if you use the @kbd{A T} command a lot
6134 (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
6136 @item gnus-build-sparse-threads
6137 @vindex gnus-build-sparse-threads
6138 Fetching old headers can be slow. A low-rent similar effect can be
6139 gotten by setting this variable to @code{some}. Gnus will then look at
6140 the complete @code{References} headers of all articles and try to string
6141 together articles that belong in the same thread. This will leave
6142 @dfn{gaps} in the threading display where Gnus guesses that an article
6143 is missing from the thread. (These gaps appear like normal summary
6144 lines. If you select a gap, Gnus will try to fetch the article in
6145 question.) If this variable is @code{t}, Gnus will display all these
6146 ``gaps'' without regard for whether they are useful for completing the
6147 thread or not. Finally, if this variable is @code{more}, Gnus won't cut
6148 off sparse leaf nodes that don't lead anywhere. This variable is
6149 @code{nil} by default.
6151 @item gnus-read-all-available-headers
6152 @vindex gnus-read-all-available-headers
6153 This is a rather obscure variable that few will find useful. It's
6154 intended for those non-news newsgroups where the back end has to fetch
6155 quite a lot to present the summary buffer, and where it's impossible to
6156 go back to parents of articles. This is mostly the case in the
6157 web-based groups, like the @code{nnultimate} groups.
6159 If you don't use those, then it's safe to leave this as the default
6160 @code{nil}. If you want to use this variable, it should be a regexp
6161 that matches the group name, or @code{t} for all groups.
6166 @node More Threading
6167 @subsubsection More Threading
6170 @item gnus-show-threads
6171 @vindex gnus-show-threads
6172 If this variable is @code{nil}, no threading will be done, and all of
6173 the rest of the variables here will have no effect. Turning threading
6174 off will speed group selection up a bit, but it is sure to make reading
6175 slower and more awkward.
6177 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
6178 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-subtree
6179 If non-@code{nil}, all threads will be hidden when the summary buffer is
6182 @item gnus-thread-expunge-below
6183 @vindex gnus-thread-expunge-below
6184 All threads that have a total score (as defined by
6185 @code{gnus-thread-score-function}) less than this number will be
6186 expunged. This variable is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
6187 threads are expunged.
6189 @item gnus-thread-hide-killed
6190 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-killed
6191 if you kill a thread and this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subtree
6194 @item gnus-thread-ignore-subject
6195 @vindex gnus-thread-ignore-subject
6196 Sometimes somebody changes the subject in the middle of a thread. If
6197 this variable is non-@code{nil}, which is the default, the subject
6198 change is ignored. If it is @code{nil}, a change in the subject will
6199 result in a new thread.
6201 @item gnus-thread-indent-level
6202 @vindex gnus-thread-indent-level
6203 This is a number that says how much each sub-thread should be indented.
6206 @item gnus-sort-gathered-threads-function
6207 @vindex gnus-sort-gathered-threads-function
6208 Sometimes, particularly with mailing lists, the order in which mails
6209 arrive locally is not necessarily the same as the order in which they
6210 arrived on the mailing list. Consequently, when sorting sub-threads
6211 using the default @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number}, responses can end
6212 up appearing before the article to which they are responding to.
6213 Setting this variable to an alternate value
6214 (e.g. @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}), in a group's parameters or in an
6215 appropriate hook (e.g. @code{gnus-summary-generate-hook}) can produce a
6216 more logical sub-thread ordering in such instances.
6221 @node Low-Level Threading
6222 @subsubsection Low-Level Threading
6226 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
6227 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
6228 Hook run before parsing any headers.
6230 @item gnus-alter-header-function
6231 @vindex gnus-alter-header-function
6232 If non-@code{nil}, this function will be called to allow alteration of
6233 article header structures. The function is called with one parameter,
6234 the article header vector, which it may alter in any way. For instance,
6235 if you have a mail-to-news gateway which alters the @code{Message-ID}s
6236 in systematic ways (by adding prefixes and such), you can use this
6237 variable to un-scramble the @code{Message-ID}s so that they are more
6238 meaningful. Here's one example:
6241 (setq gnus-alter-header-function 'my-alter-message-id)
6243 (defun my-alter-message-id (header)
6244 (let ((id (mail-header-id header)))
6246 "\\(<[^<>@@]*\\)\\.?cygnus\\..*@@\\([^<>@@]*>\\)" id)
6248 (concat (match-string 1 id) "@@" (match-string 2 id))
6255 @node Thread Commands
6256 @subsection Thread Commands
6257 @cindex thread commands
6263 @kindex T k (Summary)
6264 @kindex M-C-k (Summary)
6265 @findex gnus-summary-kill-thread
6266 Mark all articles in the current (sub-)thread as read
6267 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}). If the prefix argument is positive,
6268 remove all marks instead. If the prefix argument is negative, tick
6273 @kindex T l (Summary)
6274 @kindex M-C-l (Summary)
6275 @findex gnus-summary-lower-thread
6276 Lower the score of the current (sub-)thread
6277 (@code{gnus-summary-lower-thread}).
6280 @kindex T i (Summary)
6281 @findex gnus-summary-raise-thread
6282 Increase the score of the current (sub-)thread
6283 (@code{gnus-summary-raise-thread}).
6286 @kindex T # (Summary)
6287 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
6288 Set the process mark on the current (sub-)thread
6289 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
6292 @kindex T M-# (Summary)
6293 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
6294 Remove the process mark from the current (sub-)thread
6295 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
6298 @kindex T T (Summary)
6299 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-threads
6300 Toggle threading (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-threads}).
6303 @kindex T s (Summary)
6304 @findex gnus-summary-show-thread
6305 Expose the (sub-)thread hidden under the current article, if any
6306 (@code{gnus-summary-show-thread}).
6309 @kindex T h (Summary)
6310 @findex gnus-summary-hide-thread
6311 Hide the current (sub-)thread (@code{gnus-summary-hide-thread}).
6314 @kindex T S (Summary)
6315 @findex gnus-summary-show-all-threads
6316 Expose all hidden threads (@code{gnus-summary-show-all-threads}).
6319 @kindex T H (Summary)
6320 @findex gnus-summary-hide-all-threads
6321 Hide all threads (@code{gnus-summary-hide-all-threads}).
6324 @kindex T t (Summary)
6325 @findex gnus-summary-rethread-current
6326 Re-thread the current article's thread
6327 (@code{gnus-summary-rethread-current}). This works even when the
6328 summary buffer is otherwise unthreaded.
6331 @kindex T ^ (Summary)
6332 @findex gnus-summary-reparent-thread
6333 Make the current article the child of the marked (or previous) article
6334 (@code{gnus-summary-reparent-thread}).
6338 The following commands are thread movement commands. They all
6339 understand the numeric prefix.
6344 @kindex T n (Summary)
6346 @kindex M-C-n (Summary)
6348 @kindex M-down (Summary)
6349 @findex gnus-summary-next-thread
6350 Go to the next thread (@code{gnus-summary-next-thread}).
6353 @kindex T p (Summary)
6355 @kindex M-C-p (Summary)
6357 @kindex M-up (Summary)
6358 @findex gnus-summary-prev-thread
6359 Go to the previous thread (@code{gnus-summary-prev-thread}).
6362 @kindex T d (Summary)
6363 @findex gnus-summary-down-thread
6364 Descend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-down-thread}).
6367 @kindex T u (Summary)
6368 @findex gnus-summary-up-thread
6369 Ascend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-up-thread}).
6372 @kindex T o (Summary)
6373 @findex gnus-summary-top-thread
6374 Go to the top of the thread (@code{gnus-summary-top-thread}).
6377 @vindex gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject
6378 If you ignore subject while threading, you'll naturally end up with
6379 threads that have several different subjects in them. If you then issue
6380 a command like `T k' (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}) you might not
6381 wish to kill the entire thread, but just those parts of the thread that
6382 have the same subject as the current article. If you like this idea,
6383 you can fiddle with @code{gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject}. If it
6384 is non-@code{nil} (which it is by default), subjects will be ignored
6385 when doing thread commands. If this variable is @code{nil}, articles in
6386 the same thread with different subjects will not be included in the
6387 operation in question. If this variable is @code{fuzzy}, only articles
6388 that have subjects fuzzily equal will be included (@pxref{Fuzzy
6392 @node Sorting the Summary Buffer
6393 @section Sorting the Summary Buffer
6395 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score
6396 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-date
6397 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-score
6398 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
6399 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-author
6400 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-number
6401 @vindex gnus-thread-sort-functions
6402 If you are using a threaded summary display, you can sort the threads by
6403 setting @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, which can be either a single
6404 function, a list of functions, or a list containing functions and
6405 @code{(not some-function)} elements.
6407 By default, sorting is done on article numbers. Ready-made sorting
6408 predicate functions include @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number},
6409 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-subject},
6410 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-score}, and
6411 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score}.
6413 Each function takes two threads and returns non-@code{nil} if the first
6414 thread should be sorted before the other. Note that sorting really is
6415 normally done by looking only at the roots of each thread.
6417 If you use more than one function, the primary sort key should be the
6418 last function in the list. You should probably always include
6419 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number} in the list of sorting
6420 functions---preferably first. This will ensure that threads that are
6421 equal with respect to the other sort criteria will be displayed in
6422 ascending article order.
6424 If you would like to sort by reverse score, then by subject, and finally
6425 by number, you could do something like:
6428 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
6429 '(gnus-thread-sort-by-number
6430 gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
6431 (not gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score)))
6434 The threads that have highest score will be displayed first in the
6435 summary buffer. When threads have the same score, they will be sorted
6436 alphabetically. The threads that have the same score and the same
6437 subject will be sorted by number, which is (normally) the sequence in
6438 which the articles arrived.
6440 If you want to sort by score and then reverse arrival order, you could
6444 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
6446 (not (gnus-thread-sort-by-number t1 t2)))
6447 gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
6450 @vindex gnus-thread-score-function
6451 The function in the @code{gnus-thread-score-function} variable (default
6452 @code{+}) is used for calculating the total score of a thread. Useful
6453 functions might be @code{max}, @code{min}, or squared means, or whatever
6456 @findex gnus-article-sort-functions
6457 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-date
6458 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-score
6459 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-subject
6460 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-author
6461 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-number
6462 If you are using an unthreaded display for some strange reason or other,
6463 you have to fiddle with the @code{gnus-article-sort-functions} variable.
6464 It is very similar to the @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, except that
6465 it uses slightly different functions for article comparison. Available
6466 sorting predicate functions are @code{gnus-article-sort-by-number},
6467 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-article-sort-by-subject},
6468 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-date}, and @code{gnus-article-sort-by-score}.
6470 If you want to sort an unthreaded summary display by subject, you could
6474 (setq gnus-article-sort-functions
6475 '(gnus-article-sort-by-number
6476 gnus-article-sort-by-subject))
6481 @node Asynchronous Fetching
6482 @section Asynchronous Article Fetching
6483 @cindex asynchronous article fetching
6484 @cindex article pre-fetch
6487 If you read your news from an @sc{nntp} server that's far away, the
6488 network latencies may make reading articles a chore. You have to wait
6489 for a while after pressing @kbd{n} to go to the next article before the
6490 article appears. Why can't Gnus just go ahead and fetch the article
6491 while you are reading the previous one? Why not, indeed.
6493 First, some caveats. There are some pitfalls to using asynchronous
6494 article fetching, especially the way Gnus does it.
6496 Let's say you are reading article 1, which is short, and article 2 is
6497 quite long, and you are not interested in reading that. Gnus does not
6498 know this, so it goes ahead and fetches article 2. You decide to read
6499 article 3, but since Gnus is in the process of fetching article 2, the
6500 connection is blocked.
6502 To avoid these situations, Gnus will open two (count 'em two)
6503 connections to the server. Some people may think this isn't a very nice
6504 thing to do, but I don't see any real alternatives. Setting up that
6505 extra connection takes some time, so Gnus startup will be slower.
6507 Gnus will fetch more articles than you will read. This will mean that
6508 the link between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server will become more
6509 loaded than if you didn't use article pre-fetch. The server itself will
6510 also become more loaded---both with the extra article requests, and the
6513 Ok, so now you know that you shouldn't really use this thing... unless
6516 @vindex gnus-asynchronous
6517 Here's how: Set @code{gnus-asynchronous} to @code{t}. The rest should
6518 happen automatically.
6520 @vindex gnus-use-article-prefetch
6521 You can control how many articles are to be pre-fetched by setting
6522 @code{gnus-use-article-prefetch}. This is 30 by default, which means
6523 that when you read an article in the group, the back end will pre-fetch
6524 the next 30 articles. If this variable is @code{t}, the back end will
6525 pre-fetch all the articles it can without bound. If it is
6526 @code{nil}, no pre-fetching will be done.
6528 @vindex gnus-async-prefetch-article-p
6529 @findex gnus-async-read-p
6530 There are probably some articles that you don't want to pre-fetch---read
6531 articles, for instance. The @code{gnus-async-prefetch-article-p} variable controls whether an article is to be pre-fetched. This function should
6532 return non-@code{nil} when the article in question is to be
6533 pre-fetched. The default is @code{gnus-async-read-p}, which returns
6534 @code{nil} on read articles. The function is called with an article
6535 data structure as the only parameter.
6537 If, for instance, you wish to pre-fetch only unread articles shorter than 100 lines, you could say something like:
6540 (defun my-async-short-unread-p (data)
6541 "Return non-nil for short, unread articles."
6542 (and (gnus-data-unread-p data)
6543 (< (mail-header-lines (gnus-data-header data))
6546 (setq gnus-async-prefetch-article-p 'my-async-short-unread-p)
6549 These functions will be called many, many times, so they should
6550 preferably be short and sweet to avoid slowing down Gnus too much.
6551 It's probably a good idea to byte-compile things like this.
6553 @vindex gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy
6554 Articles have to be removed from the asynch buffer sooner or later. The
6555 @code{gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy} says when to remove
6556 articles. This is a list that may contain the following elements:
6560 Remove articles when they are read.
6563 Remove articles when exiting the group.
6566 The default value is @code{(read exit)}.
6568 @c @vindex gnus-use-header-prefetch
6569 @c If @code{gnus-use-header-prefetch} is non-@code{nil}, prefetch articles
6570 @c from the next group.
6573 @node Article Caching
6574 @section Article Caching
6575 @cindex article caching
6578 If you have an @emph{extremely} slow @sc{nntp} connection, you may
6579 consider turning article caching on. Each article will then be stored
6580 locally under your home directory. As you may surmise, this could
6581 potentially use @emph{huge} amounts of disk space, as well as eat up all
6582 your inodes so fast it will make your head swim. In vodka.
6584 Used carefully, though, it could be just an easier way to save articles.
6586 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
6587 @vindex gnus-cache-directory
6588 @vindex gnus-use-cache
6589 To turn caching on, set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{t}. By default,
6590 all articles ticked or marked as dormant will then be copied
6591 over to your local cache (@code{gnus-cache-directory}). Whether this
6592 cache is flat or hierarchical is controlled by the
6593 @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable, as usual.
6595 When re-selecting a ticked or dormant article, it will be fetched from the
6596 cache instead of from the server. As articles in your cache will never
6597 expire, this might serve as a method of saving articles while still
6598 keeping them where they belong. Just mark all articles you want to save
6599 as dormant, and don't worry.
6601 When an article is marked as read, is it removed from the cache.
6603 @vindex gnus-cache-remove-articles
6604 @vindex gnus-cache-enter-articles
6605 The entering/removal of articles from the cache is controlled by the
6606 @code{gnus-cache-enter-articles} and @code{gnus-cache-remove-articles}
6607 variables. Both are lists of symbols. The first is @code{(ticked
6608 dormant)} by default, meaning that ticked and dormant articles will be
6609 put in the cache. The latter is @code{(read)} by default, meaning that
6610 articles marked as read are removed from the cache. Possibly
6611 symbols in these two lists are @code{ticked}, @code{dormant},
6612 @code{unread} and @code{read}.
6614 @findex gnus-jog-cache
6615 So where does the massive article-fetching and storing come into the
6616 picture? The @code{gnus-jog-cache} command will go through all
6617 subscribed newsgroups, request all unread articles, score them, and
6618 store them in the cache. You should only ever, ever ever ever, use this
6619 command if 1) your connection to the @sc{nntp} server is really, really,
6620 really slow and 2) you have a really, really, really huge disk.
6621 Seriously. One way to cut down on the number of articles downloaded is
6622 to score unwanted articles down and have them marked as read. They will
6623 not then be downloaded by this command.
6625 @vindex gnus-uncacheable-groups
6626 @vindex gnus-cacheable-groups
6627 It is likely that you do not want caching on all groups. For instance,
6628 if your @code{nnml} mail is located under your home directory, it makes no
6629 sense to cache it somewhere else under your home directory. Unless you
6630 feel that it's neat to use twice as much space.
6632 To limit the caching, you could set @code{gnus-cacheable-groups} to a
6633 regexp of groups to cache, @samp{^nntp} for instance, or set the
6634 @code{gnus-uncacheable-groups} regexp to @samp{^nnml}, for instance.
6635 Both variables are @code{nil} by default. If a group matches both
6636 variables, the group is not cached.
6638 @findex gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases
6639 @findex gnus-cache-generate-active
6640 @vindex gnus-cache-active-file
6641 The cache stores information on what articles it contains in its active
6642 file (@code{gnus-cache-active-file}). If this file (or any other parts
6643 of the cache) becomes all messed up for some reason or other, Gnus
6644 offers two functions that will try to set things right. @kbd{M-x
6645 gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases} will (re)build all the @sc{nov}
6646 files, and @kbd{gnus-cache-generate-active} will (re)generate the active
6650 @node Persistent Articles
6651 @section Persistent Articles
6652 @cindex persistent articles
6654 Closely related to article caching, we have @dfn{persistent articles}.
6655 In fact, it's just a different way of looking at caching, and much more
6656 useful in my opinion.
6658 Say you're reading a newsgroup, and you happen on to some valuable gem
6659 that you want to keep and treasure forever. You'd normally just save it
6660 (using one of the many saving commands) in some file. The problem with
6661 that is that it's just, well, yucky. Ideally you'd prefer just having
6662 the article remain in the group where you found it forever; untouched by
6663 the expiry going on at the news server.
6665 This is what a @dfn{persistent article} is---an article that just won't
6666 be deleted. It's implemented using the normal cache functions, but
6667 you use two explicit commands for managing persistent articles:
6673 @findex gnus-cache-enter-article
6674 Make the current article persistent (@code{gnus-cache-enter-article}).
6677 @kindex M-* (Summary)
6678 @findex gnus-cache-remove-article
6679 Remove the current article from the persistent articles
6680 (@code{gnus-cache-remove-article}). This will normally delete the
6684 Both these commands understand the process/prefix convention.
6686 To avoid having all ticked articles (and stuff) entered into the cache,
6687 you should set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{passive} if you're just
6688 interested in persistent articles:
6691 (setq gnus-use-cache 'passive)
6695 @node Article Backlog
6696 @section Article Backlog
6698 @cindex article backlog
6700 If you have a slow connection, but the idea of using caching seems
6701 unappealing to you (and it is, really), you can help the situation some
6702 by switching on the @dfn{backlog}. This is where Gnus will buffer
6703 already read articles so that it doesn't have to re-fetch articles
6704 you've already read. This only helps if you are in the habit of
6705 re-selecting articles you've recently read, of course. If you never do
6706 that, turning the backlog on will slow Gnus down a little bit, and
6707 increase memory usage some.
6709 @vindex gnus-keep-backlog
6710 If you set @code{gnus-keep-backlog} to a number @var{n}, Gnus will store
6711 at most @var{n} old articles in a buffer for later re-fetching. If this
6712 variable is non-@code{nil} and is not a number, Gnus will store
6713 @emph{all} read articles, which means that your Emacs will grow without
6714 bound before exploding and taking your machine down with you. I put
6715 that in there just to keep y'all on your toes.
6717 This variable is @code{nil} by default.
6720 @node Saving Articles
6721 @section Saving Articles
6722 @cindex saving articles
6724 Gnus can save articles in a number of ways. Below is the documentation
6725 for saving articles in a fairly straight-forward fashion (i.e., little
6726 processing of the article is done before it is saved). For a different
6727 approach (uudecoding, unsharing) you should use @code{gnus-uu}
6728 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
6730 @vindex gnus-save-all-headers
6731 If @code{gnus-save-all-headers} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will not delete
6732 unwanted headers before saving the article.
6734 @vindex gnus-saved-headers
6735 If the preceding variable is @code{nil}, all headers that match the
6736 @code{gnus-saved-headers} regexp will be kept, while the rest will be
6737 deleted before saving.
6743 @kindex O o (Summary)
6745 @findex gnus-summary-save-article
6746 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article}
6747 Save the current article using the default article saver
6748 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article}).
6751 @kindex O m (Summary)
6752 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-mail
6753 Save the current article in mail format
6754 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-mail}).
6757 @kindex O r (Summary)
6758 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-rmail
6759 Save the current article in rmail format
6760 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-rmail}).
6763 @kindex O f (Summary)
6764 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-file
6765 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article-file}
6766 Save the current article in plain file format
6767 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-file}).
6770 @kindex O F (Summary)
6771 @findex gnus-summary-write-article-file
6772 Write the current article in plain file format, overwriting any previous
6773 file contents (@code{gnus-summary-write-article-file}).
6776 @kindex O b (Summary)
6777 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-body-file
6778 Save the current article body in plain file format
6779 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-body-file}).
6782 @kindex O h (Summary)
6783 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-folder
6784 Save the current article in mh folder format
6785 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-folder}).
6788 @kindex O v (Summary)
6789 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-vm
6790 Save the current article in a VM folder
6791 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-vm}).
6795 @kindex O p (Summary)
6797 @findex gnus-summary-pipe-output
6798 Save the current article in a pipe. Uhm, like, what I mean is---Pipe
6799 the current article to a process (@code{gnus-summary-pipe-output}).
6802 @vindex gnus-prompt-before-saving
6803 All these commands use the process/prefix convention
6804 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). If you save bunches of articles using these
6805 functions, you might get tired of being prompted for files to save each
6806 and every article in. The prompting action is controlled by
6807 the @code{gnus-prompt-before-saving} variable, which is @code{always} by
6808 default, giving you that excessive prompting action you know and
6809 loathe. If you set this variable to @code{t} instead, you'll be prompted
6810 just once for each series of articles you save. If you like to really
6811 have Gnus do all your thinking for you, you can even set this variable
6812 to @code{nil}, which means that you will never be prompted for files to
6813 save articles in. Gnus will simply save all the articles in the default
6817 @vindex gnus-default-article-saver
6818 You can customize the @code{gnus-default-article-saver} variable to make
6819 Gnus do what you want it to. You can use any of the six ready-made
6820 functions below, or you can create your own.
6824 @item gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
6825 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
6826 @vindex gnus-rmail-save-name
6827 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
6828 This is the default format, @dfn{babyl}. Uses the function in the
6829 @code{gnus-rmail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6830 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
6832 @item gnus-summary-save-in-mail
6833 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-mail
6834 @vindex gnus-mail-save-name
6835 Save in a Unix mail (mbox) file. Uses the function in the
6836 @code{gnus-mail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6837 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
6839 @item gnus-summary-save-in-file
6840 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-file
6841 @vindex gnus-file-save-name
6842 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
6843 Append the article straight to an ordinary file. Uses the function in
6844 the @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6845 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
6847 @item gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
6848 @findex gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
6849 Append the article body to an ordinary file. Uses the function in the
6850 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6851 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
6853 @item gnus-summary-save-in-folder
6854 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-folder
6855 @findex gnus-folder-save-name
6856 @findex gnus-Folder-save-name
6857 @vindex gnus-folder-save-name
6860 Save the article to an MH folder using @code{rcvstore} from the MH
6861 library. Uses the function in the @code{gnus-folder-save-name} variable
6862 to get a file name to save the article in. The default is
6863 @code{gnus-folder-save-name}, but you can also use
6864 @code{gnus-Folder-save-name}, which creates capitalized names.
6866 @item gnus-summary-save-in-vm
6867 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-vm
6868 Save the article in a VM folder. You have to have the VM mail
6869 reader to use this setting.
6872 @vindex gnus-article-save-directory
6873 All of these functions, except for the last one, will save the article
6874 in the @code{gnus-article-save-directory}, which is initialized from the
6875 @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable. This is @file{~/News/} by
6878 As you can see above, the functions use different functions to find a
6879 suitable name of a file to save the article in. Below is a list of
6880 available functions that generate names:
6884 @item gnus-Numeric-save-name
6885 @findex gnus-Numeric-save-name
6886 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
6888 @item gnus-numeric-save-name
6889 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
6890 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
6892 @item gnus-Plain-save-name
6893 @findex gnus-Plain-save-name
6894 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin}.
6896 @item gnus-plain-save-name
6897 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
6898 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.
6900 @item gnus-sender-save-name
6901 @findex gnus-sender-save-name
6902 File names like @file{~/News/larsi}.
6905 @vindex gnus-split-methods
6906 You can have Gnus suggest where to save articles by plonking a regexp into
6907 the @code{gnus-split-methods} alist. For instance, if you would like to
6908 save articles related to Gnus in the file @file{gnus-stuff}, and articles
6909 related to VM in @code{vm-stuff}, you could set this variable to something
6913 (("^Subject:.*gnus\\|^Newsgroups:.*gnus" "gnus-stuff")
6914 ("^Subject:.*vm\\|^Xref:.*vm" "vm-stuff")
6915 (my-choosing-function "../other-dir/my-stuff")
6916 ((equal gnus-newsgroup-name "mail.misc") "mail-stuff"))
6919 We see that this is a list where each element is a list that has two
6920 elements---the @dfn{match} and the @dfn{file}. The match can either be
6921 a string (in which case it is used as a regexp to match on the article
6922 head); it can be a symbol (which will be called as a function with the
6923 group name as a parameter); or it can be a list (which will be
6924 @code{eval}ed). If any of these actions have a non-@code{nil} result,
6925 the @dfn{file} will be used as a default prompt. In addition, the
6926 result of the operation itself will be used if the function or form
6927 called returns a string or a list of strings.
6929 You basically end up with a list of file names that might be used when
6930 saving the current article. (All ``matches'' will be used.) You will
6931 then be prompted for what you really want to use as a name, with file
6932 name completion over the results from applying this variable.
6934 This variable is @code{((gnus-article-archive-name))} by default, which
6935 means that Gnus will look at the articles it saves for an
6936 @code{Archive-name} line and use that as a suggestion for the file
6939 Here's an example function to clean up file names somewhat. If you have
6940 lots of mail groups called things like
6941 @samp{nnml:mail.whatever}, you may want to chop off the beginning of
6942 these group names before creating the file name to save to. The
6943 following will do just that:
6946 (defun my-save-name (group)
6947 (when (string-match "^nnml:mail." group)
6948 (substring group (match-end 0))))
6950 (setq gnus-split-methods
6951 '((gnus-article-archive-name)
6956 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
6957 Finally, you have the @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable. If it is
6958 @code{nil}, all the preceding functions will replace all periods
6959 (@samp{.}) in the group names with slashes (@samp{/})---which means that
6960 the functions will generate hierarchies of directories instead of having
6961 all the files in the top level directory
6962 (@file{~/News/alt/andrea-dworkin} instead of
6963 @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.) This variable is @code{t} by default
6964 on most systems. However, for historical reasons, this is @code{nil} on
6965 Xenix and usg-unix-v machines by default.
6967 This function also affects kill and score file names. If this variable
6968 is a list, and the list contains the element @code{not-score}, long file
6969 names will not be used for score files, if it contains the element
6970 @code{not-save}, long file names will not be used for saving, and if it
6971 contains the element @code{not-kill}, long file names will not be used
6974 If you'd like to save articles in a hierarchy that looks something like
6978 (setq gnus-use-long-file-name '(not-save)) ; to get a hierarchy
6979 (setq gnus-default-article-saver
6980 'gnus-summary-save-in-file) ; no encoding
6983 Then just save with @kbd{o}. You'd then read this hierarchy with
6984 ephemeral @code{nneething} groups---@kbd{G D} in the group buffer, and
6985 the top level directory as the argument (@file{~/News/}). Then just walk
6986 around to the groups/directories with @code{nneething}.
6989 @node Decoding Articles
6990 @section Decoding Articles
6991 @cindex decoding articles
6993 Sometime users post articles (or series of articles) that have been
6994 encoded in some way or other. Gnus can decode them for you.
6997 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
6998 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
6999 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
7000 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
7001 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
7002 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
7006 @cindex article series
7007 All these functions use the process/prefix convention
7008 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) for finding out what articles to work on, with
7009 the extension that a ``single article'' means ``a single series''. Gnus
7010 can find out by itself what articles belong to a series, decode all the
7011 articles and unpack/view/save the resulting file(s).
7013 Gnus guesses what articles are in the series according to the following
7014 simplish rule: The subjects must be (nearly) identical, except for the
7015 last two numbers of the line. (Spaces are largely ignored, however.)
7017 For example: If you choose a subject called @samp{cat.gif (2/3)}, Gnus
7018 will find all the articles that match the regexp @samp{^cat.gif
7019 ([0-9]+/[0-9]+).*$}.
7021 Subjects that are non-standard, like @samp{cat.gif (2/3) Part 6 of a
7022 series}, will not be properly recognized by any of the automatic viewing
7023 commands, and you have to mark the articles manually with @kbd{#}.
7026 @node Uuencoded Articles
7027 @subsection Uuencoded Articles
7029 @cindex uuencoded articles
7034 @kindex X u (Summary)
7035 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu
7036 @c @icon{gnus-uu-decode-uu}
7037 Uudecodes the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}).
7040 @kindex X U (Summary)
7041 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save
7042 Uudecodes and saves the current series
7043 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
7046 @kindex X v u (Summary)
7047 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-view
7048 Uudecodes and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-view}).
7051 @kindex X v U (Summary)
7052 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view
7053 Uudecodes, views and saves the current series
7054 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view}).
7058 Remember that these all react to the presence of articles marked with
7059 the process mark. If, for instance, you'd like to decode and save an
7060 entire newsgroup, you'd typically do @kbd{M P a}
7061 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-all}) and then @kbd{X U}
7062 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
7064 All this is very much different from how @code{gnus-uu} worked with
7065 @sc{gnus 4.1}, where you had explicit keystrokes for everything under
7066 the sun. This version of @code{gnus-uu} generally assumes that you mark
7067 articles in some way (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}) and then press
7070 @vindex gnus-uu-notify-files
7071 Note: When trying to decode articles that have names matching
7072 @code{gnus-uu-notify-files}, which is hard-coded to
7073 @samp{[Cc][Ii][Nn][Dd][Yy][0-9]+.\\(gif\\|jpg\\)}, @code{gnus-uu} will
7074 automatically post an article on @samp{comp.unix.wizards} saying that
7075 you have just viewed the file in question. This feature can't be turned
7079 @node Shell Archives
7080 @subsection Shell Archives
7082 @cindex shell archives
7083 @cindex shared articles
7085 Shell archives (``shar files'') used to be a popular way to distribute
7086 sources, but it isn't used all that much today. In any case, we have
7087 some commands to deal with these:
7092 @kindex X s (Summary)
7093 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar
7094 Unshars the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar}).
7097 @kindex X S (Summary)
7098 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save
7099 Unshars and saves the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save}).
7102 @kindex X v s (Summary)
7103 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view
7104 Unshars and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view}).
7107 @kindex X v S (Summary)
7108 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view
7109 Unshars, views and saves the current series
7110 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view}).
7114 @node PostScript Files
7115 @subsection PostScript Files
7121 @kindex X p (Summary)
7122 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript
7123 Unpack the current PostScript series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript}).
7126 @kindex X P (Summary)
7127 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save
7128 Unpack and save the current PostScript series
7129 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save}).
7132 @kindex X v p (Summary)
7133 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view
7134 View the current PostScript series
7135 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view}).
7138 @kindex X v P (Summary)
7139 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view
7140 View and save the current PostScript series
7141 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view}).
7146 @subsection Other Files
7150 @kindex X o (Summary)
7151 @findex gnus-uu-decode-save
7152 Save the current series
7153 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-save}).
7156 @kindex X b (Summary)
7157 @findex gnus-uu-decode-binhex
7158 Unbinhex the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-binhex}). This
7159 doesn't really work yet.
7163 @node Decoding Variables
7164 @subsection Decoding Variables
7166 Adjective, not verb.
7169 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
7170 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
7171 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
7175 @node Rule Variables
7176 @subsubsection Rule Variables
7177 @cindex rule variables
7179 Gnus uses @dfn{rule variables} to decide how to view a file. All these
7180 variables are of the form
7183 (list '(regexp1 command2)
7190 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules
7191 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules
7193 This variable is consulted first when viewing files. If you wish to use,
7194 for instance, @code{sox} to convert an @samp{.au} sound file, you could
7197 (setq gnus-uu-user-view-rules
7198 (list '("\\\\.au$" "sox %s -t .aiff > /dev/audio")))
7201 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
7202 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
7203 This variable is consulted if Gnus couldn't make any matches from the
7204 user and default view rules.
7206 @item gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
7207 @vindex gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
7208 This variable can be used to say what commands should be used to unpack
7213 @node Other Decode Variables
7214 @subsubsection Other Decode Variables
7217 @vindex gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
7219 @item gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
7220 All functions in this list will be called right after each file has been
7221 successfully decoded---so that you can move or view files right away,
7222 and don't have to wait for all files to be decoded before you can do
7223 anything. Ready-made functions you can put in this list are:
7227 @item gnus-uu-grab-view
7228 @findex gnus-uu-grab-view
7231 @item gnus-uu-grab-move
7232 @findex gnus-uu-grab-move
7233 Move the file (if you're using a saving function.)
7236 @item gnus-uu-be-dangerous
7237 @vindex gnus-uu-be-dangerous
7238 Specifies what to do if unusual situations arise during decoding. If
7239 @code{nil}, be as conservative as possible. If @code{t}, ignore things
7240 that didn't work, and overwrite existing files. Otherwise, ask each
7243 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
7244 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
7245 Files with name matching this regular expression won't be viewed.
7247 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
7248 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
7249 Files with a @sc{mime} type matching this variable won't be viewed.
7250 Note that Gnus tries to guess what type the file is based on the name.
7251 @code{gnus-uu} is not a @sc{mime} package (yet), so this is slightly
7254 @item gnus-uu-tmp-dir
7255 @vindex gnus-uu-tmp-dir
7256 Where @code{gnus-uu} does its work.
7258 @item gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
7259 @vindex gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
7260 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} won't peek inside archives
7261 looking for files to display.
7263 @item gnus-uu-view-and-save
7264 @vindex gnus-uu-view-and-save
7265 Non-@code{nil} means that the user will always be asked to save a file
7268 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
7269 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
7270 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default viewing
7273 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
7274 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
7275 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default archive
7278 @item gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
7279 @vindex gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
7280 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will strip all carriage returns
7283 @item gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
7284 @vindex gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
7285 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will mark unsuccessfully
7286 decoded articles as unread.
7288 @item gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
7289 @vindex gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
7290 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will @emph{try} to fix
7291 uuencoded files that have had trailing spaces deleted.
7293 @item gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
7294 @vindex gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
7295 Hook run before sending a message to @code{uudecode}.
7297 @item gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
7298 @vindex gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
7300 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the viewing
7301 commands defined by the rule variables and just fudge a @sc{mime}
7302 content type based on the file name. The result will be fed to
7303 @code{metamail} for viewing.
7305 @item gnus-uu-save-in-digest
7306 @vindex gnus-uu-save-in-digest
7307 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu}, when asked to save without
7308 decoding, will save in digests. If this variable is @code{nil},
7309 @code{gnus-uu} will just save everything in a file without any
7310 embellishments. The digesting almost conforms to RFC 1153---no easy way
7311 to specify any meaningful volume and issue numbers were found, so I
7312 simply dropped them.
7317 @node Uuencoding and Posting
7318 @subsubsection Uuencoding and Posting
7322 @item gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
7323 @vindex gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
7324 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ask for a file to encode
7325 before you compose the article. If this variable is @code{t}, you can
7326 either include an encoded file with @kbd{C-c C-i} or have one included
7327 for you when you post the article.
7329 @item gnus-uu-post-length
7330 @vindex gnus-uu-post-length
7331 Maximum length of an article. The encoded file will be split into how
7332 many articles it takes to post the entire file.
7334 @item gnus-uu-post-threaded
7335 @vindex gnus-uu-post-threaded
7336 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will post the encoded file in a
7337 thread. This may not be smart, as no other decoder I have seen is able
7338 to follow threads when collecting uuencoded articles. (Well, I have
7339 seen one package that does that---@code{gnus-uu}, but somehow, I don't
7340 think that counts...) Default is @code{nil}.
7342 @item gnus-uu-post-separate-description
7343 @vindex gnus-uu-post-separate-description
7344 Non-@code{nil} means that the description will be posted in a separate
7345 article. The first article will typically be numbered (0/x). If this
7346 variable is @code{nil}, the description the user enters will be included
7347 at the beginning of the first article, which will be numbered (1/x).
7348 Default is @code{t}.
7354 @subsection Viewing Files
7355 @cindex viewing files
7356 @cindex pseudo-articles
7358 After decoding, if the file is some sort of archive, Gnus will attempt
7359 to unpack the archive and see if any of the files in the archive can be
7360 viewed. For instance, if you have a gzipped tar file @file{pics.tar.gz}
7361 containing the files @file{pic1.jpg} and @file{pic2.gif}, Gnus will
7362 uncompress and de-tar the main file, and then view the two pictures.
7363 This unpacking process is recursive, so if the archive contains archives
7364 of archives, it'll all be unpacked.
7366 Finally, Gnus will normally insert a @dfn{pseudo-article} for each
7367 extracted file into the summary buffer. If you go to these
7368 ``articles'', you will be prompted for a command to run (usually Gnus
7369 will make a suggestion), and then the command will be run.
7371 @vindex gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously
7372 If @code{gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously} is @code{nil}, Emacs will wait
7373 until the viewing is done before proceeding.
7375 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos
7376 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos} is @code{automatic}, Gnus will not insert
7377 the pseudo-articles into the summary buffer, but view them
7378 immediately. If this variable is @code{not-confirm}, the user won't even
7379 be asked for a confirmation before viewing is done.
7381 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos-separately
7382 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos-separately} is non-@code{nil}, one
7383 pseudo-article will be created for each file to be viewed. If
7384 @code{nil}, all files that use the same viewing command will be given as
7385 a list of parameters to that command.
7387 @vindex gnus-insert-pseudo-articles
7388 If @code{gnus-insert-pseudo-articles} is non-@code{nil}, insert
7389 pseudo-articles when decoding. It is @code{t} by default.
7391 So; there you are, reading your @emph{pseudo-articles} in your
7392 @emph{virtual newsgroup} from the @emph{virtual server}; and you think:
7393 Why isn't anything real anymore? How did we get here?
7396 @node Article Treatment
7397 @section Article Treatment
7399 Reading through this huge manual, you may have quite forgotten that the
7400 object of newsreaders is to actually, like, read what people have
7401 written. Reading articles. Unfortunately, people are quite bad at
7402 writing, so there are tons of functions and variables to make reading
7403 these articles easier.
7406 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
7407 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look nice.
7408 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
7409 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
7410 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
7411 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
7412 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
7413 * Article Miscellania:: Various other stuff.
7417 @node Article Highlighting
7418 @subsection Article Highlighting
7419 @cindex highlighting
7421 Not only do you want your article buffer to look like fruit salad, but
7422 you want it to look like technicolor fruit salad.
7427 @kindex W H a (Summary)
7428 @findex gnus-article-highlight
7429 @findex gnus-article-maybe-highlight
7430 Do much highlighting of the current article
7431 (@code{gnus-article-highlight}). This function highlights header, cited
7432 text, the signature, and adds buttons to the body and the head.
7435 @kindex W H h (Summary)
7436 @findex gnus-article-highlight-headers
7437 @vindex gnus-header-face-alist
7438 Highlight the headers (@code{gnus-article-highlight-headers}). The
7439 highlighting will be done according to the @code{gnus-header-face-alist}
7440 variable, which is a list where each element has the form
7441 @code{(@var{regexp} @var{name} @var{content})}.
7442 @var{regexp} is a regular expression for matching the
7443 header, @var{name} is the face used for highlighting the header name
7444 (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}) and @var{content} is the face for highlighting
7445 the header value. The first match made will be used. Note that
7446 @var{regexp} shouldn't have @samp{^} prepended---Gnus will add one.
7449 @kindex W H c (Summary)
7450 @findex gnus-article-highlight-citation
7451 Highlight cited text (@code{gnus-article-highlight-citation}).
7453 Some variables to customize the citation highlights:
7456 @vindex gnus-cite-parse-max-size
7458 @item gnus-cite-parse-max-size
7459 If the article size if bigger than this variable (which is 25000 by
7460 default), no citation highlighting will be performed.
7462 @item gnus-cite-max-prefix
7463 @vindex gnus-cite-max-prefix
7464 Maximum possible length for a citation prefix (default 20).
7466 @item gnus-cite-face-list
7467 @vindex gnus-cite-face-list
7468 List of faces used for highlighting citations (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}).
7469 When there are citations from multiple articles in the same message,
7470 Gnus will try to give each citation from each article its own face.
7471 This should make it easier to see who wrote what.
7473 @item gnus-supercite-regexp
7474 @vindex gnus-supercite-regexp
7475 Regexp matching normal Supercite attribution lines.
7477 @item gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
7478 @vindex gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
7479 Regexp matching mangled Supercite attribution lines.
7481 @item gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
7482 @vindex gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
7483 Minimum number of identical prefixes we have to see before we believe
7484 that it's a citation.
7486 @item gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
7487 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
7488 Regexp matching the beginning of an attribution line.
7490 @item gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
7491 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
7492 Regexp matching the end of an attribution line.
7494 @item gnus-cite-attribution-face
7495 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-face
7496 Face used for attribution lines. It is merged with the face for the
7497 cited text belonging to the attribution.
7503 @kindex W H s (Summary)
7504 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
7505 @vindex gnus-signature-face
7506 @findex gnus-article-highlight-signature
7507 Highlight the signature (@code{gnus-article-highlight-signature}).
7508 Everything after @code{gnus-signature-separator} (@pxref{Article
7509 Signature}) in an article will be considered a signature and will be
7510 highlighted with @code{gnus-signature-face}, which is @code{italic} by
7515 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to highlight articles automatically.
7518 @node Article Fontisizing
7519 @subsection Article Fontisizing
7521 @cindex article emphasis
7523 @findex gnus-article-emphasize
7524 @kindex W e (Summary)
7525 People commonly add emphasis to words in news articles by writing things
7526 like @samp{_this_} or @samp{*this*} or @samp{/this/}. Gnus can make
7527 this look nicer by running the article through the @kbd{W e}
7528 (@code{gnus-article-emphasize}) command.
7530 @vindex gnus-emphasis-alist
7531 How the emphasis is computed is controlled by the
7532 @code{gnus-emphasis-alist} variable. This is an alist where the first
7533 element is a regular expression to be matched. The second is a number
7534 that says what regular expression grouping is used to find the entire
7535 emphasized word. The third is a number that says what regexp grouping
7536 should be displayed and highlighted. (The text between these two
7537 groupings will be hidden.) The fourth is the face used for
7541 (setq gnus-emphasis-alist
7542 '(("_\\(\\w+\\)_" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-underline)
7543 ("\\*\\(\\w+\\)\\*" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-bold)))
7552 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline
7553 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold
7554 @vindex gnus-emphasis-italic
7555 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold
7556 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-italic
7557 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold-italic
7558 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic
7559 By default, there are seven rules, and they use the following faces:
7560 @code{gnus-emphasis-bold}, @code{gnus-emphasis-italic},
7561 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline}, @code{gnus-emphasis-bold-italic},
7562 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-italic},
7563 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold}, and
7564 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic}.
7566 If you want to change these faces, you can either use @kbd{M-x
7567 customize}, or you can use @code{copy-face}. For instance, if you want
7568 to make @code{gnus-emphasis-italic} use a red face instead, you could
7572 (copy-face 'red 'gnus-emphasis-italic)
7575 @vindex gnus-group-highlight-words-alist
7577 If you want to highlight arbitrary words, you can use the
7578 @code{gnus-group-highlight-words-alist} variable, which uses the same
7579 syntax as @code{gnus-emphasis-alist}. The @code{highlight-words} group
7580 parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}) can also be used.
7582 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to fontize articles automatically.
7585 @node Article Hiding
7586 @subsection Article Hiding
7587 @cindex article hiding
7589 Or rather, hiding certain things in each article. There usually is much
7590 too much cruft in most articles.
7595 @kindex W W a (Summary)
7596 @findex gnus-article-hide
7597 Do quite a lot of hiding on the article buffer
7598 (@kbd{gnus-article-hide}). In particular, this function will hide
7599 headers, PGP, cited text and the signature.
7602 @kindex W W h (Summary)
7603 @findex gnus-article-hide-headers
7604 Hide headers (@code{gnus-article-hide-headers}). @xref{Hiding
7608 @kindex W W b (Summary)
7609 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
7610 Hide headers that aren't particularly interesting
7611 (@code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers}). @xref{Hiding Headers}.
7614 @kindex W W s (Summary)
7615 @findex gnus-article-hide-signature
7616 Hide signature (@code{gnus-article-hide-signature}). @xref{Article
7620 @kindex W W l (Summary)
7621 @findex gnus-article-hide-list-identifiers
7622 @vindex gnus-list-identifiers
7623 Strip list identifiers specified in @code{gnus-list-identifiers}. These
7624 are strings some mailing list servers add to the beginning of all
7625 @code{Subject} headers---for example, @samp{[zebra 4711]}. Any leading
7626 @samp{Re: } is skipped before stripping. @code{gnus-list-identifiers}
7627 may not contain @code{\\(..\\)}.
7631 @item gnus-list-identifiers
7632 @vindex gnus-list-identifiers
7633 A regular expression that matches list identifiers to be removed from
7634 subject. This can also be a list of regular expressions.
7639 @kindex W W p (Summary)
7640 @findex gnus-article-hide-pgp
7641 @vindex gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook
7642 Hide @sc{pgp} signatures (@code{gnus-article-hide-pgp}). The
7643 @code{gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook} hook will be run after a @sc{pgp}
7644 signature has been hidden. For example, to automatically verify
7645 articles that have signatures in them do:
7647 ;;; Hide pgp cruft if any.
7649 (setq gnus-treat-strip-pgp t)
7651 ;;; After hiding pgp, verify the message;
7652 ;;; only happens if pgp signature is found.
7654 (add-hook 'gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook
7657 (set-buffer gnus-original-article-buffer)
7662 @kindex W W P (Summary)
7663 @findex gnus-article-hide-pem
7664 Hide @sc{pem} (privacy enhanced messages) cruft
7665 (@code{gnus-article-hide-pem}).
7668 @kindex W W B (Summary)
7669 @findex gnus-article-strip-banner
7672 @cindex stripping advertisements
7673 @cindex advertisements
7674 Strip the banner specified by the @code{banner} group parameter
7675 (@code{gnus-article-strip-banner}). This is mainly used to hide those
7676 annoying banners and/or signatures that some mailing lists and moderated
7677 groups adds to all the messages. The way to use this function is to add
7678 the @code{banner} group parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}) to the
7679 group you want banners stripped from. The parameter either be a string,
7680 which will be interpreted as a regular expression matching text to be
7681 removed, or the symbol @code{signature}, meaning that the (last)
7682 signature should be removed, or other symbol, meaning that the
7683 corresponding regular expression in @code{gnus-article-banner-alist} is
7687 @kindex W W c (Summary)
7688 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation
7689 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation}). Some variables for
7690 customizing the hiding:
7694 @item gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
7695 @itemx gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
7696 @vindex gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
7697 @vindex gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
7698 Gnus adds buttons to show where the cited text has been hidden, and to
7699 allow toggle hiding the text. The format of the variable is specified
7700 by these format-like variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). These
7705 Starting point of the hidden text.
7707 Ending point of the hidden text.
7709 Number of characters in the hidden region.
7711 Number of lines of hidden text.
7714 @item gnus-cited-lines-visible
7715 @vindex gnus-cited-lines-visible
7716 The number of lines at the beginning of the cited text to leave
7717 shown. This can also be a cons cell with the number of lines at the top
7718 and bottom of the text, respectively, to remain visible.
7723 @kindex W W C-c (Summary)
7724 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe
7726 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe}) depending on the
7727 following two variables:
7730 @item gnus-cite-hide-percentage
7731 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-percentage
7732 If the cited text is of a bigger percentage than this variable (default
7733 50), hide the cited text.
7735 @item gnus-cite-hide-absolute
7736 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-absolute
7737 The cited text must have at least this length (default 10) before it
7742 @kindex W W C (Summary)
7743 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups
7744 Hide cited text in articles that aren't roots
7745 (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups}). This isn't very
7746 useful as an interactive command, but might be a handy function to stick
7747 have happen automatically (@pxref{Customizing Articles}).
7751 All these ``hiding'' commands are toggles, but if you give a negative
7752 prefix to these commands, they will show what they have previously
7753 hidden. If you give a positive prefix, they will always hide.
7755 Also @pxref{Article Highlighting} for further variables for
7756 citation customization.
7758 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to hide article elements
7762 @node Article Washing
7763 @subsection Article Washing
7765 @cindex article washing
7767 We call this ``article washing'' for a really good reason. Namely, the
7768 @kbd{A} key was taken, so we had to use the @kbd{W} key instead.
7770 @dfn{Washing} is defined by us as ``changing something from something to
7771 something else'', but normally results in something looking better.
7774 @xref{Customizing Articles}, if you want to change how Gnus displays
7775 articles by default.
7780 This is not really washing, it's sort of the opposite of washing. If
7781 you type this, you see the article exactly as it exists on disk or on
7785 @kindex W l (Summary)
7786 @findex gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking
7787 Remove page breaks from the current article
7788 (@code{gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking}). @xref{Misc Article}, for page
7792 @kindex W r (Summary)
7793 @findex gnus-summary-caesar-message
7794 @c @icon{gnus-summary-caesar-message}
7795 Do a Caesar rotate (rot13) on the article buffer
7796 (@code{gnus-summary-caesar-message}).
7797 Unreadable articles that tell you to read them with Caesar rotate or rot13.
7798 (Typically offensive jokes and such.)
7800 It's commonly called ``rot13'' because each letter is rotated 13
7801 positions in the alphabet, e. g. @samp{B} (letter #2) -> @samp{O} (letter
7802 #15). It is sometimes referred to as ``Caesar rotate'' because Caesar
7803 is rumored to have employed this form of, uh, somewhat weak encryption.
7807 @kindex W t (Summary)
7809 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-header
7810 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer
7811 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-header}).
7814 @kindex W v (Summary)
7815 @findex gnus-summary-verbose-header
7816 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer permanently
7817 (@code{gnus-summary-verbose-header}).
7820 @kindex W o (Summary)
7821 @findex gnus-article-treat-overstrike
7822 Treat overstrike (@code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}).
7825 @kindex W d (Summary)
7826 @findex gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes
7827 @vindex gnus-article-dumbquotes-map
7829 @cindex M****s*** sm*rtq**t*s
7831 Treat M****s*** sm*rtq**t*s according to
7832 @code{gnus-article-dumbquotes-map}
7833 (@code{gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes}). Note that this function guesses
7834 whether a character is a sm*rtq**t* or not, so it should only be used
7837 Sm*rtq**t*s are M****s***'s unilateral extension to the character map in
7838 an attempt to provide more quoting characters. If you see something
7839 like @code{\222} or @code{\264} where you're expecting some kind of
7840 apostrophe or quotation mark, then try this wash.
7843 @kindex W w (Summary)
7844 @findex gnus-article-fill-cited-article
7845 Do word wrap (@code{gnus-article-fill-cited-article}).
7847 You can give the command a numerical prefix to specify the width to use
7851 @kindex W Q (Summary)
7852 @findex gnus-article-fill-long-lines
7853 Fill long lines (@code{gnus-article-fill-long-lines}).
7856 @kindex W C (Summary)
7857 @findex gnus-article-capitalize-sentences
7858 Capitalize the first word in each sentence
7859 (@code{gnus-article-capitalize-sentences}).
7862 @kindex W c (Summary)
7863 @findex gnus-article-remove-cr
7864 Translate CRLF pairs (i. e., @samp{^M}s on the end of the lines) into LF
7865 (this takes care of DOS line endings), and then translate any remaining
7866 CRs into LF (this takes care of Mac line endings)
7867 (@code{gnus-article-remove-cr}).
7870 @kindex W q (Summary)
7871 @findex gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable
7872 Treat quoted-printable (@code{gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable}).
7873 Quoted-Printable is one common @sc{mime} encoding employed when sending
7874 non-ASCII (i. e., 8-bit) articles. It typically makes strings like
7875 @samp{déjà vu} look like @samp{d=E9j=E0 vu}, which doesn't look very
7876 readable to me. Note that the this is usually done automatically by
7877 Gnus if the message in question has a @code{Content-Transfer-Encoding}
7878 header that says that this encoding has been done.
7879 If a prefix is given, a charset will be asked for.
7882 @kindex W 6 (Summary)
7883 @findex gnus-article-de-base64-unreadable
7884 Treat base64 (@code{gnus-article-de-base64-unreadable}).
7885 Base64 is one common @sc{mime} encoding employed when sending non-ASCII
7886 (i. e., 8-bit) articles. Note that the this is usually done
7887 automatically by Gnus if the message in question has a
7888 @code{Content-Transfer-Encoding} header that says that this encoding has
7890 If a prefix is given, a charset will be asked for.
7893 @kindex W Z (Summary)
7894 @findex gnus-article-decode-HZ
7895 Treat HZ or HZP (@code{gnus-article-decode-HZ}). HZ (or HZP) is one
7896 common encoding employed when sending Chinese articles. It typically
7897 makes strings look like @samp{~@{<:Ky2;S@{#,NpJ)l6HK!#~@}}.
7900 @kindex W h (Summary)
7901 @findex gnus-article-wash-html
7902 Treat HTML (@code{gnus-article-wash-html}).
7903 Note that the this is usually done automatically by Gnus if the message
7904 in question has a @code{Content-Type} header that says that this type
7906 If a prefix is given, a charset will be asked for.
7909 @kindex W f (Summary)
7911 @findex gnus-article-display-x-face
7912 @findex gnus-article-x-face-command
7913 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-command
7914 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly
7921 Look for and display any X-Face headers
7922 (@code{gnus-article-display-x-face}). The command executed by this
7923 function is given by the @code{gnus-article-x-face-command} variable.
7924 If this variable is a string, this string will be executed in a
7925 sub-shell. If it is a function, this function will be called with the
7926 face as the argument. If the @code{gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly} (which
7927 is a regexp) matches the @code{From} header, the face will not be shown.
7928 The default action under Emacs is to fork off the @code{display}
7929 program@footnote{@code{display} is from the ImageMagick package. For the
7930 @code{uncompface} and @code{icontopbm} programs look for a package
7931 like `compface' or `faces-xface' on a GNU/Linux system.}
7932 to view the face. Under XEmacs or Emacs 21+ with suitable image
7933 support, the default action is to display the face before the
7934 @code{From} header. (It's nicer if XEmacs has been compiled with X-Face
7935 support---that will make display somewhat faster. If there's no native
7936 X-Face support, Gnus will try to convert the @code{X-Face} header using
7937 external programs from the @code{pbmplus} package and
7938 friends.@footnote{On a GNU/Linux system look for packages with names
7939 like @code{netpbm} or @code{libgr-progs}.}) If you
7940 want to have this function in the display hook, it should probably come
7944 @kindex W b (Summary)
7945 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons
7946 Add clickable buttons to the article (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons}).
7947 @xref{Article Buttons}.
7950 @kindex W B (Summary)
7951 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head
7952 Add clickable buttons to the article headers
7953 (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head}).
7956 @kindex W p (Summary)
7957 @findex gnus-article-verify-x-pgp-sig
7958 Verify a signed control message (@code{gnus-article-verify-x-pgp-sig}).
7959 Control messages such as @code{newgroup} and @code{checkgroups} are
7960 usually signed by the hierarchy maintainer. You need to add the PGP
7961 public key of the maintainer to your keyring to verify the
7962 message.@footnote{PGP keys for many hierarchies are available at
7963 @uref{ftp://ftp.isc.org/pub/pgpcontrol/README.html}}
7966 @kindex W W H (Summary)
7967 @findex gnus-article-strip-headers-from-body
7968 Strip headers like the @code{X-No-Archive} header from the beginning of
7969 article bodies (@code{gnus-article-strip-headers-from-body}).
7972 @kindex W E l (Summary)
7973 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines
7974 Remove all blank lines from the beginning of the article
7975 (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines}).
7978 @kindex W E m (Summary)
7979 @findex gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines
7980 Replace all blank lines with empty lines and then all multiple empty
7981 lines with a single empty line.
7982 (@code{gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines}).
7985 @kindex W E t (Summary)
7986 @findex gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines
7987 Remove all blank lines at the end of the article
7988 (@code{gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines}).
7991 @kindex W E a (Summary)
7992 @findex gnus-article-strip-blank-lines
7993 Do all the three commands above
7994 (@code{gnus-article-strip-blank-lines}).
7997 @kindex W E A (Summary)
7998 @findex gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines
7999 Remove all blank lines
8000 (@code{gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines}).
8003 @kindex W E s (Summary)
8004 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-space
8005 Remove all white space from the beginning of all lines of the article
8006 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-space}).
8009 @kindex W E e (Summary)
8010 @findex gnus-article-strip-trailing-space
8011 Remove all white space from the end of all lines of the article
8012 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-trailing-space}).
8016 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to wash articles automatically.
8019 @node Article Buttons
8020 @subsection Article Buttons
8023 People often include references to other stuff in articles, and it would
8024 be nice if Gnus could just fetch whatever it is that people talk about
8025 with the minimum of fuzz when you hit @kbd{RET} or use the middle mouse
8026 button on these references.
8028 Gnus adds @dfn{buttons} to certain standard references by default:
8029 Well-formed URLs, mail addresses and Message-IDs. This is controlled by
8030 two variables, one that handles article bodies and one that handles
8035 @item gnus-button-alist
8036 @vindex gnus-button-alist
8037 This is an alist where each entry has this form:
8040 (REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
8046 All text that match this regular expression will be considered an
8047 external reference. Here's a typical regexp that matches embedded URLs:
8048 @samp{<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>}.
8051 Gnus has to know which parts of the matches is to be highlighted. This
8052 is a number that says what sub-expression of the regexp is to be
8053 highlighted. If you want it all highlighted, you use 0 here.
8056 This form will be @code{eval}ed, and if the result is non-@code{nil},
8057 this is considered a match. This is useful if you want extra sifting to
8058 avoid false matches.
8061 This function will be called when you click on this button.
8064 As with @var{button-par}, this is a sub-expression number, but this one
8065 says which part of the match is to be sent as data to @var{function}.
8069 So the full entry for buttonizing URLs is then
8072 ("<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>" 0 t gnus-button-url 1)
8075 @item gnus-header-button-alist
8076 @vindex gnus-header-button-alist
8077 This is just like the other alist, except that it is applied to the
8078 article head only, and that each entry has an additional element that is
8079 used to say what headers to apply the buttonize coding to:
8082 (HEADER REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
8085 @var{header} is a regular expression.
8087 @item gnus-button-url-regexp
8088 @vindex gnus-button-url-regexp
8089 A regular expression that matches embedded URLs. It is used in the
8090 default values of the variables above.
8092 @item gnus-article-button-face
8093 @vindex gnus-article-button-face
8094 Face used on buttons.
8096 @item gnus-article-mouse-face
8097 @vindex gnus-article-mouse-face
8098 Face used when the mouse cursor is over a button.
8102 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to buttonize articles automatically.
8106 @subsection Article Date
8108 The date is most likely generated in some obscure timezone you've never
8109 heard of, so it's quite nice to be able to find out what the time was
8110 when the article was sent.
8115 @kindex W T u (Summary)
8116 @findex gnus-article-date-ut
8117 Display the date in UT (aka. GMT, aka ZULU)
8118 (@code{gnus-article-date-ut}).
8121 @kindex W T i (Summary)
8122 @findex gnus-article-date-iso8601
8124 Display the date in international format, aka. ISO 8601
8125 (@code{gnus-article-date-iso8601}).
8128 @kindex W T l (Summary)
8129 @findex gnus-article-date-local
8130 Display the date in the local timezone (@code{gnus-article-date-local}).
8133 @kindex W T p (Summary)
8134 @findex gnus-article-date-english
8135 Display the date in a format that's easily pronounceable in English
8136 (@code{gnus-article-date-english}).
8139 @kindex W T s (Summary)
8140 @vindex gnus-article-time-format
8141 @findex gnus-article-date-user
8142 @findex format-time-string
8143 Display the date using a user-defined format
8144 (@code{gnus-article-date-user}). The format is specified by the
8145 @code{gnus-article-time-format} variable, and is a string that's passed
8146 to @code{format-time-string}. See the documentation of that variable
8147 for a list of possible format specs.
8150 @kindex W T e (Summary)
8151 @findex gnus-article-date-lapsed
8152 @findex gnus-start-date-timer
8153 @findex gnus-stop-date-timer
8154 Say how much time has elapsed between the article was posted and now
8155 (@code{gnus-article-date-lapsed}). It looks something like:
8158 X-Sent: 6 weeks, 4 days, 1 hour, 3 minutes, 8 seconds ago
8161 The value of @code{gnus-article-date-lapsed-new-header} determines
8162 whether this header will just be added below the old Date one, or will
8165 An advantage of using Gnus to read mail is that it converts simple bugs
8166 into wonderful absurdities.
8168 If you want to have this line updated continually, you can put
8171 (gnus-start-date-timer)
8174 in your @file{.gnus.el} file, or you can run it off of some hook. If
8175 you want to stop the timer, you can use the @code{gnus-stop-date-timer}
8179 @kindex W T o (Summary)
8180 @findex gnus-article-date-original
8181 Display the original date (@code{gnus-article-date-original}). This can
8182 be useful if you normally use some other conversion function and are
8183 worried that it might be doing something totally wrong. Say, claiming
8184 that the article was posted in 1854. Although something like that is
8185 @emph{totally} impossible. Don't you trust me? *titter*
8189 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to display the date in your
8190 preferred format automatically.
8193 @node Article Signature
8194 @subsection Article Signature
8196 @cindex article signature
8198 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
8199 Each article is divided into two parts---the head and the body. The
8200 body can be divided into a signature part and a text part. The variable
8201 that says what is to be considered a signature is
8202 @code{gnus-signature-separator}. This is normally the standard
8203 @samp{^-- $} as mandated by son-of-RFC 1036. However, many people use
8204 non-standard signature separators, so this variable can also be a list
8205 of regular expressions to be tested, one by one. (Searches are done
8206 from the end of the body towards the beginning.) One likely value is:
8209 (setq gnus-signature-separator
8210 '("^-- $" ; The standard
8211 "^-- *$" ; A common mangling
8212 "^-------*$" ; Many people just use a looong
8213 ; line of dashes. Shame!
8214 "^ *--------*$" ; Double-shame!
8215 "^________*$" ; Underscores are also popular
8216 "^========*$")) ; Pervert!
8219 The more permissive you are, the more likely it is that you'll get false
8222 @vindex gnus-signature-limit
8223 @code{gnus-signature-limit} provides a limit to what is considered a
8224 signature when displaying articles.
8228 If it is an integer, no signature may be longer (in characters) than
8231 If it is a floating point number, no signature may be longer (in lines)
8234 If it is a function, the function will be called without any parameters,
8235 and if it returns @code{nil}, there is no signature in the buffer.
8237 If it is a string, it will be used as a regexp. If it matches, the text
8238 in question is not a signature.
8241 This variable can also be a list where the elements may be of the types
8242 listed above. Here's an example:
8245 (setq gnus-signature-limit
8246 '(200.0 "^---*Forwarded article"))
8249 This means that if there are more than 200 lines after the signature
8250 separator, or the text after the signature separator is matched by
8251 the regular expression @samp{^---*Forwarded article}, then it isn't a
8252 signature after all.
8255 @node Article Miscellania
8256 @subsection Article Miscellania
8260 @kindex A t (Summary)
8261 @findex gnus-article-babel
8262 Translate the article from one language to another
8263 (@code{gnus-article-babel}).
8269 @section @sc{mime} Commands
8270 @cindex MIME decoding
8272 @cindex viewing attachments
8274 The following commands all understand the numerical prefix. For
8275 instance, @kbd{3 b} means ``view the third @sc{mime} part''.
8281 @kindex K v (Summary)
8282 View the @sc{mime} part.
8285 @kindex K o (Summary)
8286 Save the @sc{mime} part.
8289 @kindex K c (Summary)
8290 Copy the @sc{mime} part.
8293 @kindex K e (Summary)
8294 View the @sc{mime} part externally.
8297 @kindex K i (Summary)
8298 View the @sc{mime} part internally.
8301 @kindex K | (Summary)
8302 Pipe the @sc{mime} part to an external command.
8305 The rest of these @sc{mime} commands do not use the numerical prefix in
8310 @kindex K b (Summary)
8311 Make all the @sc{mime} parts have buttons in front of them. This is
8312 mostly useful if you wish to save (or perform other actions) on inlined
8316 @kindex K m (Summary)
8317 @findex gnus-summary-repair-multipart
8318 Some multipart messages are transmitted with missing or faulty headers.
8319 This command will attempt to ``repair'' these messages so that they can
8320 be viewed in a more pleasant manner
8321 (@code{gnus-summary-repair-multipart}).
8324 @kindex X m (Summary)
8325 @findex gnus-summary-save-parts
8326 Save all parts matching a @sc{mime} type to a directory
8327 (@code{gnus-summary-save-parts}). Understands the process/prefix
8328 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
8331 @kindex M-t (Summary)
8332 @findex gnus-summary-display-buttonized
8333 Toggle the buttonized display of the article buffer
8334 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-display-buttonized}).
8337 @kindex W M w (Summary)
8338 Decode RFC 2047-encoded words in the article headers
8339 (@code{gnus-article-decode-mime-words}).
8342 @kindex W M c (Summary)
8343 Decode encoded article bodies as well as charsets
8344 (@code{gnus-article-decode-charset}).
8346 This command looks in the @code{Content-Type} header to determine the
8347 charset. If there is no such header in the article, you can give it a
8348 prefix, which will prompt for the charset to decode as. In regional
8349 groups where people post using some common encoding (but do not include
8350 MIME headers), you can set the @code{charset} group/topic parameter to
8351 the required charset (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
8354 @kindex W M v (Summary)
8355 View all the @sc{mime} parts in the current article
8356 (@code{gnus-mime-view-all-parts}).
8363 @item gnus-ignored-mime-types
8364 @vindex gnus-ignored-mime-types
8365 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
8366 this list will be completely ignored by Gnus. The default value is
8369 To have all Vcards be ignored, you'd say something like this:
8372 (setq gnus-ignored-mime-types
8376 @item gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types
8377 @vindex gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types
8378 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
8379 this list won't have @sc{mime} buttons inserted unless they aren't
8380 displayed or this variable is overriden by
8381 @code{gnus-buttonized-mime-types}. The default value is
8384 @item gnus-buttonized-mime-types
8385 @vindex gnus-buttonized-mime-types
8386 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
8387 this list will have @sc{mime} buttons inserted unless they aren't
8388 displayed. This variable overrides
8389 @code{gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types}. The default value is @code{nil}.
8391 To see e.g. security buttons but no other buttons, you could set this
8392 variable to @code{("multipart/signed")} and leave
8393 @code{gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types} to the default value.
8395 @item gnus-article-mime-part-function
8396 @vindex gnus-article-mime-part-function
8397 For each @sc{mime} part, this function will be called with the @sc{mime}
8398 handle as the parameter. The function is meant to be used to allow
8399 users to gather information from the article (e. g., add Vcard info to
8400 the bbdb database) or to do actions based on parts (e. g., automatically
8401 save all jpegs into some directory).
8403 Here's an example function the does the latter:
8406 (defun my-save-all-jpeg-parts (handle)
8407 (when (equal (car (mm-handle-type handle)) "image/jpeg")
8409 (insert (mm-get-part handle))
8410 (write-region (point-min) (point-max)
8411 (read-file-name "Save jpeg to: ")))))
8412 (setq gnus-article-mime-part-function
8413 'my-save-all-jpeg-parts)
8416 @vindex gnus-mime-multipart-functions
8417 @item gnus-mime-multipart-functions
8418 Alist of @sc{mime} multipart types and functions to handle them.
8420 @vindex mm-file-name-rewrite-functions
8421 @item mm-file-name-rewrite-functions
8422 List of functions used for rewriting file names of @sc{mime} parts.
8423 Each function takes a file name as input and returns a file name.
8425 Ready-made functions include@*
8426 @code{mm-file-name-delete-whitespace},
8427 @code{mm-file-name-trim-whitespace},
8428 @code{mm-file-name-collapse-whitespace}, and
8429 @code{mm-file-name-replace-whitespace}. The later uses the value of
8430 the variable @code{mm-file-name-replace-whitespace} to replace each
8431 whitespace character in a file name with that string; default value
8432 is @code{"_"} (a single underscore).
8433 @findex mm-file-name-delete-whitespace
8434 @findex mm-file-name-trim-whitespace
8435 @findex mm-file-name-collapse-whitespace
8436 @findex mm-file-name-replace-whitespace
8437 @vindex mm-file-name-replace-whitespace
8439 The standard functions @code{capitalize}, @code{downcase},
8440 @code{upcase}, and @code{upcase-initials} may be useful, too.
8442 Everybody knows that whitespace characters in file names are evil,
8443 except those who don't know. If you receive lots of attachments from
8444 such unenlightened users, you can make live easier by adding
8447 (setq mm-file-name-rewrite-functions
8448 '(mm-file-name-trim-whitespace
8449 mm-file-name-collapse-whitespace
8450 mm-file-name-replace-whitespace))
8454 to your @file{.gnus} file.
8463 People use different charsets, and we have @sc{mime} to let us know what
8464 charsets they use. Or rather, we wish we had. Many people use
8465 newsreaders and mailers that do not understand or use @sc{mime}, and
8466 just send out messages without saying what character sets they use. To
8467 help a bit with this, some local news hierarchies have policies that say
8468 what character set is the default. For instance, the @samp{fj}
8469 hierarchy uses @code{iso-2022-jp-2}.
8471 @vindex gnus-group-charset-alist
8472 This knowledge is encoded in the @code{gnus-group-charset-alist}
8473 variable, which is an alist of regexps (use the first item to match full
8474 group names) and default charsets to be used when reading these groups.
8476 In addition, some people do use soi-disant @sc{mime}-aware agents that
8477 aren't. These blithely mark messages as being in @code{iso-8859-1}
8478 even if they really are in @code{koi-8}. To help here, the
8479 @code{gnus-newsgroup-ignored-charsets} variable can be used. The
8480 charsets that are listed here will be ignored. The variable can be
8481 set on a group-by-group basis using the group parameters (@pxref{Group
8482 Parameters}). The default value is @code{(unknown-8bit x-unknown)},
8483 which includes values some agents insist on having in there.
8485 @vindex gnus-group-posting-charset-alist
8486 When posting, @code{gnus-group-posting-charset-alist} is used to
8487 determine which charsets should not be encoded using the @sc{mime}
8488 encodings. For instance, some hierarchies discourage using
8489 quoted-printable header encoding.
8491 This variable is an alist of regexps and permitted unencoded charsets
8492 for posting. Each element of the alist has the form @code{(}@var{test
8493 header body-list}@code{)}, where:
8497 is either a regular expression matching the newsgroup header or a
8500 is the charset which may be left unencoded in the header (@code{nil}
8501 means encode all charsets),
8503 is a list of charsets which may be encoded using 8bit content-transfer
8504 encoding in the body, or one of the special values @code{nil} (always
8505 encode using quoted-printable) or @code{t} (always use 8bit).
8512 @cindex coding system aliases
8513 @cindex preferred charset
8515 Other charset tricks that may be useful, although not Gnus-specific:
8517 If there are several @sc{mime} charsets that encode the same Emacs
8518 charset, you can choose what charset to use by saying the following:
8521 (put-charset-property 'cyrillic-iso8859-5
8522 'preferred-coding-system 'koi8-r)
8525 This means that Russian will be encoded using @code{koi8-r} instead of
8526 the default @code{iso-8859-5} @sc{mime} charset.
8528 If you want to read messages in @code{koi8-u}, you can cheat and say
8531 (define-coding-system-alias 'koi8-u 'koi8-r)
8534 This will almost do the right thing.
8536 And finally, to read charsets like @code{windows-1251}, you can say
8540 (codepage-setup 1251)
8541 (define-coding-system-alias 'windows-1251 'cp1251)
8545 @node Article Commands
8546 @section Article Commands
8553 @kindex A P (Summary)
8554 @vindex gnus-ps-print-hook
8555 @findex gnus-summary-print-article
8556 Generate and print a PostScript image of the article buffer
8557 (@code{gnus-summary-print-article}). @code{gnus-ps-print-hook} will be
8558 run just before printing the buffer.
8563 @node Summary Sorting
8564 @section Summary Sorting
8565 @cindex summary sorting
8567 You can have the summary buffer sorted in various ways, even though I
8568 can't really see why you'd want that.
8573 @kindex C-c C-s C-n (Summary)
8574 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-number
8575 Sort by article number (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-number}).
8578 @kindex C-c C-s C-a (Summary)
8579 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-author
8580 Sort by author (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-author}).
8583 @kindex C-c C-s C-s (Summary)
8584 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-subject
8585 Sort by subject (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-subject}).
8588 @kindex C-c C-s C-d (Summary)
8589 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-date
8590 Sort by date (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-date}).
8593 @kindex C-c C-s C-l (Summary)
8594 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-lines
8595 Sort by lines (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-lines}).
8598 @kindex C-c C-s C-c (Summary)
8599 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-chars
8600 Sort by article length (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-chars}).
8603 @kindex C-c C-s C-i (Summary)
8604 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-score
8605 Sort by score (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-score}).
8608 @kindex C-c C-s C-o (Summary)
8609 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-original
8610 Sort using the default sorting method
8611 (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-original}).
8614 These functions will work both when you use threading and when you don't
8615 use threading. In the latter case, all summary lines will be sorted,
8616 line by line. In the former case, sorting will be done on a
8617 root-by-root basis, which might not be what you were looking for. To
8618 toggle whether to use threading, type @kbd{T T} (@pxref{Thread
8622 @node Finding the Parent
8623 @section Finding the Parent
8624 @cindex parent articles
8625 @cindex referring articles
8630 @findex gnus-summary-refer-parent-article
8631 If you'd like to read the parent of the current article, and it is not
8632 displayed in the summary buffer, you might still be able to. That is,
8633 if the current group is fetched by @sc{nntp}, the parent hasn't expired
8634 and the @code{References} in the current article are not mangled, you
8635 can just press @kbd{^} or @kbd{A r}
8636 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-parent-article}). If everything goes well,
8637 you'll get the parent. If the parent is already displayed in the
8638 summary buffer, point will just move to this article.
8640 If given a positive numerical prefix, fetch that many articles back into
8641 the ancestry. If given a negative numerical prefix, fetch just that
8642 ancestor. So if you say @kbd{3 ^}, Gnus will fetch the parent, the
8643 grandparent and the grandgrandparent of the current article. If you say
8644 @kbd{-3 ^}, Gnus will only fetch the grandgrandparent of the current
8648 @findex gnus-summary-refer-references
8649 @kindex A R (Summary)
8650 Fetch all articles mentioned in the @code{References} header of the
8651 article (@code{gnus-summary-refer-references}).
8654 @findex gnus-summary-refer-thread
8655 @kindex A T (Summary)
8656 Display the full thread where the current article appears
8657 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-thread}). This command has to fetch all the
8658 headers in the current group to work, so it usually takes a while. If
8659 you do it often, you may consider setting @code{gnus-fetch-old-headers}
8660 to @code{invisible} (@pxref{Filling In Threads}). This won't have any
8661 visible effects normally, but it'll make this command work a whole lot
8662 faster. Of course, it'll make group entry somewhat slow.
8664 @vindex gnus-refer-thread-limit
8665 The @code{gnus-refer-thread-limit} variable says how many old (i. e.,
8666 articles before the first displayed in the current group) headers to
8667 fetch when doing this command. The default is 200. If @code{t}, all
8668 the available headers will be fetched. This variable can be overridden
8669 by giving the @kbd{A T} command a numerical prefix.
8672 @findex gnus-summary-refer-article
8673 @kindex M-^ (Summary)
8675 @cindex fetching by Message-ID
8676 You can also ask the @sc{nntp} server for an arbitrary article, no
8677 matter what group it belongs to. @kbd{M-^}
8678 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-article}) will ask you for a
8679 @code{Message-ID}, which is one of those long, hard-to-read thingies
8680 that look something like @samp{<38o6up$6f2@@hymir.ifi.uio.no>}. You
8681 have to get it all exactly right. No fuzzy searches, I'm afraid.
8684 The current select method will be used when fetching by
8685 @code{Message-ID} from non-news select method, but you can override this
8686 by giving this command a prefix.
8688 @vindex gnus-refer-article-method
8689 If the group you are reading is located on a back end that does not
8690 support fetching by @code{Message-ID} very well (like @code{nnspool}),
8691 you can set @code{gnus-refer-article-method} to an @sc{nntp} method. It
8692 would, perhaps, be best if the @sc{nntp} server you consult is the one
8693 updating the spool you are reading from, but that's not really
8696 It can also be a list of select methods, as well as the special symbol
8697 @code{current}, which means to use the current select method. If it
8698 is a list, Gnus will try all the methods in the list until it finds a
8701 Here's an example setting that will first try the current method, and
8702 then ask Deja if that fails:
8705 (setq gnus-refer-article-method
8707 (nnweb "refer" (nnweb-type dejanews))))
8710 Most of the mail back ends support fetching by @code{Message-ID}, but
8711 do not do a particularly excellent job at it. That is, @code{nnmbox}
8712 and @code{nnbabyl} are able to locate articles from any groups, while
8713 @code{nnml}, @code{nnfolder} and @code{nnimap}1 are only able to locate
8714 articles that have been posted to the current group. (Anything else
8715 would be too time consuming.) @code{nnmh} does not support this at
8719 @node Alternative Approaches
8720 @section Alternative Approaches
8722 Different people like to read news using different methods. This being
8723 Gnus, we offer a small selection of minor modes for the summary buffers.
8726 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
8727 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
8732 @subsection Pick and Read
8733 @cindex pick and read
8735 Some newsreaders (like @code{nn} and, uhm, @code{Netnews} on VM/CMS) use
8736 a two-phased reading interface. The user first marks in a summary
8737 buffer the articles she wants to read. Then she starts reading the
8738 articles with just an article buffer displayed.
8740 @findex gnus-pick-mode
8741 @kindex M-x gnus-pick-mode
8742 Gnus provides a summary buffer minor mode that allows
8743 this---@code{gnus-pick-mode}. This basically means that a few process
8744 mark commands become one-keystroke commands to allow easy marking, and
8745 it provides one additional command for switching to the summary buffer.
8747 Here are the available keystrokes when using pick mode:
8752 @findex gnus-pick-article-or-thread
8753 Pick the article or thread on the current line
8754 (@code{gnus-pick-article-or-thread}). If the variable
8755 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key selects the
8756 entire thread when used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise,
8757 it selects just the article. If given a numerical prefix, go to that
8758 thread or article and pick it. (The line number is normally displayed
8759 at the beginning of the summary pick lines.)
8762 @kindex SPACE (Pick)
8763 @findex gnus-pick-next-page
8764 Scroll the summary buffer up one page (@code{gnus-pick-next-page}). If
8765 at the end of the buffer, start reading the picked articles.
8769 @findex gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread.
8770 Unpick the thread or article
8771 (@code{gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread}). If the variable
8772 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key unpicks the
8773 thread if used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise it unpicks
8774 just the article. You can give this key a numerical prefix to unpick
8775 the thread or article at that line.
8779 @findex gnus-pick-start-reading
8780 @vindex gnus-pick-display-summary
8781 Start reading the picked articles (@code{gnus-pick-start-reading}). If
8782 given a prefix, mark all unpicked articles as read first. If
8783 @code{gnus-pick-display-summary} is non-@code{nil}, the summary buffer
8784 will still be visible when you are reading.
8788 All the normal summary mode commands are still available in the
8789 pick-mode, with the exception of @kbd{u}. However @kbd{!} is available
8790 which is mapped to the same function
8791 @code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}.
8793 If this sounds like a good idea to you, you could say:
8796 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
8799 @vindex gnus-pick-mode-hook
8800 @code{gnus-pick-mode-hook} is run in pick minor mode buffers.
8802 @vindex gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read
8803 If @code{gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read} is non-@code{nil}, mark
8804 all unpicked articles as read. The default is @code{nil}.
8806 @vindex gnus-summary-pick-line-format
8807 The summary line format in pick mode is slightly different from the
8808 standard format. At the beginning of each line the line number is
8809 displayed. The pick mode line format is controlled by the
8810 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting
8811 Variables}). It accepts the same format specs that
8812 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} does (@pxref{Summary Buffer Lines}).
8816 @subsection Binary Groups
8817 @cindex binary groups
8819 @findex gnus-binary-mode
8820 @kindex M-x gnus-binary-mode
8821 If you spend much time in binary groups, you may grow tired of hitting
8822 @kbd{X u}, @kbd{n}, @kbd{RET} all the time. @kbd{M-x gnus-binary-mode}
8823 is a minor mode for summary buffers that makes all ordinary Gnus article
8824 selection functions uudecode series of articles and display the result
8825 instead of just displaying the articles the normal way.
8828 @findex gnus-binary-show-article
8829 The only way, in fact, to see the actual articles is the @kbd{g}
8830 command, when you have turned on this mode
8831 (@code{gnus-binary-show-article}).
8833 @vindex gnus-binary-mode-hook
8834 @code{gnus-binary-mode-hook} is called in binary minor mode buffers.
8838 @section Tree Display
8841 @vindex gnus-use-trees
8842 If you don't like the normal Gnus summary display, you might try setting
8843 @code{gnus-use-trees} to @code{t}. This will create (by default) an
8844 additional @dfn{tree buffer}. You can execute all summary mode commands
8847 There are a few variables to customize the tree display, of course:
8850 @item gnus-tree-mode-hook
8851 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-hook
8852 A hook called in all tree mode buffers.
8854 @item gnus-tree-mode-line-format
8855 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-line-format
8856 A format string for the mode bar in the tree mode buffers (@pxref{Mode
8857 Line Formatting}). The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b %S %Z}. For a list
8858 of valid specs, @pxref{Summary Buffer Mode Line}.
8860 @item gnus-selected-tree-face
8861 @vindex gnus-selected-tree-face
8862 Face used for highlighting the selected article in the tree buffer. The
8863 default is @code{modeline}.
8865 @item gnus-tree-line-format
8866 @vindex gnus-tree-line-format
8867 A format string for the tree nodes. The name is a bit of a misnomer,
8868 though---it doesn't define a line, but just the node. The default value
8869 is @samp{%(%[%3,3n%]%)}, which displays the first three characters of
8870 the name of the poster. It is vital that all nodes are of the same
8871 length, so you @emph{must} use @samp{%4,4n}-like specifiers.
8877 The name of the poster.
8879 The @code{From} header.
8881 The number of the article.
8883 The opening bracket.
8885 The closing bracket.
8890 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
8892 Variables related to the display are:
8895 @item gnus-tree-brackets
8896 @vindex gnus-tree-brackets
8897 This is used for differentiating between ``real'' articles and
8898 ``sparse'' articles. The format is @code{((@var{real-open} . @var{real-close})
8899 (@var{sparse-open} . @var{sparse-close}) (@var{dummy-open} . @var{dummy-close}))}, and the
8900 default is @code{((?[ . ?]) (?( . ?)) (?@{ . ?@}) (?< . ?>))}.
8902 @item gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
8903 @vindex gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
8904 This is a list that contains the characters used for connecting parent
8905 nodes to their children. The default is @code{(?- ?\\ ?|)}.
8909 @item gnus-tree-minimize-window
8910 @vindex gnus-tree-minimize-window
8911 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will try to keep the tree
8912 buffer as small as possible to allow more room for the other Gnus
8913 windows. If this variable is a number, the tree buffer will never be
8914 higher than that number. The default is @code{t}. Note that if you
8915 have several windows displayed side-by-side in a frame and the tree
8916 buffer is one of these, minimizing the tree window will also resize all
8917 other windows displayed next to it.
8919 @item gnus-generate-tree-function
8920 @vindex gnus-generate-tree-function
8921 @findex gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
8922 @findex gnus-generate-vertical-tree
8923 The function that actually generates the thread tree. Two predefined
8924 functions are available: @code{gnus-generate-horizontal-tree} and
8925 @code{gnus-generate-vertical-tree} (which is the default).
8929 Here's an example from a horizontal tree buffer:
8932 @{***@}-(***)-[odd]-[Gun]
8942 Here's the same thread displayed in a vertical tree buffer:
8946 |--------------------------\-----\-----\
8947 (***) [Bjo] [Gun] [Gun]
8949 [odd] [Jan] [odd] (***) [Jor]
8951 [Gun] [Eri] [Eri] [odd]
8956 If you're using horizontal trees, it might be nice to display the trees
8957 side-by-side with the summary buffer. You could add something like the
8958 following to your @file{.gnus.el} file:
8961 (setq gnus-use-trees t
8962 gnus-generate-tree-function 'gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
8963 gnus-tree-minimize-window nil)
8964 (gnus-add-configuration
8968 (summary 0.75 point)
8973 @xref{Window Layout}.
8976 @node Mail Group Commands
8977 @section Mail Group Commands
8978 @cindex mail group commands
8980 Some commands only make sense in mail groups. If these commands are
8981 invalid in the current group, they will raise a hell and let you know.
8983 All these commands (except the expiry and edit commands) use the
8984 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
8989 @kindex B e (Summary)
8990 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles
8991 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
8992 process (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles}). That is, delete all
8993 expirable articles in the group that have been around for a while.
8994 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
8997 @kindex B M-C-e (Summary)
8998 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles-now
8999 Delete all the expirable articles in the group
9000 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles-now}). This means that @strong{all}
9001 articles eligible for expiry in the current group will
9002 disappear forever into that big @file{/dev/null} in the sky.
9005 @kindex B DEL (Summary)
9006 @findex gnus-summary-delete-article
9007 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-delete}
9008 Delete the mail article. This is ``delete'' as in ``delete it from your
9009 disk forever and ever, never to return again.'' Use with caution.
9010 (@code{gnus-summary-delete-article}).
9013 @kindex B m (Summary)
9015 @findex gnus-summary-move-article
9016 @vindex gnus-preserve-marks
9017 Move the article from one mail group to another
9018 (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}). Marks will be preserved if
9019 @var{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil} (which is the default).
9022 @kindex B c (Summary)
9024 @findex gnus-summary-copy-article
9025 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-copy}
9026 Copy the article from one group (mail group or not) to a mail group
9027 (@code{gnus-summary-copy-article}). Marks will be preserved if
9028 @var{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil} (which is the default).
9031 @kindex B B (Summary)
9032 @cindex crosspost mail
9033 @findex gnus-summary-crosspost-article
9034 Crosspost the current article to some other group
9035 (@code{gnus-summary-crosspost-article}). This will create a new copy of
9036 the article in the other group, and the Xref headers of the article will
9037 be properly updated.
9040 @kindex B i (Summary)
9041 @findex gnus-summary-import-article
9042 Import an arbitrary file into the current mail newsgroup
9043 (@code{gnus-summary-import-article}). You will be prompted for a file
9044 name, a @code{From} header and a @code{Subject} header.
9047 @kindex B r (Summary)
9048 @findex gnus-summary-respool-article
9049 Respool the mail article (@code{gnus-summary-respool-article}).
9050 @code{gnus-summary-respool-default-method} will be used as the default
9051 select method when respooling. This variable is @code{nil} by default,
9052 which means that the current group select method will be used instead.
9053 Marks will be preserved if @var{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil}
9054 (which is the default).
9058 @kindex B w (Summary)
9060 @findex gnus-summary-edit-article
9061 @kindex C-c C-c (Article)
9062 Edit the current article (@code{gnus-summary-edit-article}). To finish
9063 editing and make the changes permanent, type @kbd{C-c C-c}
9064 (@kbd{gnus-summary-edit-article-done}). If you give a prefix to the
9065 @kbd{C-c C-c} command, Gnus won't re-highlight the article.
9068 @kindex B q (Summary)
9069 @findex gnus-summary-respool-query
9070 If you want to re-spool an article, you might be curious as to what group
9071 the article will end up in before you do the re-spooling. This command
9072 will tell you (@code{gnus-summary-respool-query}).
9075 @kindex B t (Summary)
9076 @findex gnus-summary-respool-trace
9077 Similarly, this command will display all fancy splitting patterns used
9078 when repooling, if any (@code{gnus-summary-respool-trace}).
9081 @kindex B p (Summary)
9082 @findex gnus-summary-article-posted-p
9083 Some people have a tendency to send you "courtesy" copies when they
9084 follow up to articles you have posted. These usually have a
9085 @code{Newsgroups} header in them, but not always. This command
9086 (@code{gnus-summary-article-posted-p}) will try to fetch the current
9087 article from your news server (or rather, from
9088 @code{gnus-refer-article-method} or @code{gnus-select-method}) and will
9089 report back whether it found the article or not. Even if it says that
9090 it didn't find the article, it may have been posted anyway---mail
9091 propagation is much faster than news propagation, and the news copy may
9092 just not have arrived yet.
9096 @vindex gnus-move-split-methods
9097 @cindex moving articles
9098 If you move (or copy) articles regularly, you might wish to have Gnus
9099 suggest where to put the articles. @code{gnus-move-split-methods} is a
9100 variable that uses the same syntax as @code{gnus-split-methods}
9101 (@pxref{Saving Articles}). You may customize that variable to create
9102 suggestions you find reasonable. (Note that
9103 @code{gnus-move-split-methods} uses group names where
9104 @code{gnus-split-methods} uses file names.)
9107 (setq gnus-move-split-methods
9108 '(("^From:.*Lars Magne" "nnml:junk")
9109 ("^Subject:.*gnus" "nnfolder:important")
9110 (".*" "nnml:misc")))
9114 @node Various Summary Stuff
9115 @section Various Summary Stuff
9118 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
9119 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
9120 * Summary Generation Commands::
9121 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
9125 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-hook
9126 @item gnus-summary-mode-hook
9127 This hook is called when creating a summary mode buffer.
9129 @vindex gnus-summary-generate-hook
9130 @item gnus-summary-generate-hook
9131 This is called as the last thing before doing the threading and the
9132 generation of the summary buffer. It's quite convenient for customizing
9133 the threading variables based on what data the newsgroup has. This hook
9134 is called from the summary buffer after most summary buffer variables
9137 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-hook
9138 @item gnus-summary-prepare-hook
9139 It is called after the summary buffer has been generated. You might use
9140 it to, for instance, highlight lines or modify the look of the buffer in
9141 some other ungodly manner. I don't care.
9143 @vindex gnus-summary-prepared-hook
9144 @item gnus-summary-prepared-hook
9145 A hook called as the very last thing after the summary buffer has been
9148 @vindex gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
9149 @item gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
9150 When Gnus discovers two articles that have the same @code{Message-ID},
9151 it has to do something drastic. No articles are allowed to have the
9152 same @code{Message-ID}, but this may happen when reading mail from some
9153 sources. Gnus allows you to customize what happens with this variable.
9154 If it is @code{nil} (which is the default), Gnus will rename the
9155 @code{Message-ID} (for display purposes only) and display the article as
9156 any other article. If this variable is @code{t}, it won't display the
9157 article---it'll be as if it never existed.
9159 @vindex gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function
9160 @item gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function
9161 This function, which takes two parameters (the group name and the list
9162 of articles to be selected), is called to allow the user to alter the
9163 list of articles to be selected.
9165 For instance, the following function adds the list of cached articles to
9166 the list in one particular group:
9169 (defun my-add-cached-articles (group articles)
9170 (if (string= group "some.group")
9171 (append gnus-newsgroup-cached articles)
9178 @node Summary Group Information
9179 @subsection Summary Group Information
9184 @kindex H f (Summary)
9185 @findex gnus-summary-fetch-faq
9186 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
9187 Try to fetch the FAQ (list of frequently asked questions) for the
9188 current group (@code{gnus-summary-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the
9189 FAQ from @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory
9190 on a remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories.
9191 In that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
9192 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will probably
9193 be used for fetching the file.
9196 @kindex H d (Summary)
9197 @findex gnus-summary-describe-group
9198 Give a brief description of the current group
9199 (@code{gnus-summary-describe-group}). If given a prefix, force
9200 rereading the description from the server.
9203 @kindex H h (Summary)
9204 @findex gnus-summary-describe-briefly
9205 Give an extremely brief description of the most important summary
9206 keystrokes (@code{gnus-summary-describe-briefly}).
9209 @kindex H i (Summary)
9210 @findex gnus-info-find-node
9211 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
9215 @node Searching for Articles
9216 @subsection Searching for Articles
9221 @kindex M-s (Summary)
9222 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
9223 Search through all subsequent (raw) articles for a regexp
9224 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-forward}).
9227 @kindex M-r (Summary)
9228 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-backward
9229 Search through all previous (raw) articles for a regexp
9230 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-backward}).
9234 @findex gnus-summary-execute-command
9235 This command will prompt you for a header, a regular expression to match
9236 on this field, and a command to be executed if the match is made
9237 (@code{gnus-summary-execute-command}). If the header is an empty
9238 string, the match is done on the entire article. If given a prefix,
9239 search backward instead.
9241 For instance, @kbd{& RET some.*string #} will put the process mark on
9242 all articles that have heads or bodies that match @samp{some.*string}.
9245 @kindex M-& (Summary)
9246 @findex gnus-summary-universal-argument
9247 Perform any operation on all articles that have been marked with
9248 the process mark (@code{gnus-summary-universal-argument}).
9251 @node Summary Generation Commands
9252 @subsection Summary Generation Commands
9257 @kindex Y g (Summary)
9258 @findex gnus-summary-prepare
9259 Regenerate the current summary buffer (@code{gnus-summary-prepare}).
9262 @kindex Y c (Summary)
9263 @findex gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles
9264 Pull all cached articles (for the current group) into the summary buffer
9265 (@code{gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles}).
9270 @node Really Various Summary Commands
9271 @subsection Really Various Summary Commands
9277 @kindex C-d (Summary)
9278 @kindex A D (Summary)
9279 @findex gnus-summary-enter-digest-group
9280 If the current article is a collection of other articles (for instance,
9281 a digest), you might use this command to enter a group based on the that
9282 article (@code{gnus-summary-enter-digest-group}). Gnus will try to
9283 guess what article type is currently displayed unless you give a prefix
9284 to this command, which forces a ``digest'' interpretation. Basically,
9285 whenever you see a message that is a collection of other messages of
9286 some format, you @kbd{C-d} and read these messages in a more convenient
9290 @kindex M-C-d (Summary)
9291 @findex gnus-summary-read-document
9292 This command is very similar to the one above, but lets you gather
9293 several documents into one biiig group
9294 (@code{gnus-summary-read-document}). It does this by opening several
9295 @code{nndoc} groups for each document, and then opening an
9296 @code{nnvirtual} group on top of these @code{nndoc} groups. This
9297 command understands the process/prefix convention
9298 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
9301 @kindex C-t (Summary)
9302 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-truncation
9303 Toggle truncation of summary lines
9304 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-truncation}). This will probably confuse the
9305 line centering function in the summary buffer, so it's not a good idea
9306 to have truncation switched off while reading articles.
9310 @findex gnus-summary-expand-window
9311 Expand the summary buffer window (@code{gnus-summary-expand-window}).
9312 If given a prefix, force an @code{article} window configuration.
9315 @kindex M-C-e (Summary)
9316 @findex gnus-summary-edit-parameters
9317 Edit the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
9318 group (@code{gnus-summary-edit-parameters}).
9321 @kindex M-C-a (Summary)
9322 @findex gnus-summary-customize-parameters
9323 Customize the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
9324 group (@code{gnus-summary-customize-parameters}).
9329 @node Exiting the Summary Buffer
9330 @section Exiting the Summary Buffer
9331 @cindex summary exit
9332 @cindex exiting groups
9334 Exiting from the summary buffer will normally update all info on the
9335 group and return you to the group buffer.
9341 @kindex Z Z (Summary)
9343 @findex gnus-summary-exit
9344 @vindex gnus-summary-exit-hook
9345 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook
9346 @c @icon{gnus-summary-exit}
9347 Exit the current group and update all information on the group
9348 (@code{gnus-summary-exit}). @code{gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook} is
9349 called before doing much of the exiting, which calls
9350 @code{gnus-summary-expire-articles} by default.
9351 @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} is called after finishing the exit
9352 process. @code{gnus-group-no-more-groups-hook} is run when returning to
9353 group mode having no more (unread) groups.
9357 @kindex Z E (Summary)
9359 @findex gnus-summary-exit-no-update
9360 Exit the current group without updating any information on the group
9361 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}).
9365 @kindex Z c (Summary)
9367 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit
9368 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}
9369 Mark all unticked articles in the group as read and then exit
9370 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}).
9373 @kindex Z C (Summary)
9374 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit
9375 Mark all articles, even the ticked ones, as read and then exit
9376 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit}).
9379 @kindex Z n (Summary)
9380 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group
9381 Mark all articles as read and go to the next group
9382 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group}).
9385 @kindex Z R (Summary)
9386 @findex gnus-summary-reselect-current-group
9387 Exit this group, and then enter it again
9388 (@code{gnus-summary-reselect-current-group}). If given a prefix, select
9389 all articles, both read and unread.
9393 @kindex Z G (Summary)
9394 @kindex M-g (Summary)
9395 @findex gnus-summary-rescan-group
9396 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-get}
9397 Exit the group, check for new articles in the group, and select the
9398 group (@code{gnus-summary-rescan-group}). If given a prefix, select all
9399 articles, both read and unread.
9402 @kindex Z N (Summary)
9403 @findex gnus-summary-next-group
9404 Exit the group and go to the next group
9405 (@code{gnus-summary-next-group}).
9408 @kindex Z P (Summary)
9409 @findex gnus-summary-prev-group
9410 Exit the group and go to the previous group
9411 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-group}).
9414 @kindex Z s (Summary)
9415 @findex gnus-summary-save-newsrc
9416 Save the current number of read/marked articles in the dribble buffer
9417 and then save the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-summary-save-newsrc}). If
9418 given a prefix, also save the @file{.newsrc} file(s). Using this
9419 command will make exit without updating (the @kbd{Q} command) worthless.
9422 @vindex gnus-exit-group-hook
9423 @code{gnus-exit-group-hook} is called when you exit the current group
9424 with an ``updating'' exit. For instance @kbd{Q}
9425 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}) does not call this hook.
9427 @findex gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead
9428 @findex gnus-dead-summary-mode
9429 @vindex gnus-kill-summary-on-exit
9430 If you're in the habit of exiting groups, and then changing your mind
9431 about it, you might set @code{gnus-kill-summary-on-exit} to @code{nil}.
9432 If you do that, Gnus won't kill the summary buffer when you exit it.
9433 (Quelle surprise!) Instead it will change the name of the buffer to
9434 something like @samp{*Dead Summary ... *} and install a minor mode
9435 called @code{gnus-dead-summary-mode}. Now, if you switch back to this
9436 buffer, you'll find that all keys are mapped to a function called
9437 @code{gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead}. So tapping any keys in a dead
9438 summary buffer will result in a live, normal summary buffer.
9440 There will never be more than one dead summary buffer at any one time.
9442 @vindex gnus-use-cross-reference
9443 The data on the current group will be updated (which articles you have
9444 read, which articles you have replied to, etc.) when you exit the
9445 summary buffer. If the @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} variable is
9446 @code{t} (which is the default), articles that are cross-referenced to
9447 this group and are marked as read, will also be marked as read in the
9448 other subscribed groups they were cross-posted to. If this variable is
9449 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, the article will be marked as read in
9450 both subscribed and unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}).
9453 @node Crosspost Handling
9454 @section Crosspost Handling
9458 Marking cross-posted articles as read ensures that you'll never have to
9459 read the same article more than once. Unless, of course, somebody has
9460 posted it to several groups separately. Posting the same article to
9461 several groups (not cross-posting) is called @dfn{spamming}, and you are
9462 by law required to send nasty-grams to anyone who perpetrates such a
9463 heinous crime. You may want to try NoCeM handling to filter out spam
9466 Remember: Cross-posting is kinda ok, but posting the same article
9467 separately to several groups is not. Massive cross-posting (aka.
9468 @dfn{velveeta}) is to be avoided at all costs, and you can even use the
9469 @code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint} command to complain about
9470 excessive crossposting (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
9472 @cindex cross-posting
9475 One thing that may cause Gnus to not do the cross-posting thing
9476 correctly is if you use an @sc{nntp} server that supports @sc{xover}
9477 (which is very nice, because it speeds things up considerably) which
9478 does not include the @code{Xref} header in its @sc{nov} lines. This is
9479 Evil, but all too common, alas, alack. Gnus tries to Do The Right Thing
9480 even with @sc{xover} by registering the @code{Xref} lines of all
9481 articles you actually read, but if you kill the articles, or just mark
9482 them as read without reading them, Gnus will not get a chance to snoop
9483 the @code{Xref} lines out of these articles, and will be unable to use
9484 the cross reference mechanism.
9486 @cindex LIST overview.fmt
9487 @cindex overview.fmt
9488 To check whether your @sc{nntp} server includes the @code{Xref} header
9489 in its overview files, try @samp{telnet your.nntp.server nntp},
9490 @samp{MODE READER} on @code{inn} servers, and then say @samp{LIST
9491 overview.fmt}. This may not work, but if it does, and the last line you
9492 get does not read @samp{Xref:full}, then you should shout and whine at
9493 your news admin until she includes the @code{Xref} header in the
9496 @vindex gnus-nov-is-evil
9497 If you want Gnus to get the @code{Xref}s right all the time, you have to
9498 set @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{t}, which slows things down
9503 For an alternative approach, @pxref{Duplicate Suppression}.
9506 @node Duplicate Suppression
9507 @section Duplicate Suppression
9509 By default, Gnus tries to make sure that you don't have to read the same
9510 article more than once by utilizing the crossposting mechanism
9511 (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}). However, that simple and efficient
9512 approach may not work satisfactory for some users for various
9517 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to generate the @code{Xref} header. This
9518 is evil and not very common.
9521 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to include the @code{Xref} header in the
9522 @file{.overview} data bases. This is evil and all too common, alas.
9525 You may be reading the same group (or several related groups) from
9526 different @sc{nntp} servers.
9529 You may be getting mail that duplicates articles posted to groups.
9532 I'm sure there are other situations where @code{Xref} handling fails as
9533 well, but these four are the most common situations.
9535 If, and only if, @code{Xref} handling fails for you, then you may
9536 consider switching on @dfn{duplicate suppression}. If you do so, Gnus
9537 will remember the @code{Message-ID}s of all articles you have read or
9538 otherwise marked as read, and then, as if by magic, mark them as read
9539 all subsequent times you see them---in @emph{all} groups. Using this
9540 mechanism is quite likely to be somewhat inefficient, but not overly
9541 so. It's certainly preferable to reading the same articles more than
9544 Duplicate suppression is not a very subtle instrument. It's more like a
9545 sledge hammer than anything else. It works in a very simple
9546 fashion---if you have marked an article as read, it adds this Message-ID
9547 to a cache. The next time it sees this Message-ID, it will mark the
9548 article as read with the @samp{M} mark. It doesn't care what group it
9552 @item gnus-suppress-duplicates
9553 @vindex gnus-suppress-duplicates
9554 If non-@code{nil}, suppress duplicates.
9556 @item gnus-save-duplicate-list
9557 @vindex gnus-save-duplicate-list
9558 If non-@code{nil}, save the list of duplicates to a file. This will
9559 make startup and shutdown take longer, so the default is @code{nil}.
9560 However, this means that only duplicate articles read in a single Gnus
9561 session are suppressed.
9563 @item gnus-duplicate-list-length
9564 @vindex gnus-duplicate-list-length
9565 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the duplicate
9566 suppression list. The default is 10000.
9568 @item gnus-duplicate-file
9569 @vindex gnus-duplicate-file
9570 The name of the file to store the duplicate suppression list in. The
9571 default is @file{~/News/suppression}.
9574 If you have a tendency to stop and start Gnus often, setting
9575 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{t} is probably a good idea. If
9576 you leave Gnus running for weeks on end, you may have it @code{nil}. On
9577 the other hand, saving the list makes startup and shutdown much slower,
9578 so that means that if you stop and start Gnus often, you should set
9579 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{nil}. Uhm. I'll leave this up
9580 to you to figure out, I think.
9585 Gnus is able to verify signed messages or decrypt encrypted messages.
9586 The formats that are supported are PGP and S/MIME, however you need
9587 some external programs to get things to work:
9591 To verify or decrypt PGP messages, you have to install mailcrypt or
9592 gpg.el as well as a OpenPGP implementation (such as GnuPG). @xref{Using GPG}.
9595 To verify or decrypt S/MIME message, you need to install OpenSSL.
9596 OpenSSL 0.9.6 or newer is recommended.
9600 More information on how to set things up can be found in the message
9601 manual. @xref{Security, ,Security, message, The Message Manual}.
9604 @item mm-verify-option
9605 @vindex mm-verify-option
9606 Option of verifying signed parts. @code{never}, not verify;
9607 @code{always}, always verify; @code{known}, only verify known
9608 protocols. Otherwise, ask user.
9610 @item mm-decrypt-option
9611 @vindex mm-decrypt-option
9612 Option of decrypting encrypted parts. @code{never}, no decryption;
9613 @code{always}, always decrypt @code{known}, only decrypt known
9614 protocols. Otherwise, ask user.
9619 @section Mailing List
9621 Gnus understands some mailing list fields of RFC 2369. To enable it,
9622 either add a `to-list' group parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}),
9623 possibly using @kbd{A M} in the summary buffer, or say:
9626 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'turn-on-gnus-mailing-list-mode)
9629 That enables the following commands to the summary buffer:
9634 @kindex C-c C-n h (Summary)
9635 @findex gnus-mailing-list-help
9636 Send a message to fetch mailing list help, if List-Help field exists.
9639 @kindex C-c C-n s (Summary)
9640 @findex gnus-mailing-list-subscribe
9641 Send a message to subscribe the mailing list, if List-Subscribe field exists.
9644 @kindex C-c C-n u (Summary)
9645 @findex gnus-mailing-list-unsubscribe
9646 Send a message to unsubscribe the mailing list, if List-Unsubscribe
9650 @kindex C-c C-n p (Summary)
9651 @findex gnus-mailing-list-post
9652 Post to the mailing list, if List-Post field exists.
9655 @kindex C-c C-n o (Summary)
9656 @findex gnus-mailing-list-owner
9657 Send a message to the mailing list owner, if List-Owner field exists.
9660 @kindex C-c C-n a (Summary)
9661 @findex gnus-mailing-list-owner
9662 Browse the mailing list archive, if List-Archive field exists.
9666 @node Article Buffer
9667 @chapter Article Buffer
9668 @cindex article buffer
9670 The articles are displayed in the article buffer, of which there is only
9671 one. All the summary buffers share the same article buffer unless you
9672 tell Gnus otherwise.
9675 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
9676 * Using MIME:: Pushing articles through @sc{mime} before reading them.
9677 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
9678 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
9679 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
9683 @node Hiding Headers
9684 @section Hiding Headers
9685 @cindex hiding headers
9686 @cindex deleting headers
9688 The top section of each article is the @dfn{head}. (The rest is the
9689 @dfn{body}, but you may have guessed that already.)
9691 @vindex gnus-show-all-headers
9692 There is a lot of useful information in the head: the name of the person
9693 who wrote the article, the date it was written and the subject of the
9694 article. That's well and nice, but there's also lots of information
9695 most people do not want to see---what systems the article has passed
9696 through before reaching you, the @code{Message-ID}, the
9697 @code{References}, etc. ad nauseum---and you'll probably want to get rid
9698 of some of those lines. If you want to keep all those lines in the
9699 article buffer, you can set @code{gnus-show-all-headers} to @code{t}.
9701 Gnus provides you with two variables for sifting headers:
9705 @item gnus-visible-headers
9706 @vindex gnus-visible-headers
9707 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression
9708 that says what headers you wish to keep in the article buffer. All
9709 headers that do not match this variable will be hidden.
9711 For instance, if you only want to see the name of the person who wrote
9712 the article and the subject, you'd say:
9715 (setq gnus-visible-headers "^From:\\|^Subject:")
9718 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
9721 @item gnus-ignored-headers
9722 @vindex gnus-ignored-headers
9723 This variable is the reverse of @code{gnus-visible-headers}. If this
9724 variable is set (and @code{gnus-visible-headers} is @code{nil}), it
9725 should be a regular expression that matches all lines that you want to
9726 hide. All lines that do not match this variable will remain visible.
9728 For instance, if you just want to get rid of the @code{References} line
9729 and the @code{Xref} line, you might say:
9732 (setq gnus-ignored-headers "^References:\\|^Xref:")
9735 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
9738 Note that if @code{gnus-visible-headers} is non-@code{nil}, this
9739 variable will have no effect.
9743 @vindex gnus-sorted-header-list
9744 Gnus can also sort the headers for you. (It does this by default.) You
9745 can control the sorting by setting the @code{gnus-sorted-header-list}
9746 variable. It is a list of regular expressions that says in what order
9747 the headers are to be displayed.
9749 For instance, if you want the name of the author of the article first,
9750 and then the subject, you might say something like:
9753 (setq gnus-sorted-header-list '("^From:" "^Subject:"))
9756 Any headers that are to remain visible, but are not listed in this
9757 variable, will be displayed in random order after all the headers listed in this variable.
9759 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
9760 @vindex gnus-boring-article-headers
9761 You can hide further boring headers by setting
9762 @code{gnus-treat-hide-boring-headers} to @code{head}. What this function
9763 does depends on the @code{gnus-boring-article-headers} variable. It's a
9764 list, but this list doesn't actually contain header names. Instead is
9765 lists various @dfn{boring conditions} that Gnus can check and remove
9768 These conditions are:
9771 Remove all empty headers.
9773 Remove the @code{Followup-To} header if it is identical to the
9774 @code{Newsgroups} header.
9776 Remove the @code{Reply-To} header if it lists the same address as the
9779 Remove the @code{Newsgroups} header if it only contains the current group
9782 Remove the @code{To} header if it only contains the address identical to
9783 the current groups's @code{to-address} parameter.
9785 Remove the @code{Date} header if the article is less than three days
9788 Remove the @code{To} header if it is very long.
9790 Remove all @code{To} headers if there are more than one.
9793 To include these three elements, you could say something like;
9796 (setq gnus-boring-article-headers
9797 '(empty followup-to reply-to))
9800 This is also the default value for this variable.
9807 Mime is a standard for waving your hands through the air, aimlessly,
9808 while people stand around yawning.
9810 @sc{mime}, however, is a standard for encoding your articles, aimlessly,
9811 while all newsreaders die of fear.
9813 @sc{mime} may specify what character set the article uses, the encoding
9814 of the characters, and it also makes it possible to embed pictures and
9815 other naughty stuff in innocent-looking articles.
9817 @vindex gnus-display-mime-function
9818 @findex gnus-display-mime
9819 Gnus pushes @sc{mime} articles through @code{gnus-display-mime-function}
9820 to display the @sc{mime} parts. This is @code{gnus-display-mime} by
9821 default, which creates a bundle of clickable buttons that can be used to
9822 display, save and manipulate the @sc{mime} objects.
9824 The following commands are available when you have placed point over a
9828 @findex gnus-article-press-button
9830 @itemx BUTTON-2 (Article)
9831 Toggle displaying of the @sc{mime} object
9832 (@code{gnus-article-press-button}).
9834 @findex gnus-mime-view-part
9835 @item M-RET (Article)
9837 Prompt for a method, and then view the @sc{mime} object using this
9838 method (@code{gnus-mime-view-part}).
9840 @findex gnus-mime-view-part-as-type
9842 View the @sc{mime} object as if it were a different @sc{mime} media type
9843 (@code{gnus-mime-view-part-as-type}).
9845 @findex gnus-mime-view-part-as-charset
9847 Prompt for a charset, and then view the @sc{mime} object using this
9848 charset (@code{gnus-mime-view-part-as-charset}).
9850 @findex gnus-mime-save-part
9852 Prompt for a file name, and then save the @sc{mime} object
9853 (@code{gnus-mime-save-part}).
9855 @findex gnus-mime-save-part-and-strip
9857 Prompt for a file name, then save the @sc{mime} object and strip it from
9858 the article. Then proceed to article editing, where a reasonable
9859 suggestion is being made on how the altered article should look
9860 like. The stripped @sc{mime} object will be referred via the
9861 message/external-body @sc{mime} type.
9862 (@code{gnus-mime-save-part-and-strip}).
9864 @findex gnus-mime-copy-part
9866 Copy the @sc{mime} object to a fresh buffer and display this buffer
9867 (@code{gnus-mime-copy-part}).
9869 @findex gnus-mime-inline-part
9871 Insert the contents of the @sc{mime} object into the buffer
9872 (@code{gnus-mime-inline-part}) as text/plain. If given a prefix, insert
9873 the raw contents without decoding. If given a numerical prefix, you can
9874 do semi-manual charset stuff (see
9875 @code{gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist} in @pxref{Paging the
9878 @findex gnus-mime-internalize-part
9880 View the @sc{mime} object with an internal viewer. If no internal
9881 viewer is available, use an external viewer
9882 (@code{gnus-mime-internalize-part}).
9884 @findex gnus-mime-externalize-part
9886 View the @sc{mime} object with an external viewer.
9887 (@code{gnus-mime-externalize-part}).
9889 @findex gnus-mime-pipe-part
9891 Output the @sc{mime} object to a process (@code{gnus-mime-pipe-part}).
9893 @findex gnus-mime-action-on-part
9895 Interactively run an action on the @sc{mime} object
9896 (@code{gnus-mime-action-on-part}).
9900 Gnus will display some @sc{mime} objects automatically. The way Gnus
9901 determines which parts to do this with is described in the Emacs MIME
9904 It might be best to just use the toggling functions from the article
9905 buffer to avoid getting nasty surprises. (For instance, you enter the
9906 group @samp{alt.sing-a-long} and, before you know it, @sc{mime} has
9907 decoded the sound file in the article and some horrible sing-a-long song
9908 comes screaming out your speakers, and you can't find the volume button,
9909 because there isn't one, and people are starting to look at you, and you
9910 try to stop the program, but you can't, and you can't find the program
9911 to control the volume, and everybody else in the room suddenly decides
9912 to look at you disdainfully, and you'll feel rather stupid.)
9914 Any similarity to real events and people is purely coincidental. Ahem.
9916 Also see @pxref{MIME Commands}.
9919 @node Customizing Articles
9920 @section Customizing Articles
9921 @cindex article customization
9923 A slew of functions for customizing how the articles are to look like
9924 exist. You can call these functions interactively, or you can have them
9925 called automatically when you select the articles.
9927 To have them called automatically, you should set the corresponding
9928 ``treatment'' variable. For instance, to have headers hidden, you'd set
9929 @code{gnus-treat-hide-headers}. Below is a list of variables that can
9930 be set, but first we discuss the values these variables can have.
9932 Note: Some values, while valid, make little sense. Check the list below
9933 for sensible values.
9937 @code{nil}: Don't do this treatment.
9940 @code{t}: Do this treatment on all body parts.
9943 @code{head}: Do the treatment on the headers.
9946 @code{last}: Do this treatment on the last part.
9949 An integer: Do this treatment on all body parts that have a length less
9953 A list of strings: Do this treatment on all body parts that are in
9954 articles that are read in groups that have names that match one of the
9955 regexps in the list.
9958 A list where the first element is not a string:
9960 The list is evaluated recursively. The first element of the list is a
9961 predicate. The following predicates are recognized: @code{or},
9962 @code{and}, @code{not} and @code{typep}. Here's an example:
9966 (typep "text/x-vcard"))
9971 You may have noticed that the word @dfn{part} is used here. This refers
9972 to the fact that some messages are @sc{mime} multipart articles that may
9973 be divided into several parts. Articles that are not multiparts are
9974 considered to contain just a single part.
9976 @vindex gnus-article-treat-types
9977 Are the treatments applied to all sorts of multipart parts? Yes, if you
9978 want to, but by default, only @samp{text/plain} parts are given the
9979 treatment. This is controlled by the @code{gnus-article-treat-types}
9980 variable, which is a list of regular expressions that are matched to the
9981 type of the part. This variable is ignored if the value of the
9982 controlling variable is a predicate list, as described above.
9984 The following treatment options are available. The easiest way to
9985 customize this is to examine the @code{gnus-article-treat} customization
9986 group. Values in parenthesis are suggested sensible values. Others are
9987 possible but those listed are probably sufficient for most people.
9990 @item gnus-treat-buttonize (t, integer)
9991 @item gnus-treat-buttonize-head (head)
9992 @item gnus-treat-capitalize-sentences (t, integer)
9993 @item gnus-treat-date-english (head)
9994 @item gnus-treat-date-iso8601 (head)
9995 @item gnus-treat-date-lapsed (head)
9996 @item gnus-treat-date-local (head)
9997 @item gnus-treat-date-original (head)
9998 @item gnus-treat-date-user-defined (head)
9999 @item gnus-treat-date-ut (head)
10000 @item gnus-treat-display-picons (head)
10001 @item gnus-treat-display-smileys (t, integer)
10002 @item gnus-treat-display-xface (head)
10003 @item gnus-treat-emphasize (t, head, integer)
10004 @item gnus-treat-fill-article (t, integer)
10005 @item gnus-treat-fill-long-lines (t, integer)
10006 @item gnus-treat-hide-boring-headers (head)
10007 @item gnus-treat-hide-citation (t, integer)
10008 @item gnus-treat-hide-citation-maybe (t, integer)
10009 @item gnus-treat-hide-headers (head)
10010 @item gnus-treat-hide-signature (t, last)
10011 @item gnus-treat-highlight-citation (t, integer)
10012 @item gnus-treat-highlight-headers (head)
10013 @item gnus-treat-highlight-signature (t, last, integer)
10014 @item gnus-treat-overstrike (t, integer)
10015 @item gnus-treat-play-sounds
10016 @item gnus-treat-strip-cr (t, integer)
10017 @item gnus-treat-strip-headers-in-body (t, integer)
10018 @item gnus-treat-strip-leading-blank-lines (t, integer)
10019 @item gnus-treat-strip-multiple-blank-lines (t, integer)
10020 @item gnus-treat-strip-pem (t, last, integer)
10021 @item gnus-treat-strip-pgp (t, last, integer)
10022 @item gnus-treat-strip-trailing-blank-lines (t, last, integer)
10023 @item gnus-treat-translate
10024 @item gnus-treat-x-pgp-sig (head)
10027 @vindex gnus-part-display-hook
10028 You can, of course, write your own functions to be called from
10029 @code{gnus-part-display-hook}. The functions are called narrowed to the
10030 part, and you can do anything you like, pretty much. There is no
10031 information that you have to keep in the buffer---you can change
10035 @node Article Keymap
10036 @section Article Keymap
10038 Most of the keystrokes in the summary buffer can also be used in the
10039 article buffer. They should behave as if you typed them in the summary
10040 buffer, which means that you don't actually have to have a summary
10041 buffer displayed while reading. You can do it all from the article
10044 A few additional keystrokes are available:
10049 @kindex SPACE (Article)
10050 @findex gnus-article-next-page
10051 Scroll forwards one page (@code{gnus-article-next-page}).
10054 @kindex DEL (Article)
10055 @findex gnus-article-prev-page
10056 Scroll backwards one page (@code{gnus-article-prev-page}).
10059 @kindex C-c ^ (Article)
10060 @findex gnus-article-refer-article
10061 If point is in the neighborhood of a @code{Message-ID} and you press
10062 @kbd{C-c ^}, Gnus will try to get that article from the server
10063 (@code{gnus-article-refer-article}).
10066 @kindex C-c C-m (Article)
10067 @findex gnus-article-mail
10068 Send a reply to the address near point (@code{gnus-article-mail}). If
10069 given a prefix, include the mail.
10072 @kindex s (Article)
10073 @findex gnus-article-show-summary
10074 Reconfigure the buffers so that the summary buffer becomes visible
10075 (@code{gnus-article-show-summary}).
10078 @kindex ? (Article)
10079 @findex gnus-article-describe-briefly
10080 Give a very brief description of the available keystrokes
10081 (@code{gnus-article-describe-briefly}).
10084 @kindex TAB (Article)
10085 @findex gnus-article-next-button
10086 Go to the next button, if any (@code{gnus-article-next-button}). This
10087 only makes sense if you have buttonizing turned on.
10090 @kindex M-TAB (Article)
10091 @findex gnus-article-prev-button
10092 Go to the previous button, if any (@code{gnus-article-prev-button}).
10098 @section Misc Article
10102 @item gnus-single-article-buffer
10103 @vindex gnus-single-article-buffer
10104 If non-@code{nil}, use the same article buffer for all the groups.
10105 (This is the default.) If @code{nil}, each group will have its own
10108 @vindex gnus-article-decode-hook
10109 @item gnus-article-decode-hook
10111 Hook used to decode @sc{mime} articles. The default value is
10112 @code{(article-decode-charset article-decode-encoded-words)}
10114 @vindex gnus-article-prepare-hook
10115 @item gnus-article-prepare-hook
10116 This hook is called right after the article has been inserted into the
10117 article buffer. It is mainly intended for functions that do something
10118 depending on the contents; it should probably not be used for changing
10119 the contents of the article buffer.
10121 @item gnus-article-mode-hook
10122 @vindex gnus-article-mode-hook
10123 Hook called in article mode buffers.
10125 @item gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
10126 @vindex gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
10127 Syntax table used in article buffers. It is initialized from
10128 @code{text-mode-syntax-table}.
10130 @vindex gnus-article-mode-line-format
10131 @item gnus-article-mode-line-format
10132 This variable is a format string along the same lines as
10133 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
10134 accepts the same format specifications as that variable, with two
10140 The @dfn{wash status} of the article. This is a short string with one
10141 character for each possible article wash operation that may have been
10142 performed. The characters and their meaning:
10147 Displayed when cited text may be hidden in the article buffer.
10150 Displayed when headers are hidden in the article buffer.
10153 Displayed when article is digitally signed or encrypted, and Gnus has
10154 hidden the security headers. (N.B. does not tell anything about
10155 security status, i.e. good or bad signature.)
10158 Displayed when the signature has been hidden in the Article buffer.
10161 Displayed when Gnus has treated overstrike characters in the article buffer.
10164 Displayed when Gnus has treated emphasised strings in the article buffer.
10169 The number of @sc{mime} parts in the article.
10173 @vindex gnus-break-pages
10175 @item gnus-break-pages
10176 Controls whether @dfn{page breaking} is to take place. If this variable
10177 is non-@code{nil}, the articles will be divided into pages whenever a
10178 page delimiter appears in the article. If this variable is @code{nil},
10179 paging will not be done.
10181 @item gnus-page-delimiter
10182 @vindex gnus-page-delimiter
10183 This is the delimiter mentioned above. By default, it is @samp{^L}
10188 @node Composing Messages
10189 @chapter Composing Messages
10190 @cindex composing messages
10193 @cindex sending mail
10199 @kindex C-c C-c (Post)
10200 All commands for posting and mailing will put you in a message buffer
10201 where you can edit the article all you like, before you send the
10202 article by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}. @xref{Top, , Top, message, The
10203 Message Manual}. Where the message will be posted/mailed to depends
10204 on your setup (@pxref{Posting Server}).
10207 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
10208 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
10209 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
10210 * Archived Messages:: Where Gnus stores the messages you've sent.
10211 * Posting Styles:: An easier way to specify who you are.
10212 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
10213 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
10214 * Using GPG:: How to use GPG and MML to sign and encrypt messages
10217 Also see @pxref{Canceling and Superseding} for information on how to
10218 remove articles you shouldn't have posted.
10224 Variables for customizing outgoing mail:
10227 @item gnus-uu-digest-headers
10228 @vindex gnus-uu-digest-headers
10229 List of regexps to match headers included in digested messages. The
10230 headers will be included in the sequence they are matched.
10232 @item gnus-add-to-list
10233 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
10234 If non-@code{nil}, add a @code{to-list} group parameter to mail groups
10235 that have none when you do a @kbd{a}.
10240 @node Posting Server
10241 @section Posting Server
10243 When you press those magical @kbd{C-c C-c} keys to ship off your latest
10244 (extremely intelligent, of course) article, where does it go?
10246 Thank you for asking. I hate you.
10248 @vindex gnus-post-method
10250 It can be quite complicated. Normally, Gnus will post using the same
10251 select method as you're reading from (which might be convenient if
10252 you're reading lots of groups from different private servers).
10253 However. If the server you're reading from doesn't allow posting,
10254 just reading, you probably want to use some other server to post your
10255 (extremely intelligent and fabulously interesting) articles. You can
10256 then set the @code{gnus-post-method} to some other method:
10259 (setq gnus-post-method '(nnspool ""))
10262 Now, if you've done this, and then this server rejects your article, or
10263 this server is down, what do you do then? To override this variable you
10264 can use a non-zero prefix to the @kbd{C-c C-c} command to force using
10265 the ``current'' server, to get back the default behavior, for posting.
10267 If you give a zero prefix (i.e., @kbd{C-u 0 C-c C-c}) to that command,
10268 Gnus will prompt you for what method to use for posting.
10270 You can also set @code{gnus-post-method} to a list of select methods.
10271 If that's the case, Gnus will always prompt you for what method to use
10274 Finally, if you want to always post using the native select method,
10275 you can set this variable to @code{native}.
10278 @node Mail and Post
10279 @section Mail and Post
10281 Here's a list of variables relevant to both mailing and
10285 @item gnus-mailing-list-groups
10286 @findex gnus-mailing-list-groups
10287 @cindex mailing lists
10289 If your news server offers groups that are really mailing lists
10290 gatewayed to the @sc{nntp} server, you can read those groups without
10291 problems, but you can't post/followup to them without some difficulty.
10292 One solution is to add a @code{to-address} to the group parameters
10293 (@pxref{Group Parameters}). An easier thing to do is set the
10294 @code{gnus-mailing-list-groups} to a regexp that matches the groups that
10295 really are mailing lists. Then, at least, followups to the mailing
10296 lists will work most of the time. Posting to these groups (@kbd{a}) is
10297 still a pain, though.
10301 You may want to do spell-checking on messages that you send out. Or, if
10302 you don't want to spell-check by hand, you could add automatic
10303 spell-checking via the @code{ispell} package:
10306 @findex ispell-message
10308 (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'ispell-message)
10311 If you want to change the @code{ispell} dictionary based on what group
10312 you're in, you could say something like the following:
10315 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook
10319 "^de\\." (gnus-group-real-name gnus-newsgroup-name))
10320 (ispell-change-dictionary "deutsch"))
10322 (ispell-change-dictionary "english")))))
10325 Modify to suit your needs.
10328 @node Archived Messages
10329 @section Archived Messages
10330 @cindex archived messages
10331 @cindex sent messages
10333 Gnus provides a few different methods for storing the mail and news you
10334 send. The default method is to use the @dfn{archive virtual server} to
10335 store the messages. If you want to disable this completely, the
10336 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable should be @code{nil}, which
10339 @vindex gnus-message-archive-method
10340 @code{gnus-message-archive-method} says what virtual server Gnus is to
10341 use to store sent messages. The default is:
10344 (nnfolder "archive"
10345 (nnfolder-directory "~/Mail/archive")
10346 (nnfolder-active-file "~/Mail/archive/active")
10347 (nnfolder-get-new-mail nil)
10348 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t))
10351 You can, however, use any mail select method (@code{nnml},
10352 @code{nnmbox}, etc.). @code{nnfolder} is a quite likable select method
10353 for doing this sort of thing, though. If you don't like the default
10354 directory chosen, you could say something like:
10357 (setq gnus-message-archive-method
10358 '(nnfolder "archive"
10359 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t)
10360 (nnfolder-active-file "~/News/sent-mail/active")
10361 (nnfolder-directory "~/News/sent-mail/")))
10364 @vindex gnus-message-archive-group
10366 Gnus will insert @code{Gcc} headers in all outgoing messages that point
10367 to one or more group(s) on that server. Which group to use is
10368 determined by the @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable.
10370 This variable can be used to do the following:
10375 Messages will be saved in that group.
10377 Note that you can include a select method in the group name, then the
10378 message will not be stored in the select method given by
10379 @code{gnus-message-archive-method}, but in the select method specified
10380 by the group name, instead. Suppose @code{gnus-message-archive-method}
10381 has the default value shown above. Then setting
10382 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{"foo"} means that outgoing
10383 messages are stored in @samp{nnfolder+archive:foo}, but if you use the
10384 value @code{"nnml:foo"}, then outgoing messages will be stored in
10388 Messages will be saved in all those groups.
10390 an alist of regexps, functions and forms
10391 When a key ``matches'', the result is used.
10394 No message archiving will take place. This is the default.
10399 Just saving to a single group called @samp{MisK}:
10401 (setq gnus-message-archive-group "MisK")
10404 Saving to two groups, @samp{MisK} and @samp{safe}:
10406 (setq gnus-message-archive-group '("MisK" "safe"))
10409 Save to different groups based on what group you are in:
10411 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
10412 '(("^alt" "sent-to-alt")
10413 ("mail" "sent-to-mail")
10414 (".*" "sent-to-misc")))
10417 More complex stuff:
10419 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
10420 '((if (message-news-p)
10425 How about storing all news messages in one file, but storing all mail
10426 messages in one file per month:
10429 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
10430 '((if (message-news-p)
10432 (concat "mail." (format-time-string "%Y-%m")))))
10435 @c (XEmacs 19.13 doesn't have @code{format-time-string}, so you'll have to
10436 @c use a different value for @code{gnus-message-archive-group} there.)
10438 Now, when you send a message off, it will be stored in the appropriate
10439 group. (If you want to disable storing for just one particular message,
10440 you can just remove the @code{Gcc} header that has been inserted.) The
10441 archive group will appear in the group buffer the next time you start
10442 Gnus, or the next time you press @kbd{F} in the group buffer. You can
10443 enter it and read the articles in it just like you'd read any other
10444 group. If the group gets really big and annoying, you can simply rename
10445 if (using @kbd{G r} in the group buffer) to something
10446 nice---@samp{misc-mail-september-1995}, or whatever. New messages will
10447 continue to be stored in the old (now empty) group.
10449 That's the default method of archiving sent messages. Gnus offers a
10450 different way for the people who don't like the default method. In that
10451 case you should set @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{nil};
10452 this will disable archiving.
10455 @item gnus-outgoing-message-group
10456 @vindex gnus-outgoing-message-group
10457 All outgoing messages will be put in this group. If you want to store
10458 all your outgoing mail and articles in the group @samp{nnml:archive},
10459 you set this variable to that value. This variable can also be a list of
10462 If you want to have greater control over what group to put each
10463 message in, you can set this variable to a function that checks the
10464 current newsgroup name and then returns a suitable group name (or list
10467 This variable can be used instead of @code{gnus-message-archive-group},
10468 but the latter is the preferred method.
10470 @item gnus-inews-mark-gcc-as-read
10471 @vindex gnus-inews-mark-gcc-as-read
10472 If non-@code{nil}, automatically mark @code{Gcc} articles as read.
10477 @node Posting Styles
10478 @section Posting Styles
10479 @cindex posting styles
10482 All them variables, they make my head swim.
10484 So what if you want a different @code{Organization} and signature based
10485 on what groups you post to? And you post both from your home machine
10486 and your work machine, and you want different @code{From} lines, and so
10489 @vindex gnus-posting-styles
10490 One way to do stuff like that is to write clever hooks that change the
10491 variables you need to have changed. That's a bit boring, so somebody
10492 came up with the bright idea of letting the user specify these things in
10493 a handy alist. Here's an example of a @code{gnus-posting-styles}
10498 (signature "Peace and happiness")
10499 (organization "What me?"))
10501 (signature "Death to everybody"))
10502 ("comp.emacs.i-love-it"
10503 (organization "Emacs is it")))
10506 As you might surmise from this example, this alist consists of several
10507 @dfn{styles}. Each style will be applicable if the first element
10508 ``matches'', in some form or other. The entire alist will be iterated
10509 over, from the beginning towards the end, and each match will be
10510 applied, which means that attributes in later styles that match override
10511 the same attributes in earlier matching styles. So
10512 @samp{comp.programming.literate} will have the @samp{Death to everybody}
10513 signature and the @samp{What me?} @code{Organization} header.
10515 The first element in each style is called the @code{match}. If it's a
10516 string, then Gnus will try to regexp match it against the group name.
10517 If it is the symbol @code{header}, then Gnus will look for header (the
10518 next element in the match) in the original article , and compare that to
10519 the last regexp in the match. If it's a function symbol, that function
10520 will be called with no arguments. If it's a variable symbol, then the
10521 variable will be referenced. If it's a list, then that list will be
10522 @code{eval}ed. In any case, if this returns a non-@code{nil} value,
10523 then the style is said to @dfn{match}.
10525 Each style may contain a arbitrary amount of @dfn{attributes}. Each
10526 attribute consists of a @code{(@var{name} @var{value})} pair. The
10527 attribute name can be one of @code{signature}, @code{signature-file},
10528 @code{organization}, @code{address}, @code{name} or @code{body}. The
10529 attribute name can also be a string. In that case, this will be used as
10530 a header name, and the value will be inserted in the headers of the
10531 article; if the value is @code{nil}, the header name will be removed.
10532 If the attribute name is @code{eval}, the form is evaluated, and the
10533 result is thrown away.
10535 The attribute value can be a string (used verbatim), a function with
10536 zero arguments (the return value will be used), a variable (its value
10537 will be used) or a list (it will be @code{eval}ed and the return value
10538 will be used). The functions and sexps are called/@code{eval}ed in the
10539 message buffer that is being set up. The headers of the current article
10540 are available through the @code{message-reply-headers} variable.
10542 If you wish to check whether the message you are about to compose is
10543 meant to be a news article or a mail message, you can check the values
10544 of the @code{message-news-p} and @code{message-mail-p} functions.
10546 @findex message-mail-p
10547 @findex message-news-p
10549 So here's a new example:
10552 (setq gnus-posting-styles
10554 (signature-file "~/.signature")
10556 ("X-Home-Page" (getenv "WWW_HOME"))
10557 (organization "People's Front Against MWM"))
10559 (signature my-funny-signature-randomizer))
10560 ((equal (system-name) "gnarly")
10561 (signature my-quote-randomizer))
10563 (signature my-news-signature))
10564 (header "to" "larsi.*org"
10565 (Organization "Somewhere, Inc."))
10566 ((posting-from-work-p)
10567 (signature-file "~/.work-signature")
10568 (address "user@@bar.foo")
10569 (body "You are fired.\n\nSincerely, your boss.")
10570 (organization "Important Work, Inc"))
10572 (From (save-excursion
10573 (set-buffer gnus-article-buffer)
10574 (message-fetch-field "to"))))
10576 (signature-file "~/.mail-signature"))))
10579 The @samp{nnml:.*} rule means that you use the @code{To} address as the
10580 @code{From} address in all your outgoing replies, which might be handy
10581 if you fill many roles.
10588 If you are writing a message (mail or news) and suddenly remember that
10589 you have a steak in the oven (or some pesto in the food processor, you
10590 craaazy vegetarians), you'll probably wish there was a method to save
10591 the message you are writing so that you can continue editing it some
10592 other day, and send it when you feel its finished.
10594 Well, don't worry about it. Whenever you start composing a message of
10595 some sort using the Gnus mail and post commands, the buffer you get will
10596 automatically associate to an article in a special @dfn{draft} group.
10597 If you save the buffer the normal way (@kbd{C-x C-s}, for instance), the
10598 article will be saved there. (Auto-save files also go to the draft
10602 @vindex nndraft-directory
10603 The draft group is a special group (which is implemented as an
10604 @code{nndraft} group, if you absolutely have to know) called
10605 @samp{nndraft:drafts}. The variable @code{nndraft-directory} says where
10606 @code{nndraft} is to store its files. What makes this group special is
10607 that you can't tick any articles in it or mark any articles as
10608 read---all articles in the group are permanently unread.
10610 If the group doesn't exist, it will be created and you'll be subscribed
10611 to it. The only way to make it disappear from the Group buffer is to
10614 @c @findex gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft
10615 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Mail)
10616 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Post)
10617 @c @findex gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft
10618 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Mail)
10619 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Post)
10620 @c If you're writing some super-secret message that you later want to
10621 @c encode with PGP before sending, you may wish to turn the auto-saving
10622 @c (and association with the draft group) off. You never know who might be
10623 @c interested in reading all your extremely valuable and terribly horrible
10624 @c and interesting secrets. The @kbd{C-c M-d}
10625 @c (@code{gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft}) command does that for you.
10626 @c If you change your mind and want to turn the auto-saving back on again,
10627 @c @kbd{C-c C-d} (@code{gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft} does that.
10629 @c @vindex gnus-use-draft
10630 @c To leave association with the draft group off by default, set
10631 @c @code{gnus-use-draft} to @code{nil}. It is @code{t} by default.
10633 @findex gnus-draft-edit-message
10634 @kindex D e (Draft)
10635 When you want to continue editing the article, you simply enter the
10636 draft group and push @kbd{D e} (@code{gnus-draft-edit-message}) to do
10637 that. You will be placed in a buffer where you left off.
10639 Rejected articles will also be put in this draft group (@pxref{Rejected
10642 @findex gnus-draft-send-all-messages
10643 @findex gnus-draft-send-message
10644 If you have lots of rejected messages you want to post (or mail) without
10645 doing further editing, you can use the @kbd{D s} command
10646 (@code{gnus-draft-send-message}). This command understands the
10647 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). The @kbd{D S}
10648 command (@code{gnus-draft-send-all-messages}) will ship off all messages
10651 If you have some messages that you wish not to send, you can use the
10652 @kbd{D t} (@code{gnus-draft-toggle-sending}) command to mark the message
10653 as unsendable. This is a toggling command.
10656 @node Rejected Articles
10657 @section Rejected Articles
10658 @cindex rejected articles
10660 Sometimes a news server will reject an article. Perhaps the server
10661 doesn't like your face. Perhaps it just feels miserable. Perhaps
10662 @emph{there be demons}. Perhaps you have included too much cited text.
10663 Perhaps the disk is full. Perhaps the server is down.
10665 These situations are, of course, totally beyond the control of Gnus.
10666 (Gnus, of course, loves the way you look, always feels great, has angels
10667 fluttering around inside of it, doesn't care about how much cited text
10668 you include, never runs full and never goes down.) So Gnus saves these
10669 articles until some later time when the server feels better.
10671 The rejected articles will automatically be put in a special draft group
10672 (@pxref{Drafts}). When the server comes back up again, you'd then
10673 typically enter that group and send all the articles off.
10679 Gnus has an ALPHA support to GPG that's provided by @file{gpg.el}. See
10680 @code{mm-verify-option} and @code{mm-decrypt-option} to enable Gnus to
10681 verify or decrypt messages accordingly.
10683 To use this correctly with GPG, you'll need the following lisp code in your
10684 @file{~/.emacs} or @file{~/.gnus}:
10688 (setq mml2015-use 'gpg)
10689 (setq gpg-temp-directory (expand-file-name "~/.gnupg/tmp"))
10692 The @code{gpg-temp-directory} need to point to a directory with permissions set
10693 to 700, for your own safety.
10695 If you want to benefit of PGP2.6 compatibility, you might create a script named
10696 @file{gpg-2comp} with these instructions:
10700 exec gpg --rfc1991 "$@@"
10703 If you don't want to use such compatibility, you can add the following line to
10704 your @file{~/.emacs} or @file{~/.gnus}:
10707 (setq gpg-command-default-alist (quote ((gpg . "gpg") (gpg-2comp . "gpg"))))
10710 To sign or encrypt your message you may choose to use the MML Security
10711 menu or @kbd{C-c C-m s p} to sign your message using PGP/MIME,
10712 @kbd{C-c C-m s s} to sign your message using S/MIME. There's also
10713 @kbd{C-c C-m c p} to encrypt your message with PGP/MIME and @kbd{C-c
10714 C-m c s} to encrypt using S/MIME. @xref{Security, ,Security, message,
10715 The Message Manual}.
10717 Gnus will ask for your passphrase and then it will send your message, if
10718 you've typed it correctly.
10720 @node Select Methods
10721 @chapter Select Methods
10722 @cindex foreign groups
10723 @cindex select methods
10725 A @dfn{foreign group} is a group not read by the usual (or
10726 default) means. It could be, for instance, a group from a different
10727 @sc{nntp} server, it could be a virtual group, or it could be your own
10728 personal mail group.
10730 A foreign group (or any group, really) is specified by a @dfn{name} and
10731 a @dfn{select method}. To take the latter first, a select method is a
10732 list where the first element says what back end to use (e.g. @code{nntp},
10733 @code{nnspool}, @code{nnml}) and the second element is the @dfn{server
10734 name}. There may be additional elements in the select method, where the
10735 value may have special meaning for the back end in question.
10737 One could say that a select method defines a @dfn{virtual server}---so
10738 we do just that (@pxref{Server Buffer}).
10740 The @dfn{name} of the group is the name the back end will recognize the
10743 For instance, the group @samp{soc.motss} on the @sc{nntp} server
10744 @samp{some.where.edu} will have the name @samp{soc.motss} and select
10745 method @code{(nntp "some.where.edu")}. Gnus will call this group
10746 @samp{nntp+some.where.edu:soc.motss}, even though the @code{nntp}
10747 back end just knows this group as @samp{soc.motss}.
10749 The different methods all have their peculiarities, of course.
10752 * Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
10753 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
10754 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
10755 * Browsing the Web:: Getting messages from a plethora of Web sources.
10756 * IMAP:: Using Gnus as a @sc{imap} client.
10757 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
10758 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
10759 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
10763 @node Server Buffer
10764 @section Server Buffer
10766 Traditionally, a @dfn{server} is a machine or a piece of software that
10767 one connects to, and then requests information from. Gnus does not
10768 connect directly to any real servers, but does all transactions through
10769 one back end or other. But that's just putting one layer more between
10770 the actual media and Gnus, so we might just as well say that each
10771 back end represents a virtual server.
10773 For instance, the @code{nntp} back end may be used to connect to several
10774 different actual @sc{nntp} servers, or, perhaps, to many different ports
10775 on the same actual @sc{nntp} server. You tell Gnus which back end to
10776 use, and what parameters to set by specifying a @dfn{select method}.
10778 These select method specifications can sometimes become quite
10779 complicated---say, for instance, that you want to read from the
10780 @sc{nntp} server @samp{news.funet.fi} on port number 13, which
10781 hangs if queried for @sc{nov} headers and has a buggy select. Ahem.
10782 Anyway, if you had to specify that for each group that used this
10783 server, that would be too much work, so Gnus offers a way of naming
10784 select methods, which is what you do in the server buffer.
10786 To enter the server buffer, use the @kbd{^}
10787 (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}) command in the group buffer.
10790 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
10791 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
10792 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
10793 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
10794 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
10795 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
10796 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
10799 @vindex gnus-server-mode-hook
10800 @code{gnus-server-mode-hook} is run when creating the server buffer.
10803 @node Server Buffer Format
10804 @subsection Server Buffer Format
10805 @cindex server buffer format
10807 @vindex gnus-server-line-format
10808 You can change the look of the server buffer lines by changing the
10809 @code{gnus-server-line-format} variable. This is a @code{format}-like
10810 variable, with some simple extensions:
10815 How the news is fetched---the back end name.
10818 The name of this server.
10821 Where the news is to be fetched from---the address.
10824 The opened/closed/denied status of the server.
10827 @vindex gnus-server-mode-line-format
10828 The mode line can also be customized by using the
10829 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format} variable (@pxref{Mode Line
10830 Formatting}). The following specs are understood:
10840 Also @pxref{Formatting Variables}.
10843 @node Server Commands
10844 @subsection Server Commands
10845 @cindex server commands
10851 @findex gnus-server-add-server
10852 Add a new server (@code{gnus-server-add-server}).
10856 @findex gnus-server-edit-server
10857 Edit a server (@code{gnus-server-edit-server}).
10860 @kindex SPACE (Server)
10861 @findex gnus-server-read-server
10862 Browse the current server (@code{gnus-server-read-server}).
10866 @findex gnus-server-exit
10867 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-server-exit}).
10871 @findex gnus-server-kill-server
10872 Kill the current server (@code{gnus-server-kill-server}).
10876 @findex gnus-server-yank-server
10877 Yank the previously killed server (@code{gnus-server-yank-server}).
10881 @findex gnus-server-copy-server
10882 Copy the current server (@code{gnus-server-copy-server}).
10886 @findex gnus-server-list-servers
10887 List all servers (@code{gnus-server-list-servers}).
10891 @findex gnus-server-scan-server
10892 Request that the server scan its sources for new articles
10893 (@code{gnus-server-scan-server}). This is mainly sensible with mail
10898 @findex gnus-server-regenerate-server
10899 Request that the server regenerate all its data structures
10900 (@code{gnus-server-regenerate-server}). This can be useful if you have
10901 a mail back end that has gotten out of sync.
10906 @node Example Methods
10907 @subsection Example Methods
10909 Most select methods are pretty simple and self-explanatory:
10912 (nntp "news.funet.fi")
10915 Reading directly from the spool is even simpler:
10921 As you can see, the first element in a select method is the name of the
10922 back end, and the second is the @dfn{address}, or @dfn{name}, if you
10925 After these two elements, there may be an arbitrary number of
10926 @code{(@var{variable} @var{form})} pairs.
10928 To go back to the first example---imagine that you want to read from
10929 port 15 on that machine. This is what the select method should
10933 (nntp "news.funet.fi" (nntp-port-number 15))
10936 You should read the documentation to each back end to find out what
10937 variables are relevant, but here's an @code{nnmh} example:
10939 @code{nnmh} is a mail back end that reads a spool-like structure. Say
10940 you have two structures that you wish to access: One is your private
10941 mail spool, and the other is a public one. Here's the possible spec for
10945 (nnmh "private" (nnmh-directory "~/private/mail/"))
10948 (This server is then called @samp{private}, but you may have guessed
10951 Here's the method for a public spool:
10955 (nnmh-directory "/usr/information/spool/")
10956 (nnmh-get-new-mail nil))
10962 If you are behind a firewall and only have access to the @sc{nntp}
10963 server from the firewall machine, you can instruct Gnus to @code{rlogin}
10964 on the firewall machine and telnet from there to the @sc{nntp} server.
10965 Doing this can be rather fiddly, but your virtual server definition
10966 should probably look something like this:
10970 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet)
10971 (nntp-via-address "the.firewall.machine")
10972 (nntp-address "the.real.nntp.host")
10973 (nntp-end-of-line "\n"))
10976 If you want to use the wonderful @code{ssh} program to provide a
10977 compressed connection over the modem line, you could add the following
10978 configuration to the example above:
10981 (nntp-via-rlogin-command "ssh")
10984 If you're behind a firewall, but have direct access to the outside world
10985 through a wrapper command like "runsocks", you could open a socksified
10986 telnet connection to the news server as follows:
10990 (nntp-pre-command "runsocks")
10991 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-via-telnet)
10992 (nntp-address "the.news.server")
10993 (nntp-end-of-line "\n"))
10996 This means that you have to have set up @code{ssh-agent} correctly to
10997 provide automatic authorization, of course. And to get a compressed
10998 connection, you have to have the @samp{Compression} option in the
10999 @code{ssh} @file{config} file.
11002 @node Creating a Virtual Server
11003 @subsection Creating a Virtual Server
11005 If you're saving lots of articles in the cache by using persistent
11006 articles, you may want to create a virtual server to read the cache.
11008 First you need to add a new server. The @kbd{a} command does that. It
11009 would probably be best to use @code{nnspool} to read the cache. You
11010 could also use @code{nnml} or @code{nnmh}, though.
11012 Type @kbd{a nnspool RET cache RET}.
11014 You should now have a brand new @code{nnspool} virtual server called
11015 @samp{cache}. You now need to edit it to have the right definitions.
11016 Type @kbd{e} to edit the server. You'll be entered into a buffer that
11017 will contain the following:
11027 (nnspool-spool-directory "~/News/cache/")
11028 (nnspool-nov-directory "~/News/cache/")
11029 (nnspool-active-file "~/News/cache/active"))
11032 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to return to the server buffer. If you now press
11033 @kbd{RET} over this virtual server, you should be entered into a browse
11034 buffer, and you should be able to enter any of the groups displayed.
11037 @node Server Variables
11038 @subsection Server Variables
11040 One sticky point when defining variables (both on back ends and in Emacs
11041 in general) is that some variables are typically initialized from other
11042 variables when the definition of the variables is being loaded. If you
11043 change the "base" variable after the variables have been loaded, you
11044 won't change the "derived" variables.
11046 This typically affects directory and file variables. For instance,
11047 @code{nnml-directory} is @file{~/Mail/} by default, and all @code{nnml}
11048 directory variables are initialized from that variable, so
11049 @code{nnml-active-file} will be @file{~/Mail/active}. If you define a
11050 new virtual @code{nnml} server, it will @emph{not} suffice to set just
11051 @code{nnml-directory}---you have to explicitly set all the file
11052 variables to be what you want them to be. For a complete list of
11053 variables for each back end, see each back end's section later in this
11054 manual, but here's an example @code{nnml} definition:
11058 (nnml-directory "~/my-mail/")
11059 (nnml-active-file "~/my-mail/active")
11060 (nnml-newsgroups-file "~/my-mail/newsgroups"))
11064 @node Servers and Methods
11065 @subsection Servers and Methods
11067 Wherever you would normally use a select method
11068 (e.g. @code{gnus-secondary-select-method}, in the group select method,
11069 when browsing a foreign server) you can use a virtual server name
11070 instead. This could potentially save lots of typing. And it's nice all
11074 @node Unavailable Servers
11075 @subsection Unavailable Servers
11077 If a server seems to be unreachable, Gnus will mark that server as
11078 @code{denied}. That means that any subsequent attempt to make contact
11079 with that server will just be ignored. ``It can't be opened,'' Gnus
11080 will tell you, without making the least effort to see whether that is
11081 actually the case or not.
11083 That might seem quite naughty, but it does make sense most of the time.
11084 Let's say you have 10 groups subscribed to on server
11085 @samp{nephelococcygia.com}. This server is located somewhere quite far
11086 away from you and the machine is quite slow, so it takes 1 minute just
11087 to find out that it refuses connection to you today. If Gnus were to
11088 attempt to do that 10 times, you'd be quite annoyed, so Gnus won't
11089 attempt to do that. Once it has gotten a single ``connection refused'',
11090 it will regard that server as ``down''.
11092 So, what happens if the machine was only feeling unwell temporarily?
11093 How do you test to see whether the machine has come up again?
11095 You jump to the server buffer (@pxref{Server Buffer}) and poke it
11096 with the following commands:
11102 @findex gnus-server-open-server
11103 Try to establish connection to the server on the current line
11104 (@code{gnus-server-open-server}).
11108 @findex gnus-server-close-server
11109 Close the connection (if any) to the server
11110 (@code{gnus-server-close-server}).
11114 @findex gnus-server-deny-server
11115 Mark the current server as unreachable
11116 (@code{gnus-server-deny-server}).
11119 @kindex M-o (Server)
11120 @findex gnus-server-open-all-servers
11121 Open the connections to all servers in the buffer
11122 (@code{gnus-server-open-all-servers}).
11125 @kindex M-c (Server)
11126 @findex gnus-server-close-all-servers
11127 Close the connections to all servers in the buffer
11128 (@code{gnus-server-close-all-servers}).
11132 @findex gnus-server-remove-denials
11133 Remove all marks to whether Gnus was denied connection from any servers
11134 (@code{gnus-server-remove-denials}).
11140 @section Getting News
11141 @cindex reading news
11142 @cindex news back ends
11144 A newsreader is normally used for reading news. Gnus currently provides
11145 only two methods of getting news---it can read from an @sc{nntp} server,
11146 or it can read from a local spool.
11149 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
11150 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
11155 @subsection @sc{nntp}
11158 Subscribing to a foreign group from an @sc{nntp} server is rather easy.
11159 You just specify @code{nntp} as method and the address of the @sc{nntp}
11160 server as the, uhm, address.
11162 If the @sc{nntp} server is located at a non-standard port, setting the
11163 third element of the select method to this port number should allow you
11164 to connect to the right port. You'll have to edit the group info for
11165 that (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
11167 The name of the foreign group can be the same as a native group. In
11168 fact, you can subscribe to the same group from as many different servers
11169 you feel like. There will be no name collisions.
11171 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nntp}
11176 @item nntp-server-opened-hook
11177 @vindex nntp-server-opened-hook
11178 @cindex @sc{mode reader}
11180 @cindex authentification
11181 @cindex nntp authentification
11182 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
11183 @findex nntp-send-mode-reader
11184 is run after a connection has been made. It can be used to send
11185 commands to the @sc{nntp} server after it has been contacted. By
11186 default it sends the command @code{MODE READER} to the server with the
11187 @code{nntp-send-mode-reader} function. This function should always be
11188 present in this hook.
11190 @item nntp-authinfo-function
11191 @vindex nntp-authinfo-function
11192 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
11193 @vindex nntp-authinfo-file
11194 This function will be used to send @samp{AUTHINFO} to the @sc{nntp}
11195 server. The default function is @code{nntp-send-authinfo}, which looks
11196 through your @file{~/.authinfo} (or whatever you've set the
11197 @code{nntp-authinfo-file} variable to) for applicable entries. If none
11198 are found, it will prompt you for a login name and a password. The
11199 format of the @file{~/.authinfo} file is (almost) the same as the
11200 @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file, which is defined in the @code{ftp}
11201 manual page, but here are the salient facts:
11205 The file contains one or more line, each of which define one server.
11208 Each line may contain an arbitrary number of token/value pairs.
11210 The valid tokens include @samp{machine}, @samp{login}, @samp{password},
11211 @samp{default}. In addition Gnus introduces two new tokens, not present
11212 in the original @file{.netrc}/@code{ftp} syntax, namely @samp{port} and
11213 @samp{force}. (This is the only way the @file{.authinfo} file format
11214 deviates from the @file{.netrc} file format.) @samp{port} is used to
11215 indicate what port on the server the credentials apply to and
11216 @samp{force} is explained below.
11220 Here's an example file:
11223 machine news.uio.no login larsi password geheimnis
11224 machine nntp.ifi.uio.no login larsi force yes
11227 The token/value pairs may appear in any order; @samp{machine} doesn't
11228 have to be first, for instance.
11230 In this example, both login name and password have been supplied for the
11231 former server, while the latter has only the login name listed, and the
11232 user will be prompted for the password. The latter also has the
11233 @samp{force} tag, which means that the authinfo will be sent to the
11234 @var{nntp} server upon connection; the default (i.e., when there is not
11235 @samp{force} tag) is to not send authinfo to the @var{nntp} server
11236 until the @var{nntp} server asks for it.
11238 You can also add @samp{default} lines that will apply to all servers
11239 that don't have matching @samp{machine} lines.
11245 This will force sending @samp{AUTHINFO} commands to all servers not
11246 previously mentioned.
11248 Remember to not leave the @file{~/.authinfo} file world-readable.
11250 @item nntp-server-action-alist
11251 @vindex nntp-server-action-alist
11252 This is a list of regexps to match on server types and actions to be
11253 taken when matches are made. For instance, if you want Gnus to beep
11254 every time you connect to innd, you could say something like:
11257 (setq nntp-server-action-alist
11258 '(("innd" (ding))))
11261 You probably don't want to do that, though.
11263 The default value is
11266 '(("nntpd 1\\.5\\.11t"
11267 (remove-hook 'nntp-server-opened-hook
11268 'nntp-send-mode-reader)))
11271 This ensures that Gnus doesn't send the @code{MODE READER} command to
11272 nntpd 1.5.11t, since that command chokes that server, I've been told.
11274 @item nntp-maximum-request
11275 @vindex nntp-maximum-request
11276 If the @sc{nntp} server doesn't support @sc{nov} headers, this back end
11277 will collect headers by sending a series of @code{head} commands. To
11278 speed things up, the back end sends lots of these commands without
11279 waiting for reply, and then reads all the replies. This is controlled
11280 by the @code{nntp-maximum-request} variable, and is 400 by default. If
11281 your network is buggy, you should set this to 1.
11283 @item nntp-connection-timeout
11284 @vindex nntp-connection-timeout
11285 If you have lots of foreign @code{nntp} groups that you connect to
11286 regularly, you're sure to have problems with @sc{nntp} servers not
11287 responding properly, or being too loaded to reply within reasonable
11288 time. This is can lead to awkward problems, which can be helped
11289 somewhat by setting @code{nntp-connection-timeout}. This is an integer
11290 that says how many seconds the @code{nntp} back end should wait for a
11291 connection before giving up. If it is @code{nil}, which is the default,
11292 no timeouts are done.
11294 @c @item nntp-command-timeout
11295 @c @vindex nntp-command-timeout
11296 @c @cindex PPP connections
11297 @c @cindex dynamic IP addresses
11298 @c If you're running Gnus on a machine that has a dynamically assigned
11299 @c address, Gnus may become confused. If the address of your machine
11300 @c changes after connecting to the @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will simply sit
11301 @c waiting forever for replies from the server. To help with this
11302 @c unfortunate problem, you can set this command to a number. Gnus will
11303 @c then, if it sits waiting for a reply from the server longer than that
11304 @c number of seconds, shut down the connection, start a new one, and resend
11305 @c the command. This should hopefully be transparent to the user. A
11306 @c likely number is 30 seconds.
11308 @c @item nntp-retry-on-break
11309 @c @vindex nntp-retry-on-break
11310 @c If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you can also @kbd{C-g} if Gnus
11311 @c hangs. This will have much the same effect as the command timeout
11312 @c described above.
11314 @item nntp-server-hook
11315 @vindex nntp-server-hook
11316 This hook is run as the last step when connecting to an @sc{nntp}
11319 @item nntp-buggy-select
11320 @vindex nntp-buggy-select
11321 Set this to non-@code{nil} if your select routine is buggy.
11323 @item nntp-nov-is-evil
11324 @vindex nntp-nov-is-evil
11325 If the @sc{nntp} server does not support @sc{nov}, you could set this
11326 variable to @code{t}, but @code{nntp} usually checks automatically whether @sc{nov}
11329 @item nntp-xover-commands
11330 @vindex nntp-xover-commands
11333 List of strings used as commands to fetch @sc{nov} lines from a
11334 server. The default value of this variable is @code{("XOVER"
11338 @vindex nntp-nov-gap
11339 @code{nntp} normally sends just one big request for @sc{nov} lines to
11340 the server. The server responds with one huge list of lines. However,
11341 if you have read articles 2-5000 in the group, and only want to read
11342 article 1 and 5001, that means that @code{nntp} will fetch 4999 @sc{nov}
11343 lines that you will not need. This variable says how
11344 big a gap between two consecutive articles is allowed to be before the
11345 @code{XOVER} request is split into several request. Note that if your
11346 network is fast, setting this variable to a really small number means
11347 that fetching will probably be slower. If this variable is @code{nil},
11348 @code{nntp} will never split requests. The default is 5.
11350 @item nntp-prepare-server-hook
11351 @vindex nntp-prepare-server-hook
11352 A hook run before attempting to connect to an @sc{nntp} server.
11354 @item nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
11355 @vindex nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
11356 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, some noise will be made when a
11357 server closes connection.
11359 @item nntp-record-commands
11360 @vindex nntp-record-commands
11361 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nntp} will log all commands it sends to the
11362 @sc{nntp} server (along with a timestamp) in the @samp{*nntp-log*}
11363 buffer. This is useful if you are debugging a Gnus/@sc{nntp} connection
11364 that doesn't seem to work.
11366 @item nntp-open-connection-function
11367 @vindex nntp-open-connection-function
11368 It is possible to customize how the connection to the nntp server will
11369 be opened. If you specify an @code{nntp-open-connection-function}
11370 parameter, Gnus will use that function to establish the connection.
11371 Five pre-made functions are supplied. These functions can be grouped in
11372 two categories: direct connection functions (three pre-made), and
11373 indirect ones (two pre-made).
11375 @item nntp-prepare-post-hook
11376 @vindex nntp-prepare-post-hook
11377 A hook run just before posting an article. If there is no
11378 @code{Message-ID} header in the article and the news server provides the
11379 recommended ID, it will be added to the article before running this
11380 hook. It is useful to make @code{Cancel-Lock} headers even if you
11381 inhibit Gnus to add a @code{Message-ID} header, you could say:
11384 (add-hook 'nntp-prepare-post-hook 'canlock-insert-header)
11389 * Direct Functions:: Connecting directly to the server.
11390 * Indirect Functions:: Connecting indirectly to the server.
11391 * Common Variables:: Understood by several connection functions.
11395 @node Direct Functions
11396 @subsubsection Direct Functions
11397 @cindex direct connection functions
11399 These functions are called direct because they open a direct connection
11400 between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server. The behavior of these
11401 functions is also affected by commonly understood variables
11402 (@pxref{Common Variables}).
11405 @findex nntp-open-network-stream
11406 @item nntp-open-network-stream
11407 This is the default, and simply connects to some port or other on the
11410 @findex nntp-open-ssl-stream
11411 @item nntp-open-ssl-stream
11412 Opens a connection to a server over a @dfn{secure} channel. To use
11413 this you must have OpenSSL (@uref{http://www.openssl.org}) or SSLeay
11414 installed (@uref{ftp://ftp.psy.uq.oz.au/pub/Crypto/SSL}, and you also
11415 need @file{ssl.el} (from the W3 distribution, for instance). You then
11416 define a server as follows:
11419 ;; Type `C-c C-c' after you've finished editing.
11421 ;; "snews" is port 563 and is predefined in our /etc/services
11423 (nntp "snews.bar.com"
11424 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-ssl-stream)
11425 (nntp-port-number "snews")
11426 (nntp-address "snews.bar.com"))
11429 @findex nntp-open-telnet-stream
11430 @item nntp-open-telnet-stream
11431 Opens a connection to an @sc{nntp} server by simply @samp{telnet}'ing
11432 it. You might wonder why this function exists, since we have the
11433 default @code{nntp-open-network-stream} which would do the job. (One
11434 of) the reason(s) is that if you are behind a firewall but have direct
11435 connections to the outside world thanks to a command wrapper like
11436 @code{runsocks}, you can use it like this:
11440 (nntp-pre-command "runsocks")
11441 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-telnet-stream)
11442 (nntp-address "the.news.server"))
11445 With the default method, you would need to wrap your whole Emacs
11446 session, which is not a good idea.
11450 @node Indirect Functions
11451 @subsubsection Indirect Functions
11452 @cindex indirect connection functions
11454 These functions are called indirect because they connect to an
11455 intermediate host before actually connecting to the @sc{nntp} server.
11456 All of these functions and related variables are also said to belong to
11457 the "via" family of connection: they're all prefixed with "via" to make
11458 things cleaner. The behavior of these functions is also affected by
11459 commonly understood variables (@pxref{Common Variables}).
11462 @item nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet
11463 @findex nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet
11464 Does an @samp{rlogin} on a remote system, and then does a @samp{telnet}
11465 to the real @sc{nntp} server from there. This is useful for instance if
11466 you need to connect to a firewall machine first.
11468 @code{nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet}-specific variables:
11471 @item nntp-via-rlogin-command
11472 @vindex nntp-via-rlogin-command
11473 Command used to log in on the intermediate host. The default is
11474 @samp{rsh}, but @samp{ssh} is a popular alternative.
11477 @item nntp-open-via-telnet-and-telnet
11478 @findex nntp-open-via-telnet-and-telnet
11479 Does essentially the same, but uses @samp{telnet} instead of
11480 @samp{rlogin} to connect to the intermediate host.
11482 @code{nntp-open-via-telnet-and-telnet}-specific variables:
11485 @item nntp-via-telnet-command
11486 @vindex nntp-via-telnet-command
11487 Command used to @code{telnet} the intermediate host. The default is
11490 @item nntp-via-telnet-switches
11491 @vindex nntp-via-telnet-switches
11492 List of strings to be used as the switches to the
11493 @code{nntp-via-telnet-command} command. The default is @samp{("-8")}.
11495 @item nntp-via-user-password
11496 @vindex nntp-via-user-password
11497 Password to use when logging in on the intermediate host.
11499 @item nntp-via-envuser
11500 @vindex nntp-via-envuser
11501 If non-@code{nil}, the intermediate @code{telnet} session (client and
11502 server both) will support the @code{ENVIRON} option and not prompt for
11503 login name. This works for Solaris @code{telnet}, for instance.
11505 @item nntp-via-shell-prompt
11506 @vindex nntp-via-shell-prompt
11507 Regexp matching the shell prompt on the intermediate host. The default
11508 is @samp{bash\\|\$ *\r?$\\|> *\r?}.
11515 Here are some additional variables that are understood by all the above
11520 @item nntp-via-user-name
11521 @vindex nntp-via-user-name
11522 User name to use when connecting to the intermediate host.
11524 @item nntp-via-address
11525 @vindex nntp-via-address
11526 Address of the intermediate host to connect to.
11531 @node Common Variables
11532 @subsubsection Common Variables
11534 The following variables affect the behavior of all, or several of the
11535 pre-made connection functions. When not specified, all functions are
11540 @item nntp-pre-command
11541 @vindex nntp-pre-command
11542 A command wrapper to use when connecting through a non native connection
11543 function (all except @code{nntp-open-network-stream} and
11544 @code{nntp-open-ssl-stream}. This is where you would put a @samp{SOCKS}
11545 wrapper for instance.
11548 @vindex nntp-address
11549 The address of the @sc{nntp} server.
11551 @item nntp-port-number
11552 @vindex nntp-port-number
11553 Port number to connect to the @sc{nntp} server. The default is @samp{nntp}.
11555 @item nntp-end-of-line
11556 @vindex nntp-end-of-line
11557 String to use as end-of-line marker when talking to the @sc{nntp}
11558 server. This is @samp{\r\n} by default, but should be @samp{\n} when
11559 using a non native connection function.
11561 @item nntp-telnet-command
11562 @vindex nntp-telnet-command
11563 Command to use when connecting to the @sc{nntp} server through
11564 @samp{telnet}. This is NOT for an intermediate host. This is just for
11565 the real @sc{nntp} server. The default is @samp{telnet}.
11567 @item nntp-telnet-switches
11568 @vindex nntp-telnet-switches
11569 A list of switches to pass to @code{nntp-telnet-command}. The default
11576 @subsection News Spool
11580 Subscribing to a foreign group from the local spool is extremely easy,
11581 and might be useful, for instance, to speed up reading groups that
11582 contain very big articles---@samp{alt.binaries.pictures.furniture}, for
11585 Anyway, you just specify @code{nnspool} as the method and @code{""} (or
11586 anything else) as the address.
11588 If you have access to a local spool, you should probably use that as the
11589 native select method (@pxref{Finding the News}). It is normally faster
11590 than using an @code{nntp} select method, but might not be. It depends.
11591 You just have to try to find out what's best at your site.
11595 @item nnspool-inews-program
11596 @vindex nnspool-inews-program
11597 Program used to post an article.
11599 @item nnspool-inews-switches
11600 @vindex nnspool-inews-switches
11601 Parameters given to the inews program when posting an article.
11603 @item nnspool-spool-directory
11604 @vindex nnspool-spool-directory
11605 Where @code{nnspool} looks for the articles. This is normally
11606 @file{/usr/spool/news/}.
11608 @item nnspool-nov-directory
11609 @vindex nnspool-nov-directory
11610 Where @code{nnspool} will look for @sc{nov} files. This is normally
11611 @file{/usr/spool/news/over.view/}.
11613 @item nnspool-lib-dir
11614 @vindex nnspool-lib-dir
11615 Where the news lib dir is (@file{/usr/lib/news/} by default).
11617 @item nnspool-active-file
11618 @vindex nnspool-active-file
11619 The path to the active file.
11621 @item nnspool-newsgroups-file
11622 @vindex nnspool-newsgroups-file
11623 The path to the group descriptions file.
11625 @item nnspool-history-file
11626 @vindex nnspool-history-file
11627 The path to the news history file.
11629 @item nnspool-active-times-file
11630 @vindex nnspool-active-times-file
11631 The path to the active date file.
11633 @item nnspool-nov-is-evil
11634 @vindex nnspool-nov-is-evil
11635 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnspool} won't try to use any @sc{nov} files
11638 @item nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
11639 @vindex nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
11641 If non-@code{nil}, which is the default, use @code{sed} to get the
11642 relevant portion from the overview file. If nil, @code{nnspool} will
11643 load the entire file into a buffer and process it there.
11649 @section Getting Mail
11650 @cindex reading mail
11653 Reading mail with a newsreader---isn't that just plain WeIrD? But of
11657 * Mail in a Newsreader:: Important introductory notes.
11658 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
11659 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
11660 * Mail Sources:: How to tell Gnus where to get mail from.
11661 * Mail Back End Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
11662 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
11663 * Group Mail Splitting:: Use group customize to drive mail splitting.
11664 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
11665 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
11666 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
11667 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
11668 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail back ends for reading other files.
11669 * Choosing a Mail Back End:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
11670 * Archiving Mail:: How to backup your mail.
11674 @node Mail in a Newsreader
11675 @subsection Mail in a Newsreader
11677 If you are used to traditional mail readers, but have decided to switch
11678 to reading mail with Gnus, you may find yourself experiencing something
11679 of a culture shock.
11681 Gnus does not behave like traditional mail readers. If you want to make
11682 it behave that way, you can, but it's an uphill battle.
11684 Gnus, by default, handles all its groups using the same approach. This
11685 approach is very newsreaderly---you enter a group, see the new/unread
11686 messages, and when you read the messages, they get marked as read, and
11687 you don't see them any more. (Unless you explicitly ask for them.)
11689 In particular, you do not do anything explicitly to delete messages.
11691 Does this mean that all the messages that have been marked as read are
11692 deleted? How awful!
11694 But, no, it means that old messages are @dfn{expired} according to some
11695 scheme or other. For news messages, the expire process is controlled by
11696 the news administrator; for mail, the expire process is controlled by
11697 you. The expire process for mail is covered in depth in @pxref{Expiring
11700 What many Gnus users find, after using it a while for both news and
11701 mail, is that the transport mechanism has very little to do with how
11702 they want to treat a message.
11704 Many people subscribe to several mailing lists. These are transported
11705 via SMTP, and are therefore mail. But we might go for weeks without
11706 answering, or even reading these messages very carefully. We may not
11707 need to save them because if we should need to read one again, they are
11708 archived somewhere else.
11710 Some people have local news groups which have only a handful of readers.
11711 These are transported via @sc{nntp}, and are therefore news. But we may need
11712 to read and answer a large fraction of the messages very carefully in
11713 order to do our work. And there may not be an archive, so we may need
11714 to save the interesting messages the same way we would personal mail.
11716 The important distinction turns out to be not the transport mechanism,
11717 but other factors such as how interested we are in the subject matter,
11718 or how easy it is to retrieve the message if we need to read it again.
11720 Gnus provides many options for sorting mail into ``groups'' which behave
11721 like newsgroups, and for treating each group (whether mail or news)
11724 Some users never get comfortable using the Gnus (ahem) paradigm and wish
11725 that Gnus should grow up and be a male, er, mail reader. It is possible
11726 to whip Gnus into a more mailreaderly being, but, as said before, it's
11727 not easy. People who prefer proper mail readers should try @sc{vm}
11728 instead, which is an excellent, and proper, mail reader.
11730 I don't mean to scare anybody off, but I want to make it clear that you
11731 may be required to learn a new way of thinking about messages. After
11732 you've been subjected to The Gnus Way, you will come to love it. I can
11733 guarantee it. (At least the guy who sold me the Emacs Subliminal
11734 Brain-Washing Functions that I've put into Gnus did guarantee it. You
11735 Will Be Assimilated. You Love Gnus. You Love The Gnus Mail Way.
11739 @node Getting Started Reading Mail
11740 @subsection Getting Started Reading Mail
11742 It's quite easy to use Gnus to read your new mail. You just plonk the
11743 mail back end of your choice into @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods},
11744 and things will happen automatically.
11746 For instance, if you want to use @code{nnml} (which is a "one file per
11747 mail" back end), you could put the following in your @file{.gnus} file:
11750 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
11753 Now, the next time you start Gnus, this back end will be queried for new
11754 articles, and it will move all the messages in your spool file to its
11755 directory, which is @code{~/Mail/} by default. The new group that will
11756 be created (@samp{mail.misc}) will be subscribed, and you can read it
11757 like any other group.
11759 You will probably want to split the mail into several groups, though:
11762 (setq nnmail-split-methods
11763 '(("junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
11764 ("crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
11768 This will result in three new @code{nnml} mail groups being created:
11769 @samp{nnml:junk}, @samp{nnml:crazy}, and @samp{nnml:other}. All the
11770 mail that doesn't fit into the first two groups will be placed in the
11773 This should be sufficient for reading mail with Gnus. You might want to
11774 give the other sections in this part of the manual a perusal, though.
11775 Especially @pxref{Choosing a Mail Back End} and @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
11778 @node Splitting Mail
11779 @subsection Splitting Mail
11780 @cindex splitting mail
11781 @cindex mail splitting
11783 @vindex nnmail-split-methods
11784 The @code{nnmail-split-methods} variable says how the incoming mail is
11785 to be split into groups.
11788 (setq nnmail-split-methods
11789 '(("mail.junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
11790 ("mail.crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
11791 ("mail.other" "")))
11794 This variable is a list of lists, where the first element of each of
11795 these lists is the name of the mail group (they do not have to be called
11796 something beginning with @samp{mail}, by the way), and the second
11797 element is a regular expression used on the header of each mail to
11798 determine if it belongs in this mail group. The first string may
11799 contain @samp{\\1} forms, like the ones used by @code{replace-match} to
11800 insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For instance:
11803 ("list.\\1" "From:.* \\(.*\\)-list@@majordomo.com")
11806 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
11807 called narrowed to the headers with the first element of the rule as the
11808 argument. It should return a non-@code{nil} value if it thinks that the
11809 mail belongs in that group.
11811 The last of these groups should always be a general one, and the regular
11812 expression should @emph{always} be @samp{} so that it matches any mails
11813 that haven't been matched by any of the other regexps. (These rules are
11814 processed from the beginning of the alist toward the end. The first
11815 rule to make a match will "win", unless you have crossposting enabled.
11816 In that case, all matching rules will "win".)
11818 If you like to tinker with this yourself, you can set this variable to a
11819 function of your choice. This function will be called without any
11820 arguments in a buffer narrowed to the headers of an incoming mail
11821 message. The function should return a list of group names that it
11822 thinks should carry this mail message.
11824 Note that the mail back ends are free to maul the poor, innocent,
11825 incoming headers all they want to. They all add @code{Lines} headers;
11826 some add @code{X-Gnus-Group} headers; most rename the Unix mbox
11827 @code{From<SPACE>} line to something else.
11829 @vindex nnmail-crosspost
11830 The mail back ends all support cross-posting. If several regexps match,
11831 the mail will be ``cross-posted'' to all those groups.
11832 @code{nnmail-crosspost} says whether to use this mechanism or not. Note
11833 that no articles are crossposted to the general (@samp{}) group.
11835 @vindex nnmail-crosspost-link-function
11838 @code{nnmh} and @code{nnml} makes crossposts by creating hard links to
11839 the crossposted articles. However, not all file systems support hard
11840 links. If that's the case for you, set
11841 @code{nnmail-crosspost-link-function} to @code{copy-file}. (This
11842 variable is @code{add-name-to-file} by default.)
11844 @kindex M-x nnmail-split-history
11845 @kindex nnmail-split-history
11846 If you wish to see where the previous mail split put the messages, you
11847 can use the @kbd{M-x nnmail-split-history} command. If you wish to see
11848 where re-spooling messages would put the messages, you can use
11849 @code{gnus-summary-respool-trace} and related commands (@pxref{Mail
11852 Gnus gives you all the opportunity you could possibly want for shooting
11853 yourself in the foot. Let's say you create a group that will contain
11854 all the mail you get from your boss. And then you accidentally
11855 unsubscribe from the group. Gnus will still put all the mail from your
11856 boss in the unsubscribed group, and so, when your boss mails you ``Have
11857 that report ready by Monday or you're fired!'', you'll never see it and,
11858 come Tuesday, you'll still believe that you're gainfully employed while
11859 you really should be out collecting empty bottles to save up for next
11860 month's rent money.
11864 @subsection Mail Sources
11866 Mail can be gotten from many different sources---the mail spool, from a
11867 POP mail server, from a procmail directory, or from a maildir, for
11871 * Mail Source Specifiers:: How to specify what a mail source is.
11872 * Mail Source Customization:: Some variables that influence things.
11873 * Fetching Mail:: Using the mail source specifiers.
11877 @node Mail Source Specifiers
11878 @subsubsection Mail Source Specifiers
11880 @cindex mail server
11883 @cindex mail source
11885 You tell Gnus how to fetch mail by setting @code{mail-sources}
11886 (@pxref{Fetching Mail}) to a @dfn{mail source specifier}.
11891 (pop :server "pop3.mailserver.com" :user "myname")
11894 As can be observed, a mail source specifier is a list where the first
11895 element is a @dfn{mail source type}, followed by an arbitrary number of
11896 @dfn{keywords}. Keywords that are not explicitly specified are given
11899 The following mail source types are available:
11903 Get mail from a single file; typically from the mail spool.
11909 The path of the file. Defaults to the value of the @code{MAIL}
11910 environment variable or @file{/usr/mail/spool/user-name}.
11913 An example file mail source:
11916 (file :path "/usr/spool/mail/user-name")
11919 Or using the default path:
11925 If the mail spool file is not located on the local machine, it's best to
11926 use POP or @sc{imap} or the like to fetch the mail. You can not use ange-ftp
11927 file names here---it has no way to lock the mail spool while moving the
11930 If it's impossible to set up a proper server, you can use ssh instead.
11934 '((file :prescript "ssh host bin/getmail >%t")))
11937 The @samp{getmail} script would look something like the following:
11941 # getmail - move mail from spool to stdout
11944 MOVEMAIL=/usr/lib/emacs/20.3/i386-redhat-linux/movemail
11946 rm -f $TMP; $MOVEMAIL $MAIL $TMP >/dev/null && cat $TMP
11949 Alter this script to fit find the @samp{movemail} you want to use.
11953 Get mail from several files in a directory. This is typically used
11954 when you have procmail split the incoming mail into several files.
11955 That is, mail from the file @file{foo.bar.spool} will be put in the
11956 group @code{foo.bar}. (You can change the suffix to be used instead
11957 of @code{.spool}.) Setting
11958 @code{nnmail-scan-directory-mail-source-once} to non-nil forces Gnus
11959 to scan the mail source only once. This is particularly useful if you
11960 want to scan mail groups at a specified level.
11966 The path of the directory where the files are. There is no default
11970 Only files ending with this suffix are used. The default is
11974 Only files that have this predicate return non-@code{nil} are returned.
11975 The default is @code{identity}. This is used as an additional
11976 filter---only files that have the right suffix @emph{and} satisfy this
11977 predicate are considered.
11981 Script run before/after fetching mail.
11985 An example directory mail source:
11988 (directory :path "/home/user-name/procmail-dir/"
11993 Get mail from a POP server.
11999 The name of the POP server. The default is taken from the
12000 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable.
12003 The port number of the POP server. This can be a number (eg,
12004 @samp{:port 1234}) or a string (eg, @samp{:port "pop3"}). If it is a
12005 string, it should be a service name as listed in @file{/etc/services} on
12006 Unix systems. The default is @samp{"pop3"}. On some systems you might
12007 need to specify it as @samp{"pop-3"} instead.
12010 The user name to give to the POP server. The default is the login
12014 The password to give to the POP server. If not specified, the user is
12018 The program to use to fetch mail from the POP server. This should be
12019 a @code{format}-like string. Here's an example:
12022 fetchmail %u@@%s -P %p %t
12025 The valid format specifier characters are:
12029 The name of the file the mail is to be moved to. This must always be
12030 included in this string.
12033 The name of the server.
12036 The port number of the server.
12039 The user name to use.
12042 The password to use.
12045 The values used for these specs are taken from the values you give the
12046 corresponding keywords.
12049 A script to be run before fetching the mail. The syntax is the same as
12050 the @code{:program} keyword. This can also be a function to be run.
12053 A script to be run after fetching the mail. The syntax is the same as
12054 the @code{:program} keyword. This can also be a function to be run.
12057 The function to use to fetch mail from the POP server. The function is
12058 called with one parameter---the name of the file where the mail should
12061 @item :authentication
12062 This can be either the symbol @code{password} or the symbol @code{apop}
12063 and says what authentication scheme to use. The default is
12068 If the @code{:program} and @code{:function} keywords aren't specified,
12069 @code{pop3-movemail} will be used.
12071 Here are some examples. Fetch from the default POP server, using the
12072 default user name, and default fetcher:
12078 Fetch from a named server with a named user and password:
12081 (pop :server "my.pop.server"
12082 :user "user-name" :password "secret")
12085 Use @samp{movemail} to move the mail:
12088 (pop :program "movemail po:%u %t %p")
12092 Get mail from a maildir. This is a type of mailbox that is supported by
12093 at least qmail and postfix, where each file in a special directory
12094 contains exactly one mail.
12100 The path of the directory where the mails are stored. The default is
12101 taken from the @code{MAILDIR} environment variable or
12104 The subdirectories of the Maildir. The default is
12105 @samp{("new" "cur")}.
12107 @c If you sometimes look at your mail through a pop3 daemon before fetching
12108 @c them with Gnus, you may also have to fetch your mails from the
12109 @c @code{cur} directory inside the maildir, like in the first example
12112 You can also get mails from remote hosts (because maildirs don't suffer
12113 from locking problems).
12117 Two example maildir mail sources:
12120 (maildir :path "/home/user-name/Maildir/"
12121 :subdirs ("cur" "new"))
12125 (maildir :path "/user@@remotehost.org:~/Maildir/"
12130 Get mail from a @sc{imap} server. If you don't want to use @sc{imap}
12131 as intended, as a network mail reading protocol (ie with nnimap), for
12132 some reason or other, Gnus let you treat it similar to a POP server
12133 and fetches articles from a given @sc{imap} mailbox. @xref{IMAP}, for
12136 Note that for the Kerberos, GSSAPI, SSL/TLS and STARTTLS support you
12137 may need external programs and libraries, @xref{IMAP}.
12143 The name of the @sc{imap} server. The default is taken from the
12144 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable.
12147 The port number of the @sc{imap} server. The default is @samp{143}, or
12148 @samp{993} for SSL/TLS connections.
12151 The user name to give to the @sc{imap} server. The default is the login
12155 The password to give to the @sc{imap} server. If not specified, the user is
12159 What stream to use for connecting to the server, this is one of the
12160 symbols in @code{imap-stream-alist}. Right now, this means
12161 @samp{gssapi}, @samp{kerberos4}, @samp{starttls}, @samp{ssl},
12162 @samp{shell} or the default @samp{network}.
12164 @item :authentication
12165 Which authenticator to use for authenticating to the server, this is
12166 one of the symbols in @code{imap-authenticator-alist}. Right now,
12167 this means @samp{gssapi}, @samp{kerberos4}, @samp{digest-md5},
12168 @samp{cram-md5}, @samp{anonymous} or the default @samp{login}.
12171 When using the `shell' :stream, the contents of this variable is
12172 mapped into the `imap-shell-program' variable. This should be a
12173 @code{format}-like string (or list of strings). Here's an example:
12179 The valid format specifier characters are:
12183 The name of the server.
12186 User name from `imap-default-user'.
12189 The port number of the server.
12192 The values used for these specs are taken from the values you give the
12193 corresponding keywords.
12196 The name of the mailbox to get mail from. The default is @samp{INBOX}
12197 which normally is the mailbox which receive incoming mail.
12200 The predicate used to find articles to fetch. The default, @samp{UNSEEN
12201 UNDELETED}, is probably the best choice for most people, but if you
12202 sometimes peek in your mailbox with a @sc{imap} client and mark some
12203 articles as read (or; SEEN) you might want to set this to @samp{nil}.
12204 Then all articles in the mailbox is fetched, no matter what. For a
12205 complete list of predicates, see RFC 2060 §6.4.4.
12208 How to flag fetched articles on the server, the default @samp{\Deleted}
12209 will mark them as deleted, an alternative would be @samp{\Seen} which
12210 would simply mark them as read. These are the two most likely choices,
12211 but more flags are defined in RFC 2060 §2.3.2.
12214 If non-nil, don't remove all articles marked as deleted in the mailbox
12215 after finishing the fetch.
12219 An example @sc{imap} mail source:
12222 (imap :server "mail.mycorp.com"
12224 :fetchflag "\\Seen")
12228 Get mail from a webmail server, such as www.hotmail.com,
12229 webmail.netscape.com, www.netaddress.com, www.my-deja.com.
12231 NOTE: Now mail.yahoo.com provides POP3 service, so @sc{pop} mail source
12234 NOTE: Webmail largely depends cookies. A "one-line-cookie" patch is
12235 required for url "4.0pre.46".
12237 WARNING: Mails may lost. NO WARRANTY.
12243 The type of the webmail server. The default is @code{hotmail}. The
12244 alternatives are @code{netscape}, @code{netaddress}, @code{my-deja}.
12247 The user name to give to the webmail server. The default is the login
12251 The password to give to the webmail server. If not specified, the user is
12255 If non-nil, only fetch unread articles and don't move them to trash
12256 folder after finishing the fetch.
12260 An example webmail source:
12263 (webmail :subtype 'hotmail
12265 :password "secret")
12270 @item Common Keywords
12271 Common keywords can be used in any type of mail source.
12277 If non-nil, fetch the mail even when Gnus is unplugged. If you use
12278 directory source to get mail, you can specify it as in this example:
12282 '((directory :path "/home/pavel/.Spool/"
12287 Gnus will then fetch your mail even when you are unplugged. This is
12288 useful when you use local mail and news.
12293 @subsubsection Function Interface
12295 Some of the above keywords specify a Lisp function to be executed.
12296 For each keyword @code{:foo}, the Lisp variable @code{foo} is bound to
12297 the value of the keyword while the function is executing. For example,
12298 consider the following mail-source setting:
12301 (setq mail-sources '((pop :user "jrl"
12302 :server "pophost" :function fetchfunc)))
12305 While the function @code{fetchfunc} is executing, the symbol @code{user}
12306 is bound to @code{"jrl"}, and the symbol @code{server} is bound to
12307 @code{"pophost"}. The symbols @code{port}, @code{password},
12308 @code{program}, @code{prescript}, @code{postscript}, @code{function},
12309 and @code{authentication} are also bound (to their default values).
12311 See above for a list of keywords for each type of mail source.
12314 @node Mail Source Customization
12315 @subsubsection Mail Source Customization
12317 The following is a list of variables that influence how the mail is
12318 fetched. You would normally not need to set or change any of these
12322 @item mail-source-crash-box
12323 @vindex mail-source-crash-box
12324 File where mail will be stored while processing it. The default is
12325 @file{~/.emacs-mail-crash-box}.
12327 @item mail-source-delete-incoming
12328 @vindex mail-source-delete-incoming
12329 If non-@code{nil}, delete incoming files after handling them.
12331 @item mail-source-directory
12332 @vindex mail-source-directory
12333 Directory where files (if any) will be stored. The default is
12334 @file{~/Mail/}. At present, the only thing this is used for is to say
12335 where the incoming files will be stored if the previous variable is
12338 @item mail-source-incoming-file-prefix
12339 @vindex mail-source-incoming-file-prefix
12340 Prefix for file name for storing incoming mail. The default is
12341 @file{Incoming}, in which case files will end up with names like
12342 @file{Incoming30630D_} or @file{Incoming298602ZD}. This is really only
12343 relevant if @code{mail-source-delete-incoming} is @code{nil}.
12345 @item mail-source-default-file-modes
12346 @vindex mail-source-default-file-modes
12347 All new mail files will get this file mode. The default is 384.
12349 @item mail-source-movemail-program
12350 @vindex mail-source-movemail-program
12351 If non-nil, name of program for fetching new mail. If nil,
12352 @code{movemail} in @var{exec-directory}.
12357 @node Fetching Mail
12358 @subsubsection Fetching Mail
12360 @vindex mail-sources
12361 @vindex nnmail-spool-file
12362 The way to actually tell Gnus where to get new mail from is to set
12363 @code{mail-sources} to a list of mail source specifiers
12364 (@pxref{Mail Source Specifiers}).
12366 If this variable (and the obsolescent @code{nnmail-spool-file}) is
12367 @code{nil}, the mail back ends will never attempt to fetch mail by
12370 If you want to fetch mail both from your local spool as well as a POP
12371 mail server, you'd say something like:
12376 (pop :server "pop3.mail.server"
12377 :password "secret")))
12380 Or, if you don't want to use any of the keyword defaults:
12384 '((file :path "/var/spool/mail/user-name")
12385 (pop :server "pop3.mail.server"
12388 :password "secret")))
12392 When you use a mail back end, Gnus will slurp all your mail from your
12393 inbox and plonk it down in your home directory. Gnus doesn't move any
12394 mail if you're not using a mail back end---you have to do a lot of magic
12395 invocations first. At the time when you have finished drawing the
12396 pentagram, lightened the candles, and sacrificed the goat, you really
12397 shouldn't be too surprised when Gnus moves your mail.
12401 @node Mail Back End Variables
12402 @subsection Mail Back End Variables
12404 These variables are (for the most part) pertinent to all the various
12408 @vindex nnmail-read-incoming-hook
12409 @item nnmail-read-incoming-hook
12410 The mail back ends all call this hook after reading new mail. You can
12411 use this hook to notify any mail watch programs, if you want to.
12413 @vindex nnmail-split-hook
12414 @item nnmail-split-hook
12415 @findex article-decode-encoded-words
12416 @findex RFC 1522 decoding
12417 @findex RFC 2047 decoding
12418 Hook run in the buffer where the mail headers of each message is kept
12419 just before the splitting based on these headers is done. The hook is
12420 free to modify the buffer contents in any way it sees fit---the buffer
12421 is discarded after the splitting has been done, and no changes performed
12422 in the buffer will show up in any files.
12423 @code{gnus-article-decode-encoded-words} is one likely function to add
12426 @vindex nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
12427 @vindex nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
12428 @item nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
12429 @itemx nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
12430 These are two useful hooks executed when treating new incoming
12431 mail---@code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook} (is called just before
12432 starting to handle the new mail) and
12433 @code{nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook} (is called when the mail handling
12434 is done). Here's and example of using these two hooks to change the
12435 default file modes the new mail files get:
12438 (add-hook 'nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
12439 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 511)))
12441 (add-hook 'nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
12442 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 551)))
12445 @item nnmail-use-long-file-names
12446 @vindex nnmail-use-long-file-names
12447 If non-@code{nil}, the mail back ends will use long file and directory
12448 names. Groups like @samp{mail.misc} will end up in directories
12449 (assuming use of @code{nnml} back end) or files (assuming use of
12450 @code{nnfolder} back end) like @file{mail.misc}. If it is @code{nil},
12451 the same group will end up in @file{mail/misc}.
12453 @item nnmail-delete-file-function
12454 @vindex nnmail-delete-file-function
12455 @findex delete-file
12456 Function called to delete files. It is @code{delete-file} by default.
12458 @item nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
12459 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
12460 If non-@code{nil}, put the @code{Message-ID}s of articles imported into
12461 the back end (via @code{Gcc}, for instance) into the mail duplication
12462 discovery cache. The default is @code{nil}.
12467 @node Fancy Mail Splitting
12468 @subsection Fancy Mail Splitting
12469 @cindex mail splitting
12470 @cindex fancy mail splitting
12472 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy
12473 @findex nnmail-split-fancy
12474 If the rather simple, standard method for specifying how to split mail
12475 doesn't allow you to do what you want, you can set
12476 @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy}. Then you can
12477 play with the @code{nnmail-split-fancy} variable.
12479 Let's look at an example value of this variable first:
12482 ;; Messages from the mailer daemon are not crossposted to any of
12483 ;; the ordinary groups. Warnings are put in a separate group
12484 ;; from real errors.
12485 (| ("from" mail (| ("subject" "warn.*" "mail.warning")
12487 ;; Non-error messages are crossposted to all relevant
12488 ;; groups, but we don't crosspost between the group for the
12489 ;; (ding) list and the group for other (ding) related mail.
12490 (& (| (any "ding@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "ding.list")
12491 ("subject" "ding" "ding.misc"))
12492 ;; Other mailing lists...
12493 (any "procmail@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "procmail.list")
12494 (any "SmartList@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "SmartList.list")
12495 ;; Both lists below have the same suffix, so prevent
12496 ;; cross-posting to mkpkg.list of messages posted only to
12497 ;; the bugs- list, but allow cross-posting when the
12498 ;; message was really cross-posted.
12499 (any "bugs-mypackage@@somewhere" "mypkg.bugs")
12500 (any "mypackage@@somewhere\" - "bugs-mypackage" "mypkg.list")
12502 (any "larsi@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "people.Lars_Magne_Ingebrigtsen"))
12503 ;; Unmatched mail goes to the catch all group.
12507 This variable has the format of a @dfn{split}. A split is a (possibly)
12508 recursive structure where each split may contain other splits. Here are
12509 the five possible split syntaxes:
12514 @samp{group}: If the split is a string, that will be taken as a group
12515 name. Normal regexp match expansion will be done. See below for
12519 @code{(@var{field} @var{value} @code{[-} @var{restrict}
12520 @code{[@dots{}]}@code{]} @var{split})}: If the split is a list, the
12521 first element of which is a string, then store the message as
12522 specified by @var{split}, if header @var{field} (a regexp) contains
12523 @var{value} (also a regexp). If @var{restrict} (yet another regexp)
12524 matches some string after @var{field} and before the end of the
12525 matched @var{value}, the @var{split} is ignored. If none of the
12526 @var{restrict} clauses match, @var{split} is processed.
12529 @code{(| @var{split}@dots{})}: If the split is a list, and the first
12530 element is @code{|} (vertical bar), then process each @var{split} until
12531 one of them matches. A @var{split} is said to match if it will cause
12532 the mail message to be stored in one or more groups.
12535 @code{(& @var{split}@dots{})}: If the split is a list, and the first
12536 element is @code{&}, then process all @var{split}s in the list.
12539 @code{junk}: If the split is the symbol @code{junk}, then don't save
12540 (i.e., delete) this message. Use with extreme caution.
12543 @code{(: @var{function} @var{arg1} @var{arg2} @dots{})}: If the split is
12544 a list, and the first element is @code{:}, then the second element will
12545 be called as a function with @var{args} given as arguments. The
12546 function should return a @var{split}.
12549 For instance, the following function could be used to split based on the
12550 body of the messages:
12553 (defun split-on-body ()
12555 (set-buffer " *nnmail incoming*")
12556 (goto-char (point-min))
12557 (when (re-search-forward "Some.*string" nil t)
12561 The @samp{" *nnmail incoming*"} is narrowed to the message in question
12562 when the @code{:} function is run.
12565 @code{(! @var{func} @var{split})}: If the split is a list, and the first
12566 element is @code{!}, then SPLIT will be processed, and FUNC will be
12567 called as a function with the result of SPLIT as argument. FUNC should
12571 @code{nil}: If the split is @code{nil}, it is ignored.
12575 In these splits, @var{field} must match a complete field name.
12576 @var{value} must match a complete word according to the fundamental mode
12577 syntax table. You can use @code{.*} in the regexps to match partial
12578 field names or words. In other words, all @var{value}'s are wrapped in
12579 @samp{\<} and @samp{\>} pairs.
12581 @vindex nnmail-split-abbrev-alist
12582 @var{field} and @var{value} can also be lisp symbols, in that case they
12583 are expanded as specified by the variable
12584 @code{nnmail-split-abbrev-alist}. This is an alist of cons cells, where
12585 the @code{car} of a cell contains the key, and the @code{cdr} contains the associated
12588 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table
12589 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table} is the syntax table in effect
12590 when all this splitting is performed.
12592 If you want to have Gnus create groups dynamically based on some
12593 information in the headers (i.e., do @code{replace-match}-like
12594 substitutions in the group names), you can say things like:
12597 (any "debian-\\b\\(\\w+\\)@@lists.debian.org" "mail.debian.\\1")
12600 In this example, messages sent to @samp{debian-foo@@lists.debian.org}
12601 will be filed in @samp{mail.debian.foo}.
12603 If the string contains the element @samp{\&}, then the previously
12604 matched string will be substituted. Similarly, the elements @samp{\\1}
12605 up to @samp{\\9} will be substituted with the text matched by the
12606 groupings 1 through 9.
12608 @findex nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent
12609 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} is a function which allows you to
12610 split followups into the same groups their parents are in. Sometimes
12611 you can't make splitting rules for all your mail. For example, your
12612 boss might send you personal mail regarding different projects you are
12613 working on, and as you can't tell your boss to put a distinguishing
12614 string into the subject line, you have to resort to manually moving the
12615 messages into the right group. With this function, you only have to do
12616 it once per thread.
12618 To use this feature, you have to set @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} and
12619 @code{nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids} to a non-nil value. And then
12620 you can include @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} using the colon
12623 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
12624 '(| (: nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent)
12625 ;; other splits go here
12629 This feature works as follows: when @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} is
12630 non-nil, Gnus records the message id of every message it sees in the
12631 file specified by the variable @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file},
12632 together with the group it is in (the group is omitted for non-mail
12633 messages). When mail splitting is invoked, the function
12634 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} then looks at the References (and
12635 In-Reply-To) header of each message to split and searches the file
12636 specified by @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file} for the message ids.
12637 When it has found a parent, it returns the corresponding group name
12638 unless the group name matches the regexp
12639 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent-ignore-groups}. It is recommended
12640 that you set @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length} to a somewhat higher
12641 number than the default so that the message ids are still in the cache.
12642 (A value of 5000 appears to create a file some 300 kBytes in size.)
12643 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
12644 When @code{nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus
12645 also records the message ids of moved articles, so that the followup
12646 messages goes into the new group.
12649 @node Group Mail Splitting
12650 @subsection Group Mail Splitting
12651 @cindex mail splitting
12652 @cindex group mail splitting
12654 @findex gnus-group-split
12655 If you subscribe to dozens of mailing lists but you don't want to
12656 maintain mail splitting rules manually, group mail splitting is for you.
12657 You just have to set @var{to-list} and/or @var{to-address} in group
12658 parameters or group customization and set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to
12659 @code{gnus-group-split}. This splitting function will scan all groups
12660 for those parameters and split mail accordingly, i.e., messages posted
12661 from or to the addresses specified in the parameters @var{to-list} or
12662 @var{to-address} of a mail group will be stored in that group.
12664 Sometimes, mailing lists have multiple addresses, and you may want mail
12665 splitting to recognize them all: just set the @var{extra-aliases} group
12666 parameter to the list of additional addresses and it's done. If you'd
12667 rather use a regular expression, set @var{split-regexp}.
12669 All these parameters in a group will be used to create an
12670 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} split, in which the @var{field} is @samp{any},
12671 the @var{value} is a single regular expression that matches
12672 @var{to-list}, @var{to-address}, all of @var{extra-aliases} and all
12673 matches of @var{split-regexp}, and the @var{split} is the name of the
12674 group. @var{restrict}s are also supported: just set the
12675 @var{split-exclude} parameter to a list of regular expressions.
12677 If you can't get the right split to be generated using all these
12678 parameters, or you just need something fancier, you can set the
12679 parameter @var{split-spec} to an @code{nnmail-split-fancy} split. In
12680 this case, all other aforementioned parameters will be ignored by
12681 @code{gnus-group-split}. In particular, @var{split-spec} may be set to
12682 @code{nil}, in which case the group will be ignored by
12683 @code{gnus-group-split}.
12685 @vindex gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group
12686 @code{gnus-group-split} will do cross-posting on all groups that match,
12687 by defining a single @code{&} fancy split containing one split for each
12688 group. If a message doesn't match any split, it will be stored in the
12689 group named in @code{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group}, unless
12690 some group has @var{split-spec} set to @code{catch-all}, in which case
12691 that group is used as the catch-all group. Even though this variable is
12692 often used just to name a group, it may also be set to an arbitrarily
12693 complex fancy split (after all, a group name is a fancy split), and this
12694 may be useful to split mail that doesn't go to any mailing list to
12695 personal mail folders. Note that this fancy split is added as the last
12696 element of a @code{|} split list that also contains a @code{&} split
12697 with the rules extracted from group parameters.
12699 It's time for an example. Assume the following group parameters have
12704 ((to-address . "bar@@femail.com")
12705 (split-regexp . ".*@@femail\\.com"))
12707 ((to-list . "foo@@nowhere.gov")
12708 (extra-aliases "foo@@localhost" "foo-redist@@home")
12709 (split-exclude "bugs-foo" "rambling-foo")
12710 (admin-address . "foo-request@@nowhere.gov"))
12712 ((split-spec . catch-all))
12715 Setting @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{gnus-group-split} will
12716 behave as if @code{nnmail-split-fancy} had been selected and variable
12717 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} had been set as follows:
12720 (| (& (any "\\(bar@@femail\\.com\\|.*@@femail\\.com\\)" "mail.bar")
12721 (any "\\(foo@@nowhere\\.gov\\|foo@@localhost\\|foo-redist@@home\\)"
12722 - "bugs-foo" - "rambling-foo" "mail.foo"))
12726 @findex gnus-group-split-fancy
12727 If you'd rather not use group splitting for all your mail groups, you
12728 may use it for only some of them, by using @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
12732 (: gnus-mlsplt-fancy GROUPS NO-CROSSPOST CATCH-ALL)
12735 @var{groups} may be a regular expression or a list of group names whose
12736 parameters will be scanned to generate the output split.
12737 @var{no-crosspost} can be used to disable cross-posting; in this case, a
12738 single @code{|} split will be output. @var{catch-all} is the fallback
12739 fancy split, used like @var{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group}.
12740 If @var{catch-all} is @code{nil}, or if @var{split-regexp} matches the
12741 empty string in any selected group, no catch-all split will be issued.
12742 Otherwise, if some group has @var{split-spec} set to @code{catch-all},
12743 this group will override the value of the @var{catch-all} argument.
12745 @findex gnus-group-split-setup
12746 Unfortunately, scanning all groups and their parameters can be quite
12747 slow, especially considering that it has to be done for every message.
12748 But don't despair! The function @code{gnus-group-split-setup} can be
12749 used to enable @code{gnus-group-split} in a much more efficient way. It
12750 sets @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy} and sets
12751 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} to the split produced by
12752 @code{gnus-group-split-fancy}. Thus, the group parameters are only
12753 scanned once, no matter how many messages are split.
12755 @findex gnus-group-split-update
12756 However, if you change group parameters, you'd have to update
12757 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} manually. You can do it by running
12758 @code{gnus-group-split-update}. If you'd rather have it updated
12759 automatically, just tell @code{gnus-group-split-setup} to do it for
12760 you. For example, add to your @file{.gnus}:
12763 (gnus-group-split-setup AUTO-UPDATE CATCH-ALL)
12766 If @var{auto-update} is non-@code{nil}, @code{gnus-group-split-update}
12767 will be added to @code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook}, so you won't ever
12768 have to worry about updating @code{nnmail-split-fancy} again. If you
12769 don't omit @var{catch-all} (it's optional, equivalent to @code{nil}),
12770 @code{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group} will be set to its
12773 @vindex gnus-group-split-updated-hook
12774 Because you may want to change @code{nnmail-split-fancy} after it is set
12775 by @code{gnus-group-split-update}, this function will run
12776 @code{gnus-group-split-updated-hook} just before finishing.
12778 @node Incorporating Old Mail
12779 @subsection Incorporating Old Mail
12780 @cindex incorporating old mail
12781 @cindex import old mail
12783 Most people have lots of old mail stored in various file formats. If
12784 you have set up Gnus to read mail using one of the spiffy Gnus mail
12785 back ends, you'll probably wish to have that old mail incorporated into
12788 Doing so can be quite easy.
12790 To take an example: You're reading mail using @code{nnml}
12791 (@pxref{Mail Spool}), and have set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to a
12792 satisfactory value (@pxref{Splitting Mail}). You have an old Unix mbox
12793 file filled with important, but old, mail. You want to move it into
12794 your @code{nnml} groups.
12800 Go to the group buffer.
12803 Type `G f' and give the path to the mbox file when prompted to create an
12804 @code{nndoc} group from the mbox file (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
12807 Type `SPACE' to enter the newly created group.
12810 Type `M P b' to process-mark all articles in this group's buffer
12811 (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
12814 Type `B r' to respool all the process-marked articles, and answer
12815 @samp{nnml} when prompted (@pxref{Mail Group Commands}).
12818 All the mail messages in the mbox file will now also be spread out over
12819 all your @code{nnml} groups. Try entering them and check whether things
12820 have gone without a glitch. If things look ok, you may consider
12821 deleting the mbox file, but I wouldn't do that unless I was absolutely
12822 sure that all the mail has ended up where it should be.
12824 Respooling is also a handy thing to do if you're switching from one mail
12825 back end to another. Just respool all the mail in the old mail groups
12826 using the new mail back end.
12829 @node Expiring Mail
12830 @subsection Expiring Mail
12831 @cindex article expiry
12833 Traditional mail readers have a tendency to remove mail articles when
12834 you mark them as read, in some way. Gnus takes a fundamentally
12835 different approach to mail reading.
12837 Gnus basically considers mail just to be news that has been received in
12838 a rather peculiar manner. It does not think that it has the power to
12839 actually change the mail, or delete any mail messages. If you enter a
12840 mail group, and mark articles as ``read'', or kill them in some other
12841 fashion, the mail articles will still exist on the system. I repeat:
12842 Gnus will not delete your old, read mail. Unless you ask it to, of
12845 To make Gnus get rid of your unwanted mail, you have to mark the
12846 articles as @dfn{expirable}. This does not mean that the articles will
12847 disappear right away, however. In general, a mail article will be
12848 deleted from your system if, 1) it is marked as expirable, AND 2) it is
12849 more than one week old. If you do not mark an article as expirable, it
12850 will remain on your system until hell freezes over. This bears
12851 repeating one more time, with some spurious capitalizations: IF you do
12852 NOT mark articles as EXPIRABLE, Gnus will NEVER delete those ARTICLES.
12854 @vindex gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
12855 You do not have to mark articles as expirable by hand. Groups that
12856 match the regular expression @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups} will
12857 have all articles that you read marked as expirable automatically. All
12858 articles marked as expirable have an @samp{E} in the first
12859 column in the summary buffer.
12861 By default, if you have auto expiry switched on, Gnus will mark all the
12862 articles you read as expirable, no matter if they were read or unread
12863 before. To avoid having articles marked as read marked as expirable
12864 automatically, you can put something like the following in your
12867 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
12869 (remove-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook
12870 'gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read)
12871 (add-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook 'gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read)
12874 Note that making a group auto-expirable doesn't mean that all read
12875 articles are expired---only the articles marked as expirable
12876 will be expired. Also note that using the @kbd{d} command won't make
12877 articles expirable---only semi-automatic marking of articles as read will
12878 mark the articles as expirable in auto-expirable groups.
12880 Let's say you subscribe to a couple of mailing lists, and you want the
12881 articles you have read to disappear after a while:
12884 (setq gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
12885 "mail.nonsense-list\\|mail.nice-list")
12888 Another way to have auto-expiry happen is to have the element
12889 @code{auto-expire} in the group parameters of the group.
12891 If you use adaptive scoring (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}) and
12892 auto-expiring, you'll have problems. Auto-expiring and adaptive scoring
12893 don't really mix very well.
12895 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait
12896 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable supplies the default time an
12897 expirable article has to live. Gnus starts counting days from when the
12898 message @emph{arrived}, not from when it was sent. The default is seven
12901 Gnus also supplies a function that lets you fine-tune how long articles
12902 are to live, based on what group they are in. Let's say you want to
12903 have one month expiry period in the @samp{mail.private} group, a one day
12904 expiry period in the @samp{mail.junk} group, and a six day expiry period
12907 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
12909 (setq nnmail-expiry-wait-function
12911 (cond ((string= group "mail.private")
12913 ((string= group "mail.junk")
12915 ((string= group "important")
12921 The group names this function is fed are ``unadorned'' group
12922 names---no @samp{nnml:} prefixes and the like.
12924 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable and
12925 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} function can either be a number (not
12926 necessarily an integer) or one of the symbols @code{immediate} or
12929 You can also use the @code{expiry-wait} group parameter to selectively
12930 change the expiry period (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
12932 @vindex nnmail-expiry-target
12933 The normal action taken when expiring articles is to delete them.
12934 However, in some circumstances it might make more sense to move them to
12935 other groups instead of deleting them. The variable @code{nnmail-expiry-target}
12936 (and the @code{expiry-target} group parameter) controls this. The
12937 variable supplies a default value for all groups, which can be
12938 overridden for specific groups by the group parameter.
12939 default value is @code{delete}, but this can also be a string (which
12940 should be the name of the group the message should be moved to), or a
12941 function (which will be called in a buffer narrowed to the message in
12942 question, and with the name of the group being moved from as its
12943 parameter) which should return a target -- either a group name or
12946 Here's an example for specifying a group name:
12948 (setq nnmail-expiry-target "nnml:expired")
12952 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
12953 If @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will never
12954 expire the final article in a mail newsgroup. This is to make life
12955 easier for procmail users.
12957 @vindex gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups
12958 By the way: That line up there, about Gnus never expiring non-expirable
12959 articles, is a lie. If you put @code{total-expire} in the group
12960 parameters, articles will not be marked as expirable, but all read
12961 articles will be put through the expiry process. Use with extreme
12962 caution. Even more dangerous is the
12963 @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups} variable. All groups that match
12964 this regexp will have all read articles put through the expiry process,
12965 which means that @emph{all} old mail articles in the groups in question
12966 will be deleted after a while. Use with extreme caution, and don't come
12967 crying to me when you discover that the regexp you used matched the
12968 wrong group and all your important mail has disappeared. Be a
12969 @emph{man}! Or a @emph{woman}! Whatever you feel more comfortable
12972 Most people make most of their mail groups total-expirable, though.
12974 @vindex gnus-inhibit-user-auto-expire
12975 If @code{gnus-inhibit-user-auto-expire} is non-@code{nil}, user marking
12976 commands will not mark an article as expirable, even if the group has
12977 auto-expire turned on.
12981 @subsection Washing Mail
12982 @cindex mail washing
12983 @cindex list server brain damage
12984 @cindex incoming mail treatment
12986 Mailers and list servers are notorious for doing all sorts of really,
12987 really stupid things with mail. ``Hey, RFC 822 doesn't explicitly
12988 prohibit us from adding the string @code{wE aRe ElItE!!!!!1!!} to the
12989 end of all lines passing through our server, so let's do that!!!!1!''
12990 Yes, but RFC 822 wasn't designed to be read by morons. Things that were
12991 considered to be self-evident were not discussed. So. Here we are.
12993 Case in point: The German version of Microsoft Exchange adds @samp{AW:
12994 } to the subjects of replies instead of @samp{Re: }. I could pretend to
12995 be shocked and dismayed by this, but I haven't got the energy. It is to
12998 Gnus provides a plethora of functions for washing articles while
12999 displaying them, but it might be nicer to do the filtering before
13000 storing the mail to disc. For that purpose, we have three hooks and
13001 various functions that can be put in these hooks.
13004 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
13005 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
13006 This hook is called before doing anything with the mail and is meant for
13007 grand, sweeping gestures. It is called in a buffer that contains all
13008 the new, incoming mail. Functions to be used include:
13011 @item nnheader-ms-strip-cr
13012 @findex nnheader-ms-strip-cr
13013 Remove trailing carriage returns from each line. This is default on
13014 Emacs running on MS machines.
13018 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
13019 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
13020 This hook is called narrowed to each header. It can be used when
13021 cleaning up the headers. Functions that can be used include:
13024 @item nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
13025 @findex nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
13026 Clear leading white space that ``helpful'' listservs have added to the
13027 headers to make them look nice. Aaah.
13029 @item nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
13030 @findex nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
13031 Some list servers add an identifier---for example, @samp{(idm)}---to the
13032 beginning of all @code{Subject} headers. I'm sure that's nice for
13033 people who use stone age mail readers. This function will remove
13034 strings that match the @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} regexp, which can
13035 also be a list of regexp. @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} may not contain
13038 For instance, if you want to remove the @samp{(idm)} and the
13039 @samp{nagnagnag} identifiers:
13042 (setq nnmail-list-identifiers
13043 '("(idm)" "nagnagnag"))
13046 This can also be done non-destructively with
13047 @code{gnus-list-identifiers}, @xref{Article Hiding}.
13049 @item nnmail-remove-tabs
13050 @findex nnmail-remove-tabs
13051 Translate all @samp{TAB} characters into @samp{SPACE} characters.
13053 @item nnmail-fix-eudora-headers
13054 @findex nnmail-fix-eudora-headers
13056 Eudora produces broken @code{References} headers, but OK
13057 @code{In-Reply-To} headers. This function will get rid of the
13058 @code{References} headers.
13062 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
13063 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
13064 This hook is called narrowed to each message. Functions to be used
13068 @item article-de-quoted-unreadable
13069 @findex article-de-quoted-unreadable
13070 Decode Quoted Readable encoding.
13077 @subsection Duplicates
13079 @vindex nnmail-treat-duplicates
13080 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-length
13081 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-file
13082 @cindex duplicate mails
13083 If you are a member of a couple of mailing lists, you will sometimes
13084 receive two copies of the same mail. This can be quite annoying, so
13085 @code{nnmail} checks for and treats any duplicates it might find. To do
13086 this, it keeps a cache of old @code{Message-ID}s---
13087 @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file}, which is @file{~/.nnmail-cache} by
13088 default. The approximate maximum number of @code{Message-ID}s stored
13089 there is controlled by the @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length}
13090 variable, which is 1000 by default. (So 1000 @code{Message-ID}s will be
13091 stored.) If all this sounds scary to you, you can set
13092 @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} to @code{warn} (which is what it is by
13093 default), and @code{nnmail} won't delete duplicate mails. Instead it
13094 will insert a warning into the head of the mail saying that it thinks
13095 that this is a duplicate of a different message.
13097 This variable can also be a function. If that's the case, the function
13098 will be called from a buffer narrowed to the message in question with
13099 the @code{Message-ID} as a parameter. The function must return either
13100 @code{nil}, @code{warn}, or @code{delete}.
13102 You can turn this feature off completely by setting the variable to
13105 If you want all the duplicate mails to be put into a special
13106 @dfn{duplicates} group, you could do that using the normal mail split
13110 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
13111 '(| ;; Messages duplicates go to a separate group.
13112 ("gnus-warning" "duplicat\\(e\\|ion\\) of message" "duplicate")
13113 ;; Message from daemons, postmaster, and the like to another.
13114 (any mail "mail.misc")
13121 (setq nnmail-split-methods
13122 '(("duplicates" "^Gnus-Warning:.*duplicate")
13127 Here's a neat feature: If you know that the recipient reads her mail
13128 with Gnus, and that she has @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} set to
13129 @code{delete}, you can send her as many insults as you like, just by
13130 using a @code{Message-ID} of a mail that you know that she's already
13131 received. Think of all the fun! She'll never see any of it! Whee!
13134 @node Not Reading Mail
13135 @subsection Not Reading Mail
13137 If you start using any of the mail back ends, they have the annoying
13138 habit of assuming that you want to read mail with them. This might not
13139 be unreasonable, but it might not be what you want.
13141 If you set @code{mail-sources} and @code{nnmail-spool-file} to
13142 @code{nil}, none of the back ends will ever attempt to read incoming
13143 mail, which should help.
13145 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
13146 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
13147 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
13148 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
13149 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
13150 This might be too much, if, for instance, you are reading mail quite
13151 happily with @code{nnml} and just want to peek at some old @sc{rmail}
13152 file you have stashed away with @code{nnbabyl}. All back ends have
13153 variables called back-end-@code{get-new-mail}. If you want to disable
13154 the @code{nnbabyl} mail reading, you edit the virtual server for the
13155 group to have a setting where @code{nnbabyl-get-new-mail} to @code{nil}.
13157 All the mail back ends will call @code{nn}*@code{-prepare-save-mail-hook}
13158 narrowed to the article to be saved before saving it when reading
13162 @node Choosing a Mail Back End
13163 @subsection Choosing a Mail Back End
13165 Gnus will read the mail spool when you activate a mail group. The mail
13166 file is first copied to your home directory. What happens after that
13167 depends on what format you want to store your mail in.
13169 There are five different mail back ends in the standard Gnus, and more
13170 back ends are available separately. The mail back end most people use
13171 (because it is the fastest and most flexible) is @code{nnml}
13172 (@pxref{Mail Spool}).
13175 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
13176 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
13177 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
13178 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like back end.
13179 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
13180 * Comparing Mail Back Ends:: An in-depth looks at pros and cons.
13184 @node Unix Mail Box
13185 @subsubsection Unix Mail Box
13187 @cindex unix mail box
13189 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
13190 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
13191 The @dfn{nnmbox} back end will use the standard Un*x mbox file to store
13192 mail. @code{nnmbox} will add extra headers to each mail article to say
13193 which group it belongs in.
13195 Virtual server settings:
13198 @item nnmbox-mbox-file
13199 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
13200 The name of the mail box in the user's home directory. Default is
13203 @item nnmbox-active-file
13204 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
13205 The name of the active file for the mail box. Default is
13206 @file{~/.mbox-active}.
13208 @item nnmbox-get-new-mail
13209 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
13210 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmbox} will read incoming mail and split it
13211 into groups. Default is @code{t}.
13216 @subsubsection Rmail Babyl
13220 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
13221 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
13222 The @dfn{nnbabyl} back end will use a babyl mail box (aka. @dfn{rmail
13223 mbox}) to store mail. @code{nnbabyl} will add extra headers to each
13224 mail article to say which group it belongs in.
13226 Virtual server settings:
13229 @item nnbabyl-mbox-file
13230 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
13231 The name of the rmail mbox file. The default is @file{~/RMAIL}
13233 @item nnbabyl-active-file
13234 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
13235 The name of the active file for the rmail box. The default is
13236 @file{~/.rmail-active}
13238 @item nnbabyl-get-new-mail
13239 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
13240 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnbabyl} will read incoming mail. Default is
13246 @subsubsection Mail Spool
13248 @cindex mail @sc{nov} spool
13250 The @dfn{nnml} spool mail format isn't compatible with any other known
13251 format. It should be used with some caution.
13253 @vindex nnml-directory
13254 If you use this back end, Gnus will split all incoming mail into files,
13255 one file for each mail, and put the articles into the corresponding
13256 directories under the directory specified by the @code{nnml-directory}
13257 variable. The default value is @file{~/Mail/}.
13259 You do not have to create any directories beforehand; Gnus will take
13262 If you have a strict limit as to how many files you are allowed to store
13263 in your account, you should not use this back end. As each mail gets its
13264 own file, you might very well occupy thousands of inodes within a few
13265 weeks. If this is no problem for you, and it isn't a problem for you
13266 having your friendly systems administrator walking around, madly,
13267 shouting ``Who is eating all my inodes?! Who? Who!?!'', then you should
13268 know that this is probably the fastest format to use. You do not have
13269 to trudge through a big mbox file just to read your new mail.
13271 @code{nnml} is probably the slowest back end when it comes to article
13272 splitting. It has to create lots of files, and it also generates
13273 @sc{nov} databases for the incoming mails. This makes it the fastest
13274 back end when it comes to reading mail.
13276 @cindex self contained nnml servers
13277 When the marks file is used (which it is by default), @code{nnml}
13278 servers have the property that you may backup them using @code{tar} or
13279 similar, and later be able to restore them into Gnus (by adding the
13280 proper @code{nnml} server) and have all your marks be preserved. Marks
13281 for a group is usually stored in the @code{.marks} file (but see
13282 @code{nnml-marks-file-name}) within each @code{nnml} group's directory.
13283 Individual @code{nnml} groups are also possible to backup, use @kbd{G m}
13284 to restore the group (after restoring the backup into the nnml
13287 Virtual server settings:
13290 @item nnml-directory
13291 @vindex nnml-directory
13292 All @code{nnml} directories will be placed under this directory.
13293 The default is the value of `message-directory' (whose default value is
13296 @item nnml-active-file
13297 @vindex nnml-active-file
13298 The active file for the @code{nnml} server. The default is
13299 @file{~/Mail/active"}.
13301 @item nnml-newsgroups-file
13302 @vindex nnml-newsgroups-file
13303 The @code{nnml} group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
13304 Format}. The default is @file{~/Mail/newsgroups"}.
13306 @item nnml-get-new-mail
13307 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
13308 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnml} will read incoming mail. The default is
13311 @item nnml-nov-is-evil
13312 @vindex nnml-nov-is-evil
13313 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{nov} files. The
13314 default is @code{nil}.
13316 @item nnml-nov-file-name
13317 @vindex nnml-nov-file-name
13318 The name of the @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.overview}.
13320 @item nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
13321 @vindex nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
13322 Hook run narrowed to an article before saving.
13324 @item nnml-marks-is-evil
13325 @vindex nnml-marks-is-evil
13326 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{marks} files. The
13327 default is @code{nil}.
13329 @item nnml-marks-file-name
13330 @vindex nnml-marks-file-name
13331 The name of the @sc{marks} files. The default is @file{.marks}.
13335 @findex nnml-generate-nov-databases
13336 If your @code{nnml} groups and @sc{nov} files get totally out of whack,
13337 you can do a complete update by typing @kbd{M-x
13338 nnml-generate-nov-databases}. This command will trawl through the
13339 entire @code{nnml} hierarchy, looking at each and every article, so it
13340 might take a while to complete. A better interface to this
13341 functionality can be found in the server buffer (@pxref{Server
13346 @subsubsection MH Spool
13348 @cindex mh-e mail spool
13350 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, except that is doesn't generate
13351 @sc{nov} databases and it doesn't keep an active file or marks file.
13352 This makes @code{nnmh} a @emph{much} slower back end than @code{nnml},
13353 but it also makes it easier to write procmail scripts for.
13355 Virtual server settings:
13358 @item nnmh-directory
13359 @vindex nnmh-directory
13360 All @code{nnmh} directories will be located under this directory. The
13361 default is the value of @code{message-directory} (whose default is
13364 @item nnmh-get-new-mail
13365 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
13366 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will read incoming mail. The default is
13370 @vindex nnmh-be-safe
13371 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will go to ridiculous lengths to make
13372 sure that the articles in the folder are actually what Gnus thinks they
13373 are. It will check date stamps and stat everything in sight, so
13374 setting this to @code{t} will mean a serious slow-down. If you never
13375 use anything but Gnus to read the @code{nnmh} articles, you do not have
13376 to set this variable to @code{t}. The default is @code{nil}.
13381 @subsubsection Mail Folders
13383 @cindex mbox folders
13384 @cindex mail folders
13386 @code{nnfolder} is a back end for storing each mail group in a separate
13387 file. Each file is in the standard Un*x mbox format. @code{nnfolder}
13388 will add extra headers to keep track of article numbers and arrival
13391 @cindex self contained nnfolder servers
13392 When the marks file is used (which it is by default), @code{nnfolder}
13393 servers have the property that you may backup them using @code{tar} or
13394 similar, and later be able to restore them into Gnus (by adding the
13395 proper @code{nnfolder} server) and have all your marks be preserved.
13396 Marks for a group is usually stored in a file named as the mbox file
13397 with @code{.mrk} concatenated to it (but see
13398 @code{nnfolder-marks-file-suffix}) within the @code{nnfolder} directory.
13399 Individual @code{nnfolder} groups are also possible to backup, use
13400 @kbd{G m} to restore the group (after restoring the backup into the
13401 @code{nnfolder} directory).
13403 Virtual server settings:
13406 @item nnfolder-directory
13407 @vindex nnfolder-directory
13408 All the @code{nnfolder} mail boxes will be stored under this directory.
13409 The default is the value of @code{message-directory} (whose default is
13412 @item nnfolder-active-file
13413 @vindex nnfolder-active-file
13414 The name of the active file. The default is @file{~/Mail/active}.
13416 @item nnfolder-newsgroups-file
13417 @vindex nnfolder-newsgroups-file
13418 The name of the group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
13419 Format}. The default is @file{~/Mail/newsgroups"}
13421 @item nnfolder-get-new-mail
13422 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
13423 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnfolder} will read incoming mail. The default
13426 @item nnfolder-save-buffer-hook
13427 @vindex nnfolder-save-buffer-hook
13428 @cindex backup files
13429 Hook run before saving the folders. Note that Emacs does the normal
13430 backup renaming of files even with the @code{nnfolder} buffers. If you
13431 wish to switch this off, you could say something like the following in
13432 your @file{.emacs} file:
13435 (defun turn-off-backup ()
13436 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
13438 (add-hook 'nnfolder-save-buffer-hook 'turn-off-backup)
13441 @item nnfolder-delete-mail-hook
13442 @vindex nnfolder-delete-mail-hook
13443 Hook run in a buffer narrowed to the message that is to be deleted.
13444 This function can be used to copy the message to somewhere else, or to
13445 extract some information from it before removing it.
13447 @item nnfolder-nov-is-evil
13448 @vindex nnfolder-nov-is-evil
13449 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{nov} files. The
13450 default is @code{nil}.
13452 @item nnfolder-nov-file-suffix
13453 @vindex nnfolder-nov-file-suffix
13454 The extension for @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.nov}.
13456 @item nnfolder-nov-directory
13457 @vindex nnfolder-nov-directory
13458 The directory where the @sc{nov} files should be stored. If nil,
13459 @code{nnfolder-directory} is used.
13461 @item nnfolder-marks-is-evil
13462 @vindex nnfolder-marks-is-evil
13463 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{marks} files. The
13464 default is @code{nil}.
13466 @item nnfolder-marks-file-suffix
13467 @vindex nnfolder-marks-file-suffix
13468 The extension for @sc{marks} files. The default is @file{.mrk}.
13470 @item nnfolder-marks-directory
13471 @vindex nnfolder-marks-directory
13472 The directory where the @sc{marks} files should be stored. If nil,
13473 @code{nnfolder-directory} is used.
13478 @findex nnfolder-generate-active-file
13479 @kindex M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file
13480 If you have lots of @code{nnfolder}-like files you'd like to read with
13481 @code{nnfolder}, you can use the @kbd{M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file}
13482 command to make @code{nnfolder} aware of all likely files in
13483 @code{nnfolder-directory}. This only works if you use long file names,
13486 @node Comparing Mail Back Ends
13487 @subsubsection Comparing Mail Back Ends
13489 First, just for terminology, the @dfn{back end} is the common word for a
13490 low-level access method---a transport, if you will, by which something
13491 is acquired. The sense is that one's mail has to come from somewhere,
13492 and so selection of a suitable back end is required in order to get that
13493 mail within spitting distance of Gnus.
13495 The same concept exists for Usenet itself: Though access to articles is
13496 typically done by @sc{nntp} these days, once upon a midnight dreary, everyone
13497 in the world got at Usenet by running a reader on the machine where the
13498 articles lay (the machine which today we call an @sc{nntp} server), and
13499 access was by the reader stepping into the articles' directory spool
13500 area directly. One can still select between either the @code{nntp} or
13501 @code{nnspool} back ends, to select between these methods, if one happens
13502 actually to live on the server (or can see its spool directly, anyway,
13505 The goal in selecting a mail back end is to pick one which
13506 simultaneously represents a suitable way of dealing with the original
13507 format plus leaving mail in a form that is convenient to use in the
13508 future. Here are some high and low points on each:
13513 UNIX systems have historically had a single, very common, and well-
13514 defined format. All messages arrive in a single @dfn{spool file}, and
13515 they are delineated by a line whose regular expression matches
13516 @samp{^From_}. (My notational use of @samp{_} is to indicate a space,
13517 to make it clear in this instance that this is not the RFC-specified
13518 @samp{From:} header.) Because Emacs and therefore Gnus emanate
13519 historically from the Unix environment, it is simplest if one does not
13520 mess a great deal with the original mailbox format, so if one chooses
13521 this back end, Gnus' primary activity in getting mail from the real spool
13522 area to Gnus' preferred directory is simply to copy it, with no
13523 (appreciable) format change in the process. It is the ``dumbest'' way
13524 to move mail into availability in the Gnus environment. This makes it
13525 fast to move into place, but slow to parse, when Gnus has to look at
13530 Once upon a time, there was the DEC-10 and DEC-20, running operating
13531 systems called TOPS and related things, and the usual (only?) mail
13532 reading environment was a thing called Babyl. I don't know what format
13533 was used for mail landing on the system, but Babyl had its own internal
13534 format to which mail was converted, primarily involving creating a
13535 spool-file-like entity with a scheme for inserting Babyl-specific
13536 headers and status bits above the top of each message in the file.
13537 RMAIL was Emacs' first mail reader, it was written by Richard Stallman,
13538 and Stallman came out of that TOPS/Babyl environment, so he wrote RMAIL
13539 to understand the mail files folks already had in existence. Gnus (and
13540 VM, for that matter) continue to support this format because it's
13541 perceived as having some good qualities in those mailer-specific
13542 headers/status bits stuff. RMAIL itself still exists as well, of
13543 course, and is still maintained by Stallman.
13545 Both of the above forms leave your mail in a single file on your
13546 filesystem, and they must parse that entire file each time you take a
13551 @code{nnml} is the back end which smells the most as though you were
13552 actually operating with an @code{nnspool}-accessed Usenet system. (In
13553 fact, I believe @code{nnml} actually derived from @code{nnspool} code,
13554 lo these years ago.) One's mail is taken from the original spool file,
13555 and is then cut up into individual message files, 1:1. It maintains a
13556 Usenet-style active file (analogous to what one finds in an INN- or
13557 CNews-based news system in (for instance) @file{/var/lib/news/active},
13558 or what is returned via the @samp{NNTP LIST} verb) and also creates
13559 @dfn{overview} files for efficient group entry, as has been defined for
13560 @sc{nntp} servers for some years now. It is slower in mail-splitting,
13561 due to the creation of lots of files, updates to the @code{nnml} active
13562 file, and additions to overview files on a per-message basis, but it is
13563 extremely fast on access because of what amounts to the indexing support
13564 provided by the active file and overviews.
13566 @code{nnml} costs @dfn{inodes} in a big way; that is, it soaks up the
13567 resource which defines available places in the filesystem to put new
13568 files. Sysadmins take a dim view of heavy inode occupation within
13569 tight, shared filesystems. But if you live on a personal machine where
13570 the filesystem is your own and space is not at a premium, @code{nnml}
13573 It is also problematic using this back end if you are living in a
13574 FAT16-based Windows world, since much space will be wasted on all these
13579 The Rand MH mail-reading system has been around UNIX systems for a very
13580 long time; it operates by splitting one's spool file of messages into
13581 individual files, but with little or no indexing support -- @code{nnmh}
13582 is considered to be semantically equivalent to ``@code{nnml} without
13583 active file or overviews''. This is arguably the worst choice, because
13584 one gets the slowness of individual file creation married to the
13585 slowness of access parsing when learning what's new in one's groups.
13589 Basically the effect of @code{nnfolder} is @code{nnmbox} (the first
13590 method described above) on a per-group basis. That is, @code{nnmbox}
13591 itself puts *all* one's mail in one file; @code{nnfolder} provides a
13592 little bit of optimization to this so that each of one's mail groups has
13593 a Unix mail box file. It's faster than @code{nnmbox} because each group
13594 can be parsed separately, and still provides the simple Unix mail box
13595 format requiring minimal effort in moving the mail around. In addition,
13596 it maintains an ``active'' file making it much faster for Gnus to figure
13597 out how many messages there are in each separate group.
13599 If you have groups that are expected to have a massive amount of
13600 messages, @code{nnfolder} is not the best choice, but if you receive
13601 only a moderate amount of mail, @code{nnfolder} is probably the most
13602 friendly mail back end all over.
13607 @node Browsing the Web
13608 @section Browsing the Web
13610 @cindex browsing the web
13614 Web-based discussion forums are getting more and more popular. On many
13615 subjects, the web-based forums have become the most important forums,
13616 eclipsing the importance of mailing lists and news groups. The reason
13617 is easy to understand---they are friendly to new users; you just point
13618 and click, and there's the discussion. With mailing lists, you have to
13619 go through a cumbersome subscription procedure, and most people don't
13620 even know what a news group is.
13622 The problem with this scenario is that web browsers are not very good at
13623 being newsreaders. They do not keep track of what articles you've read;
13624 they do not allow you to score on subjects you're interested in; they do
13625 not allow off-line browsing; they require you to click around and drive
13626 you mad in the end.
13628 So---if web browsers suck at reading discussion forums, why not use Gnus
13631 Gnus has been getting a bit of a collection of back ends for providing
13632 interfaces to these sources.
13635 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
13636 * Slashdot:: Reading the Slashdot comments.
13637 * Ultimate:: The Ultimate Bulletin Board systems.
13638 * Web Archive:: Reading mailing list archived on web.
13639 * RSS:: Reading RDF site summary.
13640 * Customizing w3:: Doing stuff to Emacs/w3 from Gnus.
13643 All the web sources require Emacs/w3 and the url library to work.
13645 The main caveat with all these web sources is that they probably won't
13646 work for a very long time. Gleaning information from the @sc{html} data
13647 is guesswork at best, and when the layout is altered, the Gnus back end
13648 will fail. If you have reasonably new versions of these back ends,
13649 though, you should be ok.
13651 One thing all these Web methods have in common is that the Web sources
13652 are often down, unavailable or just plain too slow to be fun. In those
13653 cases, it makes a lot of sense to let the Gnus Agent (@pxref{Gnus
13654 Unplugged}) handle downloading articles, and then you can read them at
13655 leisure from your local disk. No more World Wide Wait for you.
13657 @node Archiving Mail
13658 @subsection Archiving Mail
13659 @cindex archiving mail
13660 @cindex backup of mail
13662 Some of the back ends, notably nnml and nnfolder, now actually store
13663 the article marks with each group. For these servers, archiving and
13664 restoring a group while preserving marks is fairly simple.
13666 (Preserving the group level and group parameters as well still
13667 requires ritual dancing and sacrifices to the @code{.newsrc.eld} deity
13670 To archive an entire @code{nnml} or @code{nnfolder} server, take a
13671 recursive copy of the server directory. There is no need to shut down
13672 Gnus, so archiving may be invoked by @code{cron} or similar. You
13673 restore the data by restoring the directory tree, and adding a server
13674 definition pointing to that directory in Gnus. The @ref{Article
13675 Backlog}, @ref{Asynchronous Fetching} and other things might interfer
13676 with overwriting data, so you may want to shut down Gnus before you
13679 It is also possible to archive individual @code{nnml} or
13680 @code{nnfolder} groups, while preserving marks. For @code{nnml}, you
13681 copy all files in the group's directory. For @code{nnfolder} you need
13682 to copy both the base folder file itself (@code{FOO}, say), and the
13683 marks file (@code{FOO.mrk} in this example). Restoring the group is
13684 done with @kbd{G m} from the Group buffer. The last step makes Gnus
13685 notice the new directory.
13688 @subsection Web Searches
13692 @cindex InReference
13693 @cindex Usenet searches
13694 @cindex searching the Usenet
13696 It's, like, too neat to search the Usenet for articles that match a
13697 string, but it, like, totally @emph{sucks}, like, totally, to use one of
13698 those, like, Web browsers, and you, like, have to, rilly, like, look at
13699 the commercials, so, like, with Gnus you can do @emph{rad}, rilly,
13700 searches without having to use a browser.
13702 The @code{nnweb} back end allows an easy interface to the mighty search
13703 engine. You create an @code{nnweb} group, enter a search pattern, and
13704 then enter the group and read the articles like you would any normal
13705 group. The @kbd{G w} command in the group buffer (@pxref{Foreign
13706 Groups}) will do this in an easy-to-use fashion.
13708 @code{nnweb} groups don't really lend themselves to being solid
13709 groups---they have a very fleeting idea of article numbers. In fact,
13710 each time you enter an @code{nnweb} group (not even changing the search
13711 pattern), you are likely to get the articles ordered in a different
13712 manner. Not even using duplicate suppression (@pxref{Duplicate
13713 Suppression}) will help, since @code{nnweb} doesn't even know the
13714 @code{Message-ID} of the articles before reading them using some search
13715 engines (DejaNews, for instance). The only possible way to keep track
13716 of which articles you've read is by scoring on the @code{Date}
13717 header---mark all articles posted before the last date you read the
13720 If the search engine changes its output substantially, @code{nnweb}
13721 won't be able to parse it and will fail. One could hardly fault the Web
13722 providers if they were to do this---their @emph{raison d'être} is to
13723 make money off of advertisements, not to provide services to the
13724 community. Since @code{nnweb} washes the ads off all the articles, one
13725 might think that the providers might be somewhat miffed. We'll see.
13727 You must have the @code{url} and @code{w3} package installed to be able
13728 to use @code{nnweb}.
13730 Virtual server variables:
13735 What search engine type is being used. The currently supported types
13736 are @code{dejanews}, @code{dejanewsold}, @code{altavista} and
13740 @vindex nnweb-search
13741 The search string to feed to the search engine.
13743 @item nnweb-max-hits
13744 @vindex nnweb-max-hits
13745 Advisory maximum number of hits per search to display. The default is
13748 @item nnweb-type-definition
13749 @vindex nnweb-type-definition
13750 Type-to-definition alist. This alist says what @code{nnweb} should do
13751 with the various search engine types. The following elements must be
13756 Function to decode the article and provide something that Gnus
13760 Function to create an article number to message header and URL alist.
13763 Function to send the search string to the search engine.
13766 The address the aforementioned function should send the search string
13770 Format string URL to fetch an article by @code{Message-ID}.
13777 @subsection Slashdot
13781 Slashdot (@uref{http://slashdot.org/}) is a popular news site, with
13782 lively discussion following the news articles. @code{nnslashdot} will
13783 let you read this forum in a convenient manner.
13785 The easiest way to read this source is to put something like the
13786 following in your @file{.gnus.el} file:
13789 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
13790 '((nnslashdot "")))
13793 This will make Gnus query the @code{nnslashdot} back end for new comments
13794 and groups. The @kbd{F} command will subscribe each new news article as
13795 a new Gnus group, and you can read the comments by entering these
13796 groups. (Note that the default subscription method is to subscribe new
13797 groups as zombies. Other methods are available (@pxref{Subscription
13800 If you want to remove an old @code{nnslashdot} group, the @kbd{G DEL}
13801 command is the most handy tool (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
13803 When following up to @code{nnslashdot} comments (or posting new
13804 comments), some light @sc{html}izations will be performed. In
13805 particular, text quoted with @samp{> } will be quoted with
13806 @code{blockquote} instead, and signatures will have @code{br} added to
13807 the end of each line. Other than that, you can just write @sc{html}
13808 directly into the message buffer. Note that Slashdot filters out some
13811 The following variables can be altered to change its behavior:
13814 @item nnslashdot-threaded
13815 Whether @code{nnslashdot} should display threaded groups or not. The
13816 default is @code{t}. To be able to display threads, @code{nnslashdot}
13817 has to retrieve absolutely all comments in a group upon entry. If a
13818 threaded display is not required, @code{nnslashdot} will only retrieve
13819 the comments that are actually wanted by the user. Threading is nicer,
13820 but much, much slower than untreaded.
13822 @item nnslashdot-login-name
13823 @vindex nnslashdot-login-name
13824 The login name to use when posting.
13826 @item nnslashdot-password
13827 @vindex nnslashdot-password
13828 The password to use when posting.
13830 @item nnslashdot-directory
13831 @vindex nnslashdot-directory
13832 Where @code{nnslashdot} will store its files. The default is
13833 @samp{~/News/slashdot/}.
13835 @item nnslashdot-active-url
13836 @vindex nnslashdot-active-url
13837 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch the information on
13838 news articles and comments. The default is
13839 @samp{http://slashdot.org/search.pl?section=&min=%d}.
13841 @item nnslashdot-comments-url
13842 @vindex nnslashdot-comments-url
13843 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch comments. The
13845 @samp{http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=%s&threshold=%d&commentsort=%d&mode=flat&startat=%d}.
13847 @item nnslashdot-article-url
13848 @vindex nnslashdot-article-url
13849 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch the news article. The
13851 @samp{http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=%s&mode=nocomment}.
13853 @item nnslashdot-threshold
13854 @vindex nnslashdot-threshold
13855 The score threshold. The default is -1.
13857 @item nnslashdot-group-number
13858 @vindex nnslashdot-group-number
13859 The number of old groups, in addition to the ten latest, to keep
13860 updated. The default is 0.
13867 @subsection Ultimate
13869 @cindex Ultimate Bulletin Board
13871 The Ultimate Bulletin Board (@uref{http://www.ultimatebb.com/}) is
13872 probably the most popular Web bulletin board system used. It has a
13873 quite regular and nice interface, and it's possible to get the
13874 information Gnus needs to keep groups updated.
13876 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnultimate} is to say
13877 something like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{B nnultimate RET
13878 http://www.tcj.com/messboard/ubbcgi/ RET}. (Substitute the @sc{url}
13879 (not including @samp{Ultimate.cgi} or the like at the end) for a forum
13880 you're interested in; there's quite a list of them on the Ultimate web
13881 site.) Then subscribe to the groups you're interested in from the
13882 server buffer, and read them from the group buffer.
13884 The following @code{nnultimate} variables can be altered:
13887 @item nnultimate-directory
13888 @vindex nnultimate-directory
13889 The directory where @code{nnultimate} stores its files. The default is
13890 @samp{~/News/ultimate/}.
13895 @subsection Web Archive
13897 @cindex Web Archive
13899 Some mailing lists only have archives on Web servers, such as
13900 @uref{http://www.egroups.com/} and
13901 @uref{http://www.mail-archive.com/}. It has a quite regular and nice
13902 interface, and it's possible to get the information Gnus needs to keep
13905 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnwarchive} is to say
13906 something like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{M-x
13907 gnus-group-make-warchive-group RET an_egroup RET egroups RET
13908 www.egroups.com RET your@@email.address RET}. (Substitute the
13909 @sc{an_egroup} with the mailing list you subscribed, the
13910 @sc{your@@email.address} with your email address.), or to browse the
13911 back end by @kbd{B nnwarchive RET mail-archive RET}.
13913 The following @code{nnwarchive} variables can be altered:
13916 @item nnwarchive-directory
13917 @vindex nnwarchive-directory
13918 The directory where @code{nnwarchive} stores its files. The default is
13919 @samp{~/News/warchive/}.
13921 @item nnwarchive-login
13922 @vindex nnwarchive-login
13923 The account name on the web server.
13925 @item nnwarchive-passwd
13926 @vindex nnwarchive-passwd
13927 The password for your account on the web server.
13935 Some sites have RDF site summary (RSS)
13936 @uref{http://purl.org/rss/1.0/spec}. It has a quite regular and nice
13937 interface, and it's possible to get the information Gnus needs to keep
13940 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnrss} is to say something
13941 like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{B nnrss RET RET}, then
13944 The following @code{nnrss} variables can be altered:
13947 @item nnrss-directory
13948 @vindex nnrss-directory
13949 The directory where @code{nnrss} stores its files. The default is
13950 @samp{~/News/rss/}.
13954 The following code may be helpful, if you want to show the description in
13955 the summary buffer.
13958 (add-to-list 'nnmail-extra-headers nnrss-description-field)
13959 (setq gnus-summary-line-format "%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-15,15f%]%) %s%uX\n")
13961 (defun gnus-user-format-function-X (header)
13963 (assq nnrss-description-field (mail-header-extra header))))
13964 (if descr (concat "\n\t" (cdr descr)) "")))
13967 The following code may be useful to open an nnrss url directly from the
13970 (require 'browse-url)
13972 (defun browse-nnrss-url( arg )
13974 (let ((url (assq nnrss-url-field
13977 (assq (gnus-summary-article-number)
13978 gnus-newsgroup-data))))))
13980 (browse-url (cdr url))
13981 (gnus-summary-scroll-up arg))))
13983 (eval-after-load "gnus"
13984 #'(define-key gnus-summary-mode-map
13985 (kbd "<RET>") 'browse-nnrss-url))
13986 (add-to-list 'nnmail-extra-headers nnrss-url-field)
13989 @node Customizing w3
13990 @subsection Customizing w3
13996 Gnus uses the url library to fetch web pages and Emacs/w3 to display web
13997 pages. Emacs/w3 is documented in its own manual, but there are some
13998 things that may be more relevant for Gnus users.
14000 For instance, a common question is how to make Emacs/w3 follow links
14001 using the @code{browse-url} functions (which will call some external web
14002 browser like Netscape). Here's one way:
14005 (eval-after-load "w3"
14007 (fset 'w3-fetch-orig (symbol-function 'w3-fetch))
14008 (defun w3-fetch (&optional url target)
14009 (interactive (list (w3-read-url-with-default)))
14010 (if (eq major-mode 'gnus-article-mode)
14012 (w3-fetch-orig url target)))))
14015 Put that in your @file{.emacs} file, and hitting links in w3-rendered
14016 @sc{html} in the Gnus article buffers will use @code{browse-url} to
14024 @sc{imap} is a network protocol for reading mail (or news, or ...),
14025 think of it as a modernized @sc{nntp}. Connecting to a @sc{imap}
14026 server is much similar to connecting to a news server, you just
14027 specify the network address of the server.
14029 @sc{imap} has two properties. First, @sc{imap} can do everything that
14030 POP can, it can hence be viewed as POP++. Secondly, @sc{imap} is a
14031 mail storage protocol, similar to @sc{nntp} being a news storage
14032 protocol. (@sc{imap} offers more features than @sc{nntp} because news
14033 is more or less read-only whereas mail is read-write.)
14035 If you want to use @sc{imap} as POP++, use an imap entry in
14036 mail-sources. With this, Gnus will fetch mails from the @sc{imap}
14037 server and store them on the local disk. This is not the usage
14038 described in this section. @xref{Mail Sources}.
14040 If you want to use @sc{imap} as a mail storage protocol, use an nnimap
14041 entry in gnus-secondary-select-methods. With this, Gnus will
14042 manipulate mails stored on the @sc{imap} server. This is the kind of
14043 usage explained in this section.
14045 A server configuration in @code{~/.gnus} with a few @sc{imap} servers
14046 might look something like this:
14049 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
14050 '((nnimap "simpleserver") ; no special configuration
14051 ; perhaps a ssh port forwarded server:
14053 (nnimap-address "localhost")
14054 (nnimap-server-port 1430))
14055 ; a UW server running on localhost
14057 (nnimap-server-port 143)
14058 (nnimap-address "localhost")
14059 (nnimap-list-pattern ("INBOX" "mail/*")))
14060 ; anonymous public cyrus server:
14061 (nnimap "cyrus.andrew.cmu.edu"
14062 (nnimap-authenticator anonymous)
14063 (nnimap-list-pattern "archive.*")
14064 (nnimap-stream network))
14065 ; a ssl server on a non-standard port:
14067 (nnimap-address "vic20.somewhere.com")
14068 (nnimap-server-port 9930)
14069 (nnimap-stream ssl))))
14072 (Note that for SSL/TLS to work, you need the external library
14073 @samp{ssl.el}, see below.)
14075 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nnimap}
14080 @item nnimap-address
14081 @vindex nnimap-address
14083 The address of the remote @sc{imap} server. Defaults to the virtual
14084 server name if not specified.
14086 @item nnimap-server-port
14087 @vindex nnimap-server-port
14088 Port on server to contact. Defaults to port 143, or 993 for SSL.
14090 Note that this should be a integer, example server specification:
14093 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
14094 (nnimap-server-port 4711))
14097 @item nnimap-list-pattern
14098 @vindex nnimap-list-pattern
14099 String or list of strings of mailboxes to limit available groups to.
14100 This is used when the server has very many mailboxes and you're only
14101 interested in a few -- some servers export your home directory via
14102 @sc{imap}, you'll probably want to limit the mailboxes to those in
14103 @file{~/Mail/*} then.
14105 The string can also be a cons of REFERENCE and the string as above, what
14106 REFERENCE is used for is server specific, but on the University of
14107 Washington server it's a directory that will be concatenated with the
14110 Example server specification:
14113 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
14114 (nnimap-list-pattern ("INBOX" "Mail/*" "alt.sex.*"
14115 ("~friend/Mail/" . "list/*"))))
14118 @item nnimap-stream
14119 @vindex nnimap-stream
14120 The type of stream used to connect to your server. By default, nnimap
14121 will detect and automatically use all of the below, with the exception
14122 of SSL/TLS. (IMAP over SSL/TLS is being replaced by STARTTLS, which
14123 can be automatically detected, but it's not widely deployed yet.)
14125 Example server specification:
14128 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
14129 (nnimap-stream ssl))
14132 Please note that the value of @code{nnimap-stream} is a symbol!
14136 @dfn{gssapi:} Connect with GSSAPI (usually kerberos 5). Requires the
14137 @samp{imtest} program.
14139 @dfn{kerberos4:} Connect with kerberos 4. Requires the @samp{imtest} program.
14141 @dfn{starttls:} Connect via the STARTTLS extension (similar to
14142 SSL). Requires the external library @samp{starttls.el} and program
14145 @dfn{ssl:} Connect through SSL. Requires OpenSSL (the program
14146 @samp{openssl}) or SSLeay (@samp{s_client}) as well as the external
14147 library @samp{ssl.el}.
14149 @dfn{shell:} Use a shell command to start @sc{imap} connection.
14151 @dfn{network:} Plain, TCP/IP network connection.
14154 @vindex imap-kerberos4-program
14155 The @samp{imtest} program is shipped with Cyrus IMAPD. If you're
14156 using @samp{imtest} from Cyrus IMAPD < 2.0.14 (which includes version
14157 1.5.x and 1.6.x) you need to frob @code{imap-process-connection-type}
14158 to make @code{imap.el} use a pty instead of a pipe when communicating
14159 with @samp{imtest}. You will then suffer from a line length
14160 restrictions on IMAP commands, which might make Gnus seem to hang
14161 indefinitely if you have many articles in a mailbox. The variable
14162 @code{imap-kerberos4-program} contain parameters to pass to the imtest
14165 @vindex imap-ssl-program
14166 For SSL connections, the OpenSSL program is available from
14167 @uref{http://www.openssl.org/}. OpenSSL was formerly known as SSLeay,
14168 and nnimap support it too - altough the most recent versions of
14169 SSLeay, 0.9.x, are known to have serious bugs making it
14170 useless. Earlier versions, especially 0.8.x, of SSLeay are known to
14171 work. The variable @code{imap-ssl-program} contain parameters to pass
14172 to OpenSSL/SSLeay. You also need @samp{ssl.el} (from the W3
14173 distribution, for instance).
14175 @vindex imap-shell-program
14176 @vindex imap-shell-host
14177 For @sc{imap} connections using the @code{shell} stream, the variable
14178 @code{imap-shell-program} specify what program to call.
14180 @item nnimap-authenticator
14181 @vindex nnimap-authenticator
14183 The authenticator used to connect to the server. By default, nnimap
14184 will use the most secure authenticator your server is capable of.
14186 Example server specification:
14189 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
14190 (nnimap-authenticator anonymous))
14193 Please note that the value of @code{nnimap-authenticator} is a symbol!
14197 @dfn{gssapi:} GSSAPI (usually kerberos 5) authentication. Require
14198 external program @code{imtest}.
14200 @dfn{kerberos4:} Kerberos authentication. Require external program
14203 @dfn{digest-md5:} Encrypted username/password via DIGEST-MD5. Require
14204 external library @code{digest-md5.el}.
14206 @dfn{cram-md5:} Encrypted username/password via CRAM-MD5.
14208 @dfn{login:} Plain-text username/password via LOGIN.
14210 @dfn{anonymous:} Login as `anonymous', supplying your emailadress as password.
14213 @item nnimap-expunge-on-close
14215 @vindex nnimap-expunge-on-close
14216 Unlike Parmenides the @sc{imap} designers has decided that things that
14217 doesn't exist actually does exist. More specifically, @sc{imap} has
14218 this concept of marking articles @code{Deleted} which doesn't actually
14219 delete them, and this (marking them @code{Deleted}, that is) is what
14220 nnimap does when you delete a article in Gnus (with @kbd{G DEL} or
14223 Since the articles aren't really removed when we mark them with the
14224 @code{Deleted} flag we'll need a way to actually delete them. Feel like
14225 running in circles yet?
14227 Traditionally, nnimap has removed all articles marked as @code{Deleted}
14228 when closing a mailbox but this is now configurable by this server
14231 The possible options are:
14236 The default behavior, delete all articles marked as "Deleted" when
14239 Never actually delete articles. Currently there is no way of showing
14240 the articles marked for deletion in nnimap, but other @sc{imap} clients
14241 may allow you to do this. If you ever want to run the EXPUNGE command
14242 manually, @xref{Expunging mailboxes}.
14244 When closing mailboxes, nnimap will ask if you wish to expunge deleted
14249 @item nnimap-importantize-dormant
14250 @vindex nnimap-importantize-dormant
14252 If non-nil, marks dormant articles as ticked (as well), for other IMAP
14253 clients. Within Gnus, dormant articles will naturally still (only) be
14254 marked as ticked. This is to make dormant articles stand out, just
14255 like ticked articles, in other IMAP clients. (In other words, Gnus has
14256 two ``Tick'' marks and IMAP has only one.)
14258 Probably the only reason for frobing this would be if you're trying
14259 enable per-user persistant dormant flags, using something like:
14262 (setcdr (assq 'dormant nnimap-mark-to-flag-alist)
14263 (format "gnus-dormant-%s" (user-login-name)))
14264 (setcdr (assq 'dormant nnimap-mark-to-predicate-alist)
14265 (format "KEYWORD gnus-dormant-%s" (user-login-name)))
14268 In this case, you would not want the per-user dormant flag showing up
14269 as ticked for other users.
14271 @item nnimap-expunge-search-string
14273 @vindex nnimap-expunge-search-string
14275 This variable contain the IMAP search command sent to server when
14276 searching for articles eligible for expiring. The default is
14277 @code{"UID %s NOT SINCE %s"}, where the first @code{%s} is replaced by
14278 UID set and the second @code{%s} is replaced by a date.
14280 Probably the only useful value to change this to is
14281 @code{"UID %s NOT SENTSINCE %s"}, which makes nnimap use the Date: in
14282 messages instead of the internal article date. See section 6.4.4 of
14283 RFC 2060 for more information on valid strings.
14285 @item nnimap-authinfo-file
14286 @vindex nnimap-authinfo-file
14288 A file containing credentials used to log in on servers. The format is
14289 (almost) the same as the @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file. See the
14290 variable @code{nntp-authinfo-file} for exact syntax; also see
14296 * Splitting in IMAP:: Splitting mail with nnimap.
14297 * Editing IMAP ACLs:: Limiting/enabling other users access to a mailbox.
14298 * Expunging mailboxes:: Equivalent of a "compress mailbox" button.
14303 @node Splitting in IMAP
14304 @subsection Splitting in @sc{imap}
14305 @cindex splitting imap mail
14307 Splitting is something Gnus users has loved and used for years, and now
14308 the rest of the world is catching up. Yeah, dream on, not many
14309 @sc{imap} server has server side splitting and those that have splitting
14310 seem to use some non-standard protocol. This means that @sc{imap}
14311 support for Gnus has to do it's own splitting.
14315 Here are the variables of interest:
14319 @item nnimap-split-crosspost
14320 @cindex splitting, crosspost
14322 @vindex nnimap-split-crosspost
14324 If non-nil, do crossposting if several split methods match the mail. If
14325 nil, the first match in @code{nnimap-split-rule} found will be used.
14327 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-crosspost}.
14329 @item nnimap-split-inbox
14330 @cindex splitting, inbox
14332 @vindex nnimap-split-inbox
14334 A string or a list of strings that gives the name(s) of @sc{imap}
14335 mailboxes to split from. Defaults to nil, which means that splitting is
14339 (setq nnimap-split-inbox
14340 '("INBOX" ("~/friend/Mail" . "lists/*") "lists.imap"))
14343 No nnmail equivalent.
14345 @item nnimap-split-rule
14346 @cindex Splitting, rules
14347 @vindex nnimap-split-rule
14349 New mail found in @code{nnimap-split-inbox} will be split according to
14352 This variable contains a list of lists, where the first element in the
14353 sublist gives the name of the @sc{imap} mailbox to move articles
14354 matching the regexp in the second element in the sublist. Got that?
14355 Neither did I, we need examples.
14358 (setq nnimap-split-rule
14360 "^Sender: owner-nnimap@@vic20.globalcom.se")
14361 ("INBOX.junk" "^Subject:.*MAKE MONEY")
14362 ("INBOX.private" "")))
14365 This will put all articles from the nnimap mailing list into mailbox
14366 INBOX.nnimap, all articles containing MAKE MONEY in the Subject: line
14367 into INBOX.junk and everything else in INBOX.private.
14369 The first string may contain `\\1' forms, like the ones used by
14370 replace-match to insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For
14374 ("INBOX.lists.\\1" "^Sender: owner-\\([a-z-]+\\)@@")
14377 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
14378 called with the first element of the rule as the argument, in a buffer
14379 containing the headers of the article. It should return a non-nil value
14380 if it thinks that the mail belongs in that group.
14382 Nnmail users might recollect that the last regexp had to be empty to
14383 match all articles (like in the example above). This is not required in
14384 nnimap. Articles not matching any of the regexps will not be moved out
14385 of your inbox. (This might affect performance if you keep lots of
14386 unread articles in your inbox, since the splitting code would go over
14387 them every time you fetch new mail.)
14389 These rules are processed from the beginning of the alist toward the
14390 end. The first rule to make a match will "win", unless you have
14391 crossposting enabled. In that case, all matching rules will "win".
14393 This variable can also have a function as its value, the function will
14394 be called with the headers narrowed and should return a group where it
14395 thinks the article should be split to. See @code{nnimap-split-fancy}.
14397 The splitting code tries to create mailboxes if it need too.
14399 To allow for different split rules on different virtual servers, and
14400 even different split rules in different inboxes on the same server,
14401 the syntax of this variable have been extended along the lines of:
14404 (setq nnimap-split-rule
14405 '(("my1server" (".*" (("ding" "ding@@gnus.org")
14406 ("junk" "From:.*Simon")))
14407 ("my2server" ("INBOX" nnimap-split-fancy))
14408 ("my[34]server" (".*" (("private" "To:.*Simon")
14409 ("junk" my-junk-func)))))
14412 The virtual server name is in fact a regexp, so that the same rules
14413 may apply to several servers. In the example, the servers
14414 @code{my3server} and @code{my4server} both use the same rules.
14415 Similarly, the inbox string is also a regexp. The actual splitting
14416 rules are as before, either a function, or a list with group/regexp or
14417 group/function elements.
14419 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-split-methods}.
14421 @item nnimap-split-predicate
14423 @vindex nnimap-split-predicate
14425 Mail matching this predicate in @code{nnimap-split-inbox} will be
14426 split, it is a string and the default is @samp{UNSEEN UNDELETED}.
14428 This might be useful if you use another @sc{imap} client to read mail in
14429 your inbox but would like Gnus to split all articles in the inbox
14430 regardless of readedness. Then you might change this to
14433 @item nnimap-split-fancy
14434 @cindex splitting, fancy
14435 @findex nnimap-split-fancy
14436 @vindex nnimap-split-fancy
14438 It's possible to set @code{nnimap-split-rule} to
14439 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} if you want to use fancy
14440 splitting. @xref{Fancy Mail Splitting}.
14442 However, to be able to have different fancy split rules for nnmail and
14443 nnimap back ends you can set @code{nnimap-split-rule} to
14444 @code{nnimap-split-fancy} and define the nnimap specific fancy split
14445 rule in @code{nnimap-split-fancy}.
14450 (setq nnimap-split-rule 'nnimap-split-fancy
14451 nnimap-split-fancy ...)
14454 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-split-fancy}.
14458 @node Editing IMAP ACLs
14459 @subsection Editing @sc{imap} ACLs
14460 @cindex editing imap acls
14461 @cindex Access Control Lists
14462 @cindex Editing @sc{imap} ACLs
14464 @findex gnus-group-nnimap-edit-acl
14466 ACL stands for Access Control List. ACLs are used in @sc{imap} for
14467 limiting (or enabling) other users access to your mail boxes. Not all
14468 @sc{imap} servers support this, this function will give an error if it
14471 To edit a ACL for a mailbox, type @kbd{G l}
14472 (@code{gnus-group-edit-nnimap-acl}) and you'll be presented with a ACL
14473 editing window with detailed instructions.
14475 Some possible uses:
14479 Giving "anyone" the "lrs" rights (lookup, read, keep seen/unseen flags)
14480 on your mailing list mailboxes enables other users on the same server to
14481 follow the list without subscribing to it.
14483 At least with the Cyrus server, you are required to give the user
14484 "anyone" posting ("p") capabilities to have "plussing" work (that is,
14485 mail sent to user+mailbox@@domain ending up in the @sc{imap} mailbox
14489 @node Expunging mailboxes
14490 @subsection Expunging mailboxes
14494 @cindex Manual expunging
14496 @findex gnus-group-nnimap-expunge
14498 If you're using the @code{never} setting of @code{nnimap-expunge-on-close},
14499 you may want the option of expunging all deleted articles in a mailbox
14500 manually. This is exactly what @kbd{G x} does.
14502 Currently there is no way of showing deleted articles, you can just
14507 @node Other Sources
14508 @section Other Sources
14510 Gnus can do more than just read news or mail. The methods described
14511 below allow Gnus to view directories and files as if they were
14515 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
14516 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
14517 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
14518 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{soup} packets ``offline''.
14519 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
14523 @node Directory Groups
14524 @subsection Directory Groups
14526 @cindex directory groups
14528 If you have a directory that has lots of articles in separate files in
14529 it, you might treat it as a newsgroup. The files have to have numerical
14532 This might be an opportune moment to mention @code{ange-ftp} (and its
14533 successor @code{efs}), that most wonderful of all wonderful Emacs
14534 packages. When I wrote @code{nndir}, I didn't think much about it---a
14535 back end to read directories. Big deal.
14537 @code{ange-ftp} changes that picture dramatically. For instance, if you
14538 enter the @code{ange-ftp} file name
14539 @file{/ftp.hpc.uh.edu:/pub/emacs/ding-list/} as the directory name,
14540 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will actually allow you to read this
14541 directory over at @samp{sina} as a newsgroup. Distributed news ahoy!
14543 @code{nndir} will use @sc{nov} files if they are present.
14545 @code{nndir} is a ``read-only'' back end---you can't delete or expire
14546 articles with this method. You can use @code{nnmh} or @code{nnml} for
14547 whatever you use @code{nndir} for, so you could switch to any of those
14548 methods if you feel the need to have a non-read-only @code{nndir}.
14551 @node Anything Groups
14552 @subsection Anything Groups
14555 From the @code{nndir} back end (which reads a single spool-like
14556 directory), it's just a hop and a skip to @code{nneething}, which
14557 pretends that any arbitrary directory is a newsgroup. Strange, but
14560 When @code{nneething} is presented with a directory, it will scan this
14561 directory and assign article numbers to each file. When you enter such
14562 a group, @code{nneething} must create ``headers'' that Gnus can use.
14563 After all, Gnus is a newsreader, in case you're forgetting.
14564 @code{nneething} does this in a two-step process. First, it snoops each
14565 file in question. If the file looks like an article (i.e., the first
14566 few lines look like headers), it will use this as the head. If this is
14567 just some arbitrary file without a head (e.g. a C source file),
14568 @code{nneething} will cobble up a header out of thin air. It will use
14569 file ownership, name and date and do whatever it can with these
14572 All this should happen automatically for you, and you will be presented
14573 with something that looks very much like a newsgroup. Totally like a
14574 newsgroup, to be precise. If you select an article, it will be displayed
14575 in the article buffer, just as usual.
14577 If you select a line that represents a directory, Gnus will pop you into
14578 a new summary buffer for this @code{nneething} group. And so on. You can
14579 traverse the entire disk this way, if you feel like, but remember that
14580 Gnus is not dired, really, and does not intend to be, either.
14582 There are two overall modes to this action---ephemeral or solid. When
14583 doing the ephemeral thing (i.e., @kbd{G D} from the group buffer), Gnus
14584 will not store information on what files you have read, and what files
14585 are new, and so on. If you create a solid @code{nneething} group the
14586 normal way with @kbd{G m}, Gnus will store a mapping table between
14587 article numbers and file names, and you can treat this group like any
14588 other groups. When you activate a solid @code{nneething} group, you will
14589 be told how many unread articles it contains, etc., etc.
14594 @item nneething-map-file-directory
14595 @vindex nneething-map-file-directory
14596 All the mapping files for solid @code{nneething} groups will be stored
14597 in this directory, which defaults to @file{~/.nneething/}.
14599 @item nneething-exclude-files
14600 @vindex nneething-exclude-files
14601 All files that match this regexp will be ignored. Nice to use to exclude
14602 auto-save files and the like, which is what it does by default.
14604 @item nneething-include-files
14605 @vindex nneething-include-files
14606 Regexp saying what files to include in the group. If this variable is
14607 non-@code{nil}, only files matching this regexp will be included.
14609 @item nneething-map-file
14610 @vindex nneething-map-file
14611 Name of the map files.
14615 @node Document Groups
14616 @subsection Document Groups
14618 @cindex documentation group
14621 @code{nndoc} is a cute little thing that will let you read a single file
14622 as a newsgroup. Several files types are supported:
14629 The babyl (rmail) mail box.
14634 The standard Unix mbox file.
14636 @cindex MMDF mail box
14638 The MMDF mail box format.
14641 Several news articles appended into a file.
14644 @cindex rnews batch files
14645 The rnews batch transport format.
14646 @cindex forwarded messages
14649 Forwarded articles.
14652 Netscape mail boxes.
14655 MIME multipart messages.
14657 @item standard-digest
14658 The standard (RFC 1153) digest format.
14661 Non-standard digest format---matches most things, but does it badly.
14664 You can also use the special ``file type'' @code{guess}, which means
14665 that @code{nndoc} will try to guess what file type it is looking at.
14666 @code{digest} means that @code{nndoc} should guess what digest type the
14669 @code{nndoc} will not try to change the file or insert any extra headers into
14670 it---it will simply, like, let you use the file as the basis for a
14671 group. And that's it.
14673 If you have some old archived articles that you want to insert into your
14674 new & spiffy Gnus mail back end, @code{nndoc} can probably help you with
14675 that. Say you have an old @file{RMAIL} file with mail that you now want
14676 to split into your new @code{nnml} groups. You look at that file using
14677 @code{nndoc} (using the @kbd{G f} command in the group buffer
14678 (@pxref{Foreign Groups})), set the process mark on all the articles in
14679 the buffer (@kbd{M P b}, for instance), and then re-spool (@kbd{B r})
14680 using @code{nnml}. If all goes well, all the mail in the @file{RMAIL}
14681 file is now also stored in lots of @code{nnml} directories, and you can
14682 delete that pesky @file{RMAIL} file. If you have the guts!
14684 Virtual server variables:
14687 @item nndoc-article-type
14688 @vindex nndoc-article-type
14689 This should be one of @code{mbox}, @code{babyl}, @code{digest},
14690 @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{mmdf}, @code{forward}, @code{rfc934},
14691 @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{mime-parts}, @code{standard-digest},
14692 @code{slack-digest}, @code{clari-briefs}, @code{nsmail},
14693 @code{outlook}, @code{oe-dbx}, and @code{mailman} or @code{guess}.
14695 @item nndoc-post-type
14696 @vindex nndoc-post-type
14697 This variable says whether Gnus is to consider the group a news group or
14698 a mail group. There are two valid values: @code{mail} (the default)
14703 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
14707 @node Document Server Internals
14708 @subsubsection Document Server Internals
14710 Adding new document types to be recognized by @code{nndoc} isn't
14711 difficult. You just have to whip up a definition of what the document
14712 looks like, write a predicate function to recognize that document type,
14713 and then hook into @code{nndoc}.
14715 First, here's an example document type definition:
14719 (article-begin . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n")
14720 (body-end . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n"))
14723 The definition is simply a unique @dfn{name} followed by a series of
14724 regexp pseudo-variable settings. Below are the possible
14725 variables---don't be daunted by the number of variables; most document
14726 types can be defined with very few settings:
14729 @item first-article
14730 If present, @code{nndoc} will skip past all text until it finds
14731 something that match this regexp. All text before this will be
14734 @item article-begin
14735 This setting has to be present in all document type definitions. It
14736 says what the beginning of each article looks like.
14738 @item head-begin-function
14739 If present, this should be a function that moves point to the head of
14742 @item nndoc-head-begin
14743 If present, this should be a regexp that matches the head of the
14746 @item nndoc-head-end
14747 This should match the end of the head of the article. It defaults to
14748 @samp{^$}---the empty line.
14750 @item body-begin-function
14751 If present, this function should move point to the beginning of the body
14755 This should match the beginning of the body of the article. It defaults
14758 @item body-end-function
14759 If present, this function should move point to the end of the body of
14763 If present, this should match the end of the body of the article.
14766 If present, this should match the end of the file. All text after this
14767 regexp will be totally ignored.
14771 So, using these variables @code{nndoc} is able to dissect a document
14772 file into a series of articles, each with a head and a body. However, a
14773 few more variables are needed since not all document types are all that
14774 news-like---variables needed to transform the head or the body into
14775 something that's palatable for Gnus:
14778 @item prepare-body-function
14779 If present, this function will be called when requesting an article. It
14780 will be called with point at the start of the body, and is useful if the
14781 document has encoded some parts of its contents.
14783 @item article-transform-function
14784 If present, this function is called when requesting an article. It's
14785 meant to be used for more wide-ranging transformation of both head and
14786 body of the article.
14788 @item generate-head-function
14789 If present, this function is called to generate a head that Gnus can
14790 understand. It is called with the article number as a parameter, and is
14791 expected to generate a nice head for the article in question. It is
14792 called when requesting the headers of all articles.
14796 Let's look at the most complicated example I can come up with---standard
14801 (first-article . ,(concat "^" (make-string 70 ?-) "\n\n+"))
14802 (article-begin . ,(concat "\n\n" (make-string 30 ?-) "\n\n+"))
14803 (prepare-body-function . nndoc-unquote-dashes)
14804 (body-end-function . nndoc-digest-body-end)
14805 (head-end . "^ ?$")
14806 (body-begin . "^ ?\n")
14807 (file-end . "^End of .*digest.*[0-9].*\n\\*\\*\\|^End of.*Digest *$")
14808 (subtype digest guess))
14811 We see that all text before a 70-width line of dashes is ignored; all
14812 text after a line that starts with that @samp{^End of} is also ignored;
14813 each article begins with a 30-width line of dashes; the line separating
14814 the head from the body may contain a single space; and that the body is
14815 run through @code{nndoc-unquote-dashes} before being delivered.
14817 To hook your own document definition into @code{nndoc}, use the
14818 @code{nndoc-add-type} function. It takes two parameters---the first is
14819 the definition itself and the second (optional) parameter says where in
14820 the document type definition alist to put this definition. The alist is
14821 traversed sequentially, and @code{nndoc-TYPE-type-p} is called for a given type @code{TYPE}. So @code{nndoc-mmdf-type-p} is called to see whether a document
14822 is of @code{mmdf} type, and so on. These type predicates should return
14823 @code{nil} if the document is not of the correct type; @code{t} if it is
14824 of the correct type; and a number if the document might be of the
14825 correct type. A high number means high probability; a low number means
14826 low probability with @samp{0} being the lowest valid number.
14834 In the PC world people often talk about ``offline'' newsreaders. These
14835 are thingies that are combined reader/news transport monstrosities.
14836 With built-in modem programs. Yecchh!
14838 Of course, us Unix Weenie types of human beans use things like
14839 @code{uucp} and, like, @code{nntpd} and set up proper news and mail
14840 transport things like Ghod intended. And then we just use normal
14843 However, it can sometimes be convenient to do something that's a bit
14844 easier on the brain if you have a very slow modem, and you're not really
14845 that interested in doing things properly.
14847 A file format called @sc{soup} has been developed for transporting news
14848 and mail from servers to home machines and back again. It can be a bit
14851 First some terminology:
14856 This is the machine that is connected to the outside world and where you
14857 get news and/or mail from.
14860 This is the machine that you want to do the actual reading and responding
14861 on. It is typically not connected to the rest of the world in any way.
14864 Something that contains messages and/or commands. There are two kinds
14868 @item message packets
14869 These are packets made at the server, and typically contain lots of
14870 messages for you to read. These are called @file{SoupoutX.tgz} by
14871 default, where @var{x} is a number.
14873 @item response packets
14874 These are packets made at the home machine, and typically contains
14875 replies that you've written. These are called @file{SoupinX.tgz} by
14876 default, where @var{x} is a number.
14886 You log in on the server and create a @sc{soup} packet. You can either
14887 use a dedicated @sc{soup} thingie (like the @code{awk} program), or you
14888 can use Gnus to create the packet with its @sc{soup} commands (@kbd{O
14889 s} and/or @kbd{G s b}; and then @kbd{G s p}) (@pxref{SOUP Commands}).
14892 You transfer the packet home. Rail, boat, car or modem will do fine.
14895 You put the packet in your home directory.
14898 You fire up Gnus on your home machine using the @code{nnsoup} back end as
14899 the native or secondary server.
14902 You read articles and mail and answer and followup to the things you
14903 want (@pxref{SOUP Replies}).
14906 You do the @kbd{G s r} command to pack these replies into a @sc{soup}
14910 You transfer this packet to the server.
14913 You use Gnus to mail this packet out with the @kbd{G s s} command.
14916 You then repeat until you die.
14920 So you basically have a bipartite system---you use @code{nnsoup} for
14921 reading and Gnus for packing/sending these @sc{soup} packets.
14924 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
14925 * SOUP Groups:: A back end for reading @sc{soup} packets.
14926 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
14930 @node SOUP Commands
14931 @subsubsection SOUP Commands
14933 These are commands for creating and manipulating @sc{soup} packets.
14937 @kindex G s b (Group)
14938 @findex gnus-group-brew-soup
14939 Pack all unread articles in the current group
14940 (@code{gnus-group-brew-soup}). This command understands the
14941 process/prefix convention.
14944 @kindex G s w (Group)
14945 @findex gnus-soup-save-areas
14946 Save all @sc{soup} data files (@code{gnus-soup-save-areas}).
14949 @kindex G s s (Group)
14950 @findex gnus-soup-send-replies
14951 Send all replies from the replies packet
14952 (@code{gnus-soup-send-replies}).
14955 @kindex G s p (Group)
14956 @findex gnus-soup-pack-packet
14957 Pack all files into a @sc{soup} packet (@code{gnus-soup-pack-packet}).
14960 @kindex G s r (Group)
14961 @findex nnsoup-pack-replies
14962 Pack all replies into a replies packet (@code{nnsoup-pack-replies}).
14965 @kindex O s (Summary)
14966 @findex gnus-soup-add-article
14967 This summary-mode command adds the current article to a @sc{soup} packet
14968 (@code{gnus-soup-add-article}). It understands the process/prefix
14969 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
14974 There are a few variables to customize where Gnus will put all these
14979 @item gnus-soup-directory
14980 @vindex gnus-soup-directory
14981 Directory where Gnus will save intermediate files while composing
14982 @sc{soup} packets. The default is @file{~/SoupBrew/}.
14984 @item gnus-soup-replies-directory
14985 @vindex gnus-soup-replies-directory
14986 This is what Gnus will use as a temporary directory while sending our
14987 reply packets. @file{~/SoupBrew/SoupReplies/} is the default.
14989 @item gnus-soup-prefix-file
14990 @vindex gnus-soup-prefix-file
14991 Name of the file where Gnus stores the last used prefix. The default is
14992 @samp{gnus-prefix}.
14994 @item gnus-soup-packer
14995 @vindex gnus-soup-packer
14996 A format string command for packing a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
14997 @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupout%d.tgz}.
14999 @item gnus-soup-unpacker
15000 @vindex gnus-soup-unpacker
15001 Format string command for unpacking a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
15002 @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
15004 @item gnus-soup-packet-directory
15005 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-directory
15006 Where Gnus will look for reply packets. The default is @file{~/}.
15008 @item gnus-soup-packet-regexp
15009 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-regexp
15010 Regular expression matching @sc{soup} reply packets in
15011 @code{gnus-soup-packet-directory}.
15017 @subsubsection @sc{soup} Groups
15020 @code{nnsoup} is the back end for reading @sc{soup} packets. It will
15021 read incoming packets, unpack them, and put them in a directory where
15022 you can read them at leisure.
15024 These are the variables you can use to customize its behavior:
15028 @item nnsoup-tmp-directory
15029 @vindex nnsoup-tmp-directory
15030 When @code{nnsoup} unpacks a @sc{soup} packet, it does it in this
15031 directory. (@file{/tmp/} by default.)
15033 @item nnsoup-directory
15034 @vindex nnsoup-directory
15035 @code{nnsoup} then moves each message and index file to this directory.
15036 The default is @file{~/SOUP/}.
15038 @item nnsoup-replies-directory
15039 @vindex nnsoup-replies-directory
15040 All replies will be stored in this directory before being packed into a
15041 reply packet. The default is @file{~/SOUP/replies/"}.
15043 @item nnsoup-replies-format-type
15044 @vindex nnsoup-replies-format-type
15045 The @sc{soup} format of the replies packets. The default is @samp{?n}
15046 (rnews), and I don't think you should touch that variable. I probably
15047 shouldn't even have documented it. Drats! Too late!
15049 @item nnsoup-replies-index-type
15050 @vindex nnsoup-replies-index-type
15051 The index type of the replies packet. The default is @samp{?n}, which
15052 means ``none''. Don't fiddle with this one either!
15054 @item nnsoup-active-file
15055 @vindex nnsoup-active-file
15056 Where @code{nnsoup} stores lots of information. This is not an ``active
15057 file'' in the @code{nntp} sense; it's an Emacs Lisp file. If you lose
15058 this file or mess it up in any way, you're dead. The default is
15059 @file{~/SOUP/active}.
15061 @item nnsoup-packer
15062 @vindex nnsoup-packer
15063 Format string command for packing a reply @sc{soup} packet. The default
15064 is @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupin%d.tgz}.
15066 @item nnsoup-unpacker
15067 @vindex nnsoup-unpacker
15068 Format string command for unpacking incoming @sc{soup} packets. The
15069 default is @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
15071 @item nnsoup-packet-directory
15072 @vindex nnsoup-packet-directory
15073 Where @code{nnsoup} will look for incoming packets. The default is
15076 @item nnsoup-packet-regexp
15077 @vindex nnsoup-packet-regexp
15078 Regular expression matching incoming @sc{soup} packets. The default is
15081 @item nnsoup-always-save
15082 @vindex nnsoup-always-save
15083 If non-@code{nil}, save the replies buffer after each posted message.
15089 @subsubsection SOUP Replies
15091 Just using @code{nnsoup} won't mean that your postings and mailings end
15092 up in @sc{soup} reply packets automagically. You have to work a bit
15093 more for that to happen.
15095 @findex nnsoup-set-variables
15096 The @code{nnsoup-set-variables} command will set the appropriate
15097 variables to ensure that all your followups and replies end up in the
15100 In specific, this is what it does:
15103 (setq message-send-news-function 'nnsoup-request-post)
15104 (setq message-send-mail-function 'nnsoup-request-mail)
15107 And that's it, really. If you only want news to go into the @sc{soup}
15108 system you just use the first line. If you only want mail to be
15109 @sc{soup}ed you use the second.
15112 @node Mail-To-News Gateways
15113 @subsection Mail-To-News Gateways
15114 @cindex mail-to-news gateways
15117 If your local @code{nntp} server doesn't allow posting, for some reason
15118 or other, you can post using one of the numerous mail-to-news gateways.
15119 The @code{nngateway} back end provides the interface.
15121 Note that you can't read anything from this back end---it can only be
15127 @item nngateway-address
15128 @vindex nngateway-address
15129 This is the address of the mail-to-news gateway.
15131 @item nngateway-header-transformation
15132 @vindex nngateway-header-transformation
15133 News headers often have to be transformed in some odd way or other
15134 for the mail-to-news gateway to accept it. This variable says what
15135 transformation should be called, and defaults to
15136 @code{nngateway-simple-header-transformation}. The function is called
15137 narrowed to the headers to be transformed and with one parameter---the
15140 This default function just inserts a new @code{To} header based on the
15141 @code{Newsgroups} header and the gateway address.
15142 For instance, an article with this @code{Newsgroups} header:
15145 Newsgroups: alt.religion.emacs
15148 will get this @code{From} header inserted:
15151 To: alt-religion-emacs@@GATEWAY
15154 The following pre-defined functions exist:
15156 @findex nngateway-simple-header-transformation
15159 @item nngateway-simple-header-transformation
15160 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
15161 @var{newsgroup}@@@code{nngateway-address}.
15163 @findex nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
15165 @item nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
15166 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
15167 @code{nngateway-address}.
15172 (setq gnus-post-method
15174 "mail2news@@replay.com"
15175 (nngateway-header-transformation
15176 nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation)))
15184 So, to use this, simply say something like:
15187 (setq gnus-post-method '(nngateway "GATEWAY.ADDRESS"))
15192 @node Combined Groups
15193 @section Combined Groups
15195 Gnus allows combining a mixture of all the other group types into bigger
15199 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
15200 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
15204 @node Virtual Groups
15205 @subsection Virtual Groups
15207 @cindex virtual groups
15208 @cindex merging groups
15210 An @dfn{nnvirtual group} is really nothing more than a collection of
15213 For instance, if you are tired of reading many small groups, you can
15214 put them all in one big group, and then grow tired of reading one
15215 big, unwieldy group. The joys of computing!
15217 You specify @code{nnvirtual} as the method. The address should be a
15218 regexp to match component groups.
15220 All marks in the virtual group will stick to the articles in the
15221 component groups. So if you tick an article in a virtual group, the
15222 article will also be ticked in the component group from whence it came.
15223 (And vice versa---marks from the component groups will also be shown in
15224 the virtual group.)
15226 Here's an example @code{nnvirtual} method that collects all Andrea Dworkin
15227 newsgroups into one, big, happy newsgroup:
15230 (nnvirtual "^alt\\.fan\\.andrea-dworkin$\\|^rec\\.dworkin.*")
15233 The component groups can be native or foreign; everything should work
15234 smoothly, but if your computer explodes, it was probably my fault.
15236 Collecting the same group from several servers might actually be a good
15237 idea if users have set the Distribution header to limit distribution.
15238 If you would like to read @samp{soc.motss} both from a server in Japan
15239 and a server in Norway, you could use the following as the group regexp:
15242 "^nntp\\+server\\.jp:soc\\.motss$\\|^nntp\\+server\\.no:soc\\.motss$"
15245 (Remember, though, that if you're creating the group with @kbd{G m}, you
15246 shouldn't double the backslashes, and you should leave off the quote
15247 characters at the beginning and the end of the string.)
15249 This should work kinda smoothly---all articles from both groups should
15250 end up in this one, and there should be no duplicates. Threading (and
15251 the rest) will still work as usual, but there might be problems with the
15252 sequence of articles. Sorting on date might be an option here
15253 (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
15255 One limitation, however---all groups included in a virtual
15256 group have to be alive (i.e., subscribed or unsubscribed). Killed or
15257 zombie groups can't be component groups for @code{nnvirtual} groups.
15259 @vindex nnvirtual-always-rescan
15260 If the @code{nnvirtual-always-rescan} is non-@code{nil},
15261 @code{nnvirtual} will always scan groups for unread articles when
15262 entering a virtual group. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
15263 default) and you read articles in a component group after the virtual
15264 group has been activated, the read articles from the component group
15265 will show up when you enter the virtual group. You'll also see this
15266 effect if you have two virtual groups that have a component group in
15267 common. If that's the case, you should set this variable to @code{t}.
15268 Or you can just tap @code{M-g} on the virtual group every time before
15269 you enter it---it'll have much the same effect.
15271 @code{nnvirtual} can have both mail and news groups as component groups.
15272 When responding to articles in @code{nnvirtual} groups, @code{nnvirtual}
15273 has to ask the back end of the component group the article comes from
15274 whether it is a news or mail back end. However, when you do a @kbd{^},
15275 there is typically no sure way for the component back end to know this,
15276 and in that case @code{nnvirtual} tells Gnus that the article came from a
15277 not-news back end. (Just to be on the safe side.)
15279 @kbd{C-c C-t} in the message buffer will insert the @code{Newsgroups}
15280 line from the article you respond to in these cases.
15284 @node Kibozed Groups
15285 @subsection Kibozed Groups
15289 @dfn{Kibozing} is defined by @sc{oed} as ``grepping through (parts of)
15290 the news feed''. @code{nnkiboze} is a back end that will do this for
15291 you. Oh joy! Now you can grind any @sc{nntp} server down to a halt
15292 with useless requests! Oh happiness!
15294 @kindex G k (Group)
15295 To create a kibozed group, use the @kbd{G k} command in the group
15298 The address field of the @code{nnkiboze} method is, as with
15299 @code{nnvirtual}, a regexp to match groups to be ``included'' in the
15300 @code{nnkiboze} group. That's where most similarities between @code{nnkiboze}
15301 and @code{nnvirtual} end.
15303 In addition to this regexp detailing component groups, an @code{nnkiboze} group
15304 must have a score file to say what articles are to be included in
15305 the group (@pxref{Scoring}).
15307 @kindex M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups
15308 @findex nnkiboze-generate-groups
15309 You must run @kbd{M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups} after creating the
15310 @code{nnkiboze} groups you want to have. This command will take time. Lots of
15311 time. Oodles and oodles of time. Gnus has to fetch the headers from
15312 all the articles in all the component groups and run them through the
15313 scoring process to determine if there are any articles in the groups
15314 that are to be part of the @code{nnkiboze} groups.
15316 Please limit the number of component groups by using restrictive
15317 regexps. Otherwise your sysadmin may become annoyed with you, and the
15318 @sc{nntp} site may throw you off and never let you back in again.
15319 Stranger things have happened.
15321 @code{nnkiboze} component groups do not have to be alive---they can be dead,
15322 and they can be foreign. No restrictions.
15324 @vindex nnkiboze-directory
15325 The generation of an @code{nnkiboze} group means writing two files in
15326 @code{nnkiboze-directory}, which is @file{~/News/} by default. One
15327 contains the @sc{nov} header lines for all the articles in the group,
15328 and the other is an additional @file{.newsrc} file to store information
15329 on what groups have been searched through to find component articles.
15331 Articles marked as read in the @code{nnkiboze} group will have
15332 their @sc{nov} lines removed from the @sc{nov} file.
15335 @node Gnus Unplugged
15336 @section Gnus Unplugged
15341 @cindex Gnus Unplugged
15343 In olden times (ca. February '88), people used to run their newsreaders
15344 on big machines with permanent connections to the net. News transport
15345 was dealt with by news servers, and all the newsreaders had to do was to
15346 read news. Believe it or not.
15348 Nowadays most people read news and mail at home, and use some sort of
15349 modem to connect to the net. To avoid running up huge phone bills, it
15350 would be nice to have a way to slurp down all the news and mail, hang up
15351 the phone, read for several hours, and then upload any responses you
15352 have to make. And then you repeat the procedure.
15354 Of course, you can use news servers for doing this as well. I've used
15355 @code{inn} together with @code{slurp}, @code{pop} and @code{sendmail}
15356 for some years, but doing that's a bore. Moving the news server
15357 functionality up to the newsreader makes sense if you're the only person
15358 reading news on a machine.
15360 Using Gnus as an ``offline'' newsreader is quite simple.
15364 First, set up Gnus as you would do if you were running it on a machine
15365 that has full connection to the net. Go ahead. I'll still be waiting
15369 Then, put the following magical incantation at the end of your
15370 @file{.gnus.el} file:
15377 That's it. Gnus is now an ``offline'' newsreader.
15379 Of course, to use it as such, you have to learn a few new commands.
15382 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
15383 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
15384 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
15385 * Agent Expiry:: How to make old articles go away.
15386 * Agent and IMAP:: How to use the Agent with IMAP.
15387 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
15388 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
15389 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
15390 * Batching Agents:: How to fetch news from a @code{cron} job.
15391 * Agent Caveats:: What you think it'll do and what it does.
15396 @subsection Agent Basics
15398 First, let's get some terminology out of the way.
15400 The Gnus Agent is said to be @dfn{unplugged} when you have severed the
15401 connection to the net (and notified the Agent that this is the case).
15402 When the connection to the net is up again (and Gnus knows this), the
15403 Agent is @dfn{plugged}.
15405 The @dfn{local} machine is the one you're running on, and which isn't
15406 connected to the net continuously.
15408 @dfn{Downloading} means fetching things from the net to your local
15409 machine. @dfn{Uploading} is doing the opposite.
15411 Let's take a typical Gnus session using the Agent.
15416 You start Gnus with @code{gnus-unplugged}. This brings up the Gnus
15417 Agent in a disconnected state. You can read all the news that you have
15418 already fetched while in this mode.
15421 You then decide to see whether any new news has arrived. You connect
15422 your machine to the net (using PPP or whatever), and then hit @kbd{J j}
15423 to make Gnus become @dfn{plugged} and use @kbd{g} to check for new mail
15424 as usual. To check for new mail in unplugged mode, see (@pxref{Mail
15425 Source Specifiers}).
15428 You can then read the new news immediately, or you can download the news
15429 onto your local machine. If you want to do the latter, you press @kbd{g}
15430 to check if there are any new news and then @kbd{J
15431 s} to fetch all the eligible articles in all the groups. (To let Gnus
15432 know which articles you want to download, @pxref{Agent Categories}.)
15435 After fetching the articles, you press @kbd{J j} to make Gnus become
15436 unplugged again, and you shut down the PPP thing (or whatever). And
15437 then you read the news offline.
15440 And then you go to step 2.
15443 Here are some things you should do the first time (or so) that you use
15449 Decide which servers should be covered by the Agent. If you have a mail
15450 back end, it would probably be nonsensical to have it covered by the
15451 Agent. Go to the server buffer (@kbd{^} in the group buffer) and press
15452 @kbd{J a} the server (or servers) that you wish to have covered by the
15453 Agent (@pxref{Server Agent Commands}). This will typically be only the
15454 primary select method, which is listed on the bottom in the buffer.
15457 Decide on download policy. @xref{Agent Categories}.
15464 @node Agent Categories
15465 @subsection Agent Categories
15467 One of the main reasons to integrate the news transport layer into the
15468 newsreader is to allow greater control over what articles to download.
15469 There's not much point in downloading huge amounts of articles, just to
15470 find out that you're not interested in reading any of them. It's better
15471 to be somewhat more conservative in choosing what to download, and then
15472 mark the articles for downloading manually if it should turn out that
15473 you're interested in the articles anyway.
15475 The main way to control what is to be downloaded is to create a
15476 @dfn{category} and then assign some (or all) groups to this category.
15477 Groups that do not belong in any other category belong to the
15478 @code{default} category. Gnus has its own buffer for creating and
15479 managing categories.
15482 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
15483 * Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
15484 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
15488 @node Category Syntax
15489 @subsubsection Category Syntax
15491 A category consists of two things.
15495 A predicate which (generally) gives a rough outline of which articles
15496 are eligible for downloading; and
15499 a score rule which (generally) gives you a finer granularity when
15500 deciding what articles to download. (Note that this @dfn{download
15501 score} is not necessarily related to normal scores.)
15504 A predicate in its simplest form can be a single predicate such as
15505 @code{true} or @code{false}. These two will download every available
15506 article or nothing respectively. In the case of these two special
15507 predicates an additional score rule is superfluous.
15509 Predicates of @code{high} or @code{low} download articles in respect of
15510 their scores in relationship to @code{gnus-agent-high-score} and
15511 @code{gnus-agent-low-score} as described below.
15513 To gain even finer control of what is to be regarded eligible for
15514 download a predicate can consist of a number of predicates with logical
15515 operators sprinkled in between.
15517 Perhaps some examples are in order.
15519 Here's a simple predicate. (It's the default predicate, in fact, used
15520 for all groups that don't belong to any other category.)
15526 Quite simple, eh? This predicate is true if and only if the article is
15527 short (for some value of ``short'').
15529 Here's a more complex predicate:
15538 This means that an article should be downloaded if it has a high score,
15539 or if the score is not low and the article is not long. You get the
15542 The available logical operators are @code{or}, @code{and} and
15543 @code{not}. (If you prefer, you can use the more ``C''-ish operators
15544 @samp{|}, @code{&} and @code{!} instead.)
15546 The following predicates are pre-defined, but if none of these fit what
15547 you want to do, you can write your own.
15551 True iff the article is shorter than @code{gnus-agent-short-article}
15552 lines; default 100.
15555 True iff the article is longer than @code{gnus-agent-long-article}
15556 lines; default 200.
15559 True iff the article has a download score less than
15560 @code{gnus-agent-low-score}; default 0.
15563 True iff the article has a download score greater than
15564 @code{gnus-agent-high-score}; default 0.
15567 True iff the Gnus Agent guesses that the article is spam. The
15568 heuristics may change over time, but at present it just computes a
15569 checksum and sees whether articles match.
15578 If you want to create your own predicate function, here's what you have
15579 to know: The functions are called with no parameters, but the
15580 @code{gnus-headers} and @code{gnus-score} dynamic variables are bound to
15583 For example, you could decide that you don't want to download articles
15584 that were posted more than a certain number of days ago (e.g. posted
15585 more than @code{gnus-agent-expire-days} ago) you might write a function
15586 something along the lines of the following:
15589 (defun my-article-old-p ()
15590 "Say whether an article is old."
15591 (< (time-to-days (date-to-time (mail-header-date gnus-headers)))
15592 (- (time-to-days (current-time)) gnus-agent-expire-days)))
15595 with the predicate then defined as:
15598 (not my-article-old-p)
15601 or you could append your predicate to the predefined
15602 @code{gnus-category-predicate-alist} in your @file{~/.gnus.el} or
15603 wherever. (Note: this would have to be at a point *after*
15604 @code{gnus-agent} has been loaded via @code{(gnus-agentize)})
15607 (setq gnus-category-predicate-alist
15608 (append gnus-category-predicate-alist
15609 '((old . my-article-old-p))))
15612 and simply specify your predicate as:
15618 If/when using something like the above, be aware that there are many
15619 misconfigured systems/mailers out there and so an article's date is not
15620 always a reliable indication of when it was posted. Hell, some people
15621 just don't give a damn.
15623 The above predicates apply to *all* the groups which belong to the
15624 category. However, if you wish to have a specific predicate for an
15625 individual group within a category, or you're just too lazy to set up a
15626 new category, you can enter a group's individual predicate in it's group
15627 parameters like so:
15630 (agent-predicate . short)
15633 This is the group parameter equivalent of the agent category default.
15634 Note that when specifying a single word predicate like this, the
15635 @code{agent-predicate} specification must be in dotted pair notation.
15637 The equivalent of the longer example from above would be:
15640 (agent-predicate or high (and (not low) (not long)))
15643 The outer parenthesis required in the category specification are not
15644 entered here as, not being in dotted pair notation, the value of the
15645 predicate is assumed to be a list.
15648 Now, the syntax of the download score is the same as the syntax of
15649 normal score files, except that all elements that require actually
15650 seeing the article itself are verboten. This means that only the
15651 following headers can be scored on: @code{Subject}, @code{From},
15652 @code{Date}, @code{Message-ID}, @code{References}, @code{Chars},
15653 @code{Lines}, and @code{Xref}.
15655 As with predicates, the specification of the @code{download score rule}
15656 to use in respect of a group can be in either the category definition if
15657 it's to be applicable to all groups in therein, or a group's parameters
15658 if it's to be specific to that group.
15660 In both of these places the @code{download score rule} can take one of
15667 This has the same syntax as a normal gnus score file except only a
15668 subset of scoring keywords are available as mentioned above.
15674 Category specification
15678 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" 1000000 nil s))
15684 Group Parameter specification
15687 (agent-score ("from"
15688 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" 1000000 nil s))
15693 Again, note the omission of the outermost parenthesis here.
15699 These score files must *only* contain the permitted scoring keywords
15706 Category specification
15709 ("~/News/agent.SCORE")
15715 ("~/News/agent.SCORE" "~/News/agent.group.SCORE")
15719 Group Parameter specification
15722 (agent-score "~/News/agent.SCORE")
15725 Additional score files can be specified as above. Need I say anything
15730 Use @code{normal} score files
15732 If you don't want to maintain two sets of scoring rules for a group, and
15733 your desired @code{downloading} criteria for a group are the same as your
15734 @code{reading} criteria then you can tell the agent to refer to your
15735 @code{normal} score files when deciding what to download.
15737 These directives in either the category definition or a group's
15738 parameters will cause the agent to read in all the applicable score
15739 files for a group, *filtering out* those sections that do not
15740 relate to one of the permitted subset of scoring keywords.
15744 Category Specification
15751 Group Parameter specification
15754 (agent-score . file)
15759 @node Category Buffer
15760 @subsubsection Category Buffer
15762 You'd normally do all category maintenance from the category buffer.
15763 When you enter it for the first time (with the @kbd{J c} command from
15764 the group buffer), you'll only see the @code{default} category.
15766 The following commands are available in this buffer:
15770 @kindex q (Category)
15771 @findex gnus-category-exit
15772 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-category-exit}).
15775 @kindex k (Category)
15776 @findex gnus-category-kill
15777 Kill the current category (@code{gnus-category-kill}).
15780 @kindex c (Category)
15781 @findex gnus-category-copy
15782 Copy the current category (@code{gnus-category-copy}).
15785 @kindex a (Category)
15786 @findex gnus-category-add
15787 Add a new category (@code{gnus-category-add}).
15790 @kindex p (Category)
15791 @findex gnus-category-edit-predicate
15792 Edit the predicate of the current category
15793 (@code{gnus-category-edit-predicate}).
15796 @kindex g (Category)
15797 @findex gnus-category-edit-groups
15798 Edit the list of groups belonging to the current category
15799 (@code{gnus-category-edit-groups}).
15802 @kindex s (Category)
15803 @findex gnus-category-edit-score
15804 Edit the download score rule of the current category
15805 (@code{gnus-category-edit-score}).
15808 @kindex l (Category)
15809 @findex gnus-category-list
15810 List all the categories (@code{gnus-category-list}).
15814 @node Category Variables
15815 @subsubsection Category Variables
15818 @item gnus-category-mode-hook
15819 @vindex gnus-category-mode-hook
15820 Hook run in category buffers.
15822 @item gnus-category-line-format
15823 @vindex gnus-category-line-format
15824 Format of the lines in the category buffer (@pxref{Formatting
15825 Variables}). Valid elements are:
15829 The name of the category.
15832 The number of groups in the category.
15835 @item gnus-category-mode-line-format
15836 @vindex gnus-category-mode-line-format
15837 Format of the category mode line (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}).
15839 @item gnus-agent-short-article
15840 @vindex gnus-agent-short-article
15841 Articles that have fewer lines than this are short. Default 100.
15843 @item gnus-agent-long-article
15844 @vindex gnus-agent-long-article
15845 Articles that have more lines than this are long. Default 200.
15847 @item gnus-agent-low-score
15848 @vindex gnus-agent-low-score
15849 Articles that have a score lower than this have a low score. Default
15852 @item gnus-agent-high-score
15853 @vindex gnus-agent-high-score
15854 Articles that have a score higher than this have a high score. Default
15860 @node Agent Commands
15861 @subsection Agent Commands
15863 All the Gnus Agent commands are on the @kbd{J} submap. The @kbd{J j}
15864 (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-plugged}) command works in all modes, and
15865 toggles the plugged/unplugged state of the Gnus Agent.
15869 * Group Agent Commands::
15870 * Summary Agent Commands::
15871 * Server Agent Commands::
15874 You can run a complete batch fetch from the command line with the
15875 following incantation:
15877 @cindex gnus-agent-batch-fetch
15879 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-agent-batch-fetch
15884 @node Group Agent Commands
15885 @subsubsection Group Agent Commands
15889 @kindex J u (Agent Group)
15890 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-groups
15891 Fetch all eligible articles in the current group
15892 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-groups}).
15895 @kindex J c (Agent Group)
15896 @findex gnus-enter-category-buffer
15897 Enter the Agent category buffer (@code{gnus-enter-category-buffer}).
15900 @kindex J s (Agent Group)
15901 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-session
15902 Fetch all eligible articles in all groups
15903 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-session}).
15906 @kindex J S (Agent Group)
15907 @findex gnus-group-send-drafts
15908 Send all sendable messages in the draft group
15909 (@code{gnus-group-send-drafts}). @xref{Drafts}.
15912 @kindex J a (Agent Group)
15913 @findex gnus-agent-add-group
15914 Add the current group to an Agent category
15915 (@code{gnus-agent-add-group}). This command understands the
15916 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
15919 @kindex J r (Agent Group)
15920 @findex gnus-agent-remove-group
15921 Remove the current group from its category, if any
15922 (@code{gnus-agent-remove-group}). This command understands the
15923 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
15926 @kindex J Y (Agent Group)
15927 @findex gnus-agent-synchronize-flags
15928 Synchronize flags changed while unplugged with remote server, if any.
15934 @node Summary Agent Commands
15935 @subsubsection Summary Agent Commands
15939 @kindex J # (Agent Summary)
15940 @findex gnus-agent-mark-article
15941 Mark the article for downloading (@code{gnus-agent-mark-article}).
15944 @kindex J M-# (Agent Summary)
15945 @findex gnus-agent-unmark-article
15946 Remove the downloading mark from the article
15947 (@code{gnus-agent-unmark-article}).
15950 @kindex @@ (Agent Summary)
15951 @findex gnus-agent-toggle-mark
15952 Toggle whether to download the article (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-mark}).
15955 @kindex J c (Agent Summary)
15956 @findex gnus-agent-catchup
15957 Mark all undownloaded articles as read (@code{gnus-agent-catchup}).
15960 @kindex J u (Agent Summary)
15961 @findex gnus-agent-summary-fetch-group
15962 Download all downloadable articles in the current group
15963 (@code{gnus-agent-summary-fetch-group}).
15968 @node Server Agent Commands
15969 @subsubsection Server Agent Commands
15973 @kindex J a (Agent Server)
15974 @findex gnus-agent-add-server
15975 Add the current server to the list of servers covered by the Gnus Agent
15976 (@code{gnus-agent-add-server}).
15979 @kindex J r (Agent Server)
15980 @findex gnus-agent-remove-server
15981 Remove the current server from the list of servers covered by the Gnus
15982 Agent (@code{gnus-agent-remove-server}).
15988 @subsection Agent Expiry
15990 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-days
15991 @findex gnus-agent-expire
15992 @kindex M-x gnus-agent-expire
15993 @cindex Agent expiry
15994 @cindex Gnus Agent expiry
15997 @code{nnagent} doesn't handle expiry. Instead, there's a special
15998 @code{gnus-agent-expire} command that will expire all read articles that
15999 are older than @code{gnus-agent-expire-days} days. It can be run
16000 whenever you feel that you're running out of space. It's not
16001 particularly fast or efficient, and it's not a particularly good idea to
16002 interrupt it (with @kbd{C-g} or anything else) once you've started it.
16004 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-all
16005 if @code{gnus-agent-expire-all} is non-@code{nil}, this command will
16006 expire all articles---unread, read, ticked and dormant. If @code{nil}
16007 (which is the default), only read articles are eligible for expiry, and
16008 unread, ticked and dormant articles will be kept indefinitely.
16011 @node Agent and IMAP
16012 @subsection Agent and IMAP
16014 The Agent work with any Gnus back end, including nnimap. However,
16015 since there are some conceptual differences between @sc{nntp} and
16016 @sc{imap}, this section (should) provide you with some information to
16017 make Gnus Agent work smoother as a @sc{imap} Disconnected Mode client.
16019 The first thing to keep in mind is that all flags (read, ticked, etc)
16020 are kept on the @sc{imap} server, rather than in @code{.newsrc} as is the
16021 case for nntp. Thus Gnus need to remember flag changes when
16022 disconnected, and synchronize these flags when you plug back in.
16024 Gnus keep track of flag changes when reading nnimap groups under the
16025 Agent by default. When you plug back in, by default Gnus will check if
16026 you have any changed any flags and ask if you wish to synchronize these
16027 with the server. This behavior is customizable with
16028 @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags}.
16030 @vindex gnus-agent-synchronize-flags
16031 If @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags} is @code{nil}, the Agent will
16032 never automatically synchronize flags. If it is @code{ask}, the
16033 default, the Agent will check if you made any changes and if so ask if
16034 you wish to synchronize these when you re-connect. If it has any other
16035 value, all flags will be synchronized automatically.
16037 If you do not wish to automatically synchronize flags when you
16038 re-connect, this can be done manually with the
16039 @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags} command that is bound to @kbd{J Y}
16040 in the group buffer by default.
16042 Some things are currently not implemented in the Agent that you'd might
16043 expect from a disconnected @sc{imap} client, including:
16048 Copying/moving articles into nnimap groups when unplugged.
16051 Creating/deleting nnimap groups when unplugged.
16055 Technical note: the synchronization algorithm does not work by "pushing"
16056 all local flags to the server, but rather incrementally update the
16057 server view of flags by changing only those flags that were changed by
16058 the user. Thus, if you set one flag on a article, quit the group and
16059 re-select the group and remove the flag; the flag will be set and
16060 removed from the server when you "synchronize". The queued flag
16061 operations can be found in the per-server @code{flags} file in the Agent
16062 directory. It's emptied when you synchronize flags.
16065 @node Outgoing Messages
16066 @subsection Outgoing Messages
16068 When Gnus is unplugged, all outgoing messages (both mail and news) are
16069 stored in the draft groups (@pxref{Drafts}). You can view them there
16070 after posting, and edit them at will.
16072 When Gnus is plugged again, you can send the messages either from the
16073 draft group with the special commands available there, or you can use
16074 the @kbd{J S} command in the group buffer to send all the sendable
16075 messages in the draft group.
16079 @node Agent Variables
16080 @subsection Agent Variables
16083 @item gnus-agent-directory
16084 @vindex gnus-agent-directory
16085 Where the Gnus Agent will store its files. The default is
16086 @file{~/News/agent/}.
16088 @item gnus-agent-handle-level
16089 @vindex gnus-agent-handle-level
16090 Groups on levels (@pxref{Group Levels}) higher than this variable will
16091 be ignored by the Agent. The default is @code{gnus-level-subscribed},
16092 which means that only subscribed group will be considered by the Agent
16095 @item gnus-agent-plugged-hook
16096 @vindex gnus-agent-plugged-hook
16097 Hook run when connecting to the network.
16099 @item gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
16100 @vindex gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
16101 Hook run when disconnecting from the network.
16106 @node Example Setup
16107 @subsection Example Setup
16109 If you don't want to read this manual, and you have a fairly standard
16110 setup, you may be able to use something like the following as your
16111 @file{.gnus.el} file to get started.
16114 ;;; Define how Gnus is to fetch news. We do this over @sc{nntp}
16115 ;;; from your ISP's server.
16116 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.your-isp.com"))
16118 ;;; Define how Gnus is to read your mail. We read mail from
16119 ;;; your ISP's POP server.
16120 (setq mail-sources '((pop :server "pop.your-isp.com")))
16122 ;;; Say how Gnus is to store the mail. We use nnml groups.
16123 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
16125 ;;; Make Gnus into an offline newsreader.
16129 That should be it, basically. Put that in your @file{~/.gnus.el} file,
16130 edit to suit your needs, start up PPP (or whatever), and type @kbd{M-x
16133 If this is the first time you've run Gnus, you will be subscribed
16134 automatically to a few default newsgroups. You'll probably want to
16135 subscribe to more groups, and to do that, you have to query the
16136 @sc{nntp} server for a complete list of groups with the @kbd{A A}
16137 command. This usually takes quite a while, but you only have to do it
16140 After reading and parsing a while, you'll be presented with a list of
16141 groups. Subscribe to the ones you want to read with the @kbd{u}
16142 command. @kbd{l} to make all the killed groups disappear after you've
16143 subscribe to all the groups you want to read. (@kbd{A k} will bring
16144 back all the killed groups.)
16146 You can now read the groups at once, or you can download the articles
16147 with the @kbd{J s} command. And then read the rest of this manual to
16148 find out which of the other gazillion things you want to customize.
16151 @node Batching Agents
16152 @subsection Batching Agents
16154 Having the Gnus Agent fetch articles (and post whatever messages you've
16155 written) is quite easy once you've gotten things set up properly. The
16156 following shell script will do everything that is necessary:
16160 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -f gnus-agent-batch >/dev/null
16164 @node Agent Caveats
16165 @subsection Agent Caveats
16167 The Gnus Agent doesn't seem to work like most other offline
16168 newsreaders. Here are some common questions that some imaginary people
16172 @item If I read an article while plugged, do they get entered into the
16177 @item If I read an article while plugged, and the article already exists
16178 in the Agent, will it get downloaded once more?
16184 In short, when Gnus is unplugged, it only looks into the locally stored
16185 articles; when it's plugged, it only talks to your ISP.
16192 Other people use @dfn{kill files}, but we here at Gnus Towers like
16193 scoring better than killing, so we'd rather switch than fight. They do
16194 something completely different as well, so sit up straight and pay
16197 @vindex gnus-summary-mark-below
16198 All articles have a default score (@code{gnus-summary-default-score}),
16199 which is 0 by default. This score may be raised or lowered either
16200 interactively or by score files. Articles that have a score lower than
16201 @code{gnus-summary-mark-below} are marked as read.
16203 Gnus will read any @dfn{score files} that apply to the current group
16204 before generating the summary buffer.
16206 There are several commands in the summary buffer that insert score
16207 entries based on the current article. You can, for instance, ask Gnus to
16208 lower or increase the score of all articles with a certain subject.
16210 There are two sorts of scoring entries: Permanent and temporary.
16211 Temporary score entries are self-expiring entries. Any entries that are
16212 temporary and have not been used for, say, a week, will be removed
16213 silently to help keep the sizes of the score files down.
16216 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
16217 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
16218 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
16219 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
16220 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
16221 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
16222 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
16223 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
16224 * Scoring On Other Headers:: Scoring on non-standard headers.
16225 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
16226 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
16227 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
16228 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
16229 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
16230 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
16231 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
16232 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
16236 @node Summary Score Commands
16237 @section Summary Score Commands
16238 @cindex score commands
16240 The score commands that alter score entries do not actually modify real
16241 score files. That would be too inefficient. Gnus maintains a cache of
16242 previously loaded score files, one of which is considered the
16243 @dfn{current score file alist}. The score commands simply insert
16244 entries into this list, and upon group exit, this list is saved.
16246 The current score file is by default the group's local score file, even
16247 if no such score file actually exists. To insert score commands into
16248 some other score file (e.g. @file{all.SCORE}), you must first make this
16249 score file the current one.
16251 General score commands that don't actually change the score file:
16256 @kindex V s (Summary)
16257 @findex gnus-summary-set-score
16258 Set the score of the current article (@code{gnus-summary-set-score}).
16261 @kindex V S (Summary)
16262 @findex gnus-summary-current-score
16263 Display the score of the current article
16264 (@code{gnus-summary-current-score}).
16267 @kindex V t (Summary)
16268 @findex gnus-score-find-trace
16269 Display all score rules that have been used on the current article
16270 (@code{gnus-score-find-trace}).
16273 @kindex V R (Summary)
16274 @findex gnus-summary-rescore
16275 Run the current summary through the scoring process
16276 (@code{gnus-summary-rescore}). This might be useful if you're playing
16277 around with your score files behind Gnus' back and want to see the
16278 effect you're having.
16281 @kindex V c (Summary)
16282 @findex gnus-score-change-score-file
16283 Make a different score file the current
16284 (@code{gnus-score-change-score-file}).
16287 @kindex V e (Summary)
16288 @findex gnus-score-edit-current-scores
16289 Edit the current score file (@code{gnus-score-edit-current-scores}).
16290 You will be popped into a @code{gnus-score-mode} buffer (@pxref{Score
16294 @kindex V f (Summary)
16295 @findex gnus-score-edit-file
16296 Edit a score file and make this score file the current one
16297 (@code{gnus-score-edit-file}).
16300 @kindex V F (Summary)
16301 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
16302 Flush the score cache (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}). This is useful
16303 after editing score files.
16306 @kindex V C (Summary)
16307 @findex gnus-score-customize
16308 Customize a score file in a visually pleasing manner
16309 (@code{gnus-score-customize}).
16313 The rest of these commands modify the local score file.
16318 @kindex V m (Summary)
16319 @findex gnus-score-set-mark-below
16320 Prompt for a score, and mark all articles with a score below this as
16321 read (@code{gnus-score-set-mark-below}).
16324 @kindex V x (Summary)
16325 @findex gnus-score-set-expunge-below
16326 Prompt for a score, and add a score rule to the current score file to
16327 expunge all articles below this score
16328 (@code{gnus-score-set-expunge-below}).
16331 The keystrokes for actually making score entries follow a very regular
16332 pattern, so there's no need to list all the commands. (Hundreds of
16335 @findex gnus-summary-increase-score
16336 @findex gnus-summary-lower-score
16340 The first key is either @kbd{I} (upper case i) for increasing the score
16341 or @kbd{L} for lowering the score.
16343 The second key says what header you want to score on. The following
16344 keys are available:
16348 Score on the author name.
16351 Score on the subject line.
16354 Score on the @code{Xref} line---i.e., the cross-posting line.
16357 Score on the @code{References} line.
16363 Score on the number of lines.
16366 Score on the @code{Message-ID} header.
16369 Score on followups---this matches the author name, and adds scores to
16370 the followups to this author. (Using this key leads to the creation of
16371 @file{ADAPT} files.)
16380 Score on thread. (Using this key leads to the creation of @file{ADAPT}
16386 The third key is the match type. Which match types are valid depends on
16387 what headers you are scoring on.
16399 Substring matching.
16402 Fuzzy matching (@pxref{Fuzzy Matching}).
16431 Greater than number.
16436 The fourth and final key says whether this is a temporary (i.e., expiring)
16437 score entry, or a permanent (i.e., non-expiring) score entry, or whether
16438 it is to be done immediately, without adding to the score file.
16442 Temporary score entry.
16445 Permanent score entry.
16448 Immediately scoring.
16453 So, let's say you want to increase the score on the current author with
16454 exact matching permanently: @kbd{I a e p}. If you want to lower the
16455 score based on the subject line, using substring matching, and make a
16456 temporary score entry: @kbd{L s s t}. Pretty easy.
16458 To make things a bit more complicated, there are shortcuts. If you use
16459 a capital letter on either the second or third keys, Gnus will use
16460 defaults for the remaining one or two keystrokes. The defaults are
16461 ``substring'' and ``temporary''. So @kbd{I A} is the same as @kbd{I a s
16462 t}, and @kbd{I a R} is the same as @kbd{I a r t}.
16464 These functions take both the numerical prefix and the symbolic prefix
16465 (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}). A numerical prefix says how much to lower
16466 (or increase) the score of the article. A symbolic prefix of @code{a}
16467 says to use the @file{all.SCORE} file for the command instead of the
16468 current score file.
16470 @vindex gnus-score-mimic-keymap
16471 The @code{gnus-score-mimic-keymap} says whether these commands will
16472 pretend they are keymaps or not.
16475 @node Group Score Commands
16476 @section Group Score Commands
16477 @cindex group score commands
16479 There aren't many of these as yet, I'm afraid.
16484 @kindex W f (Group)
16485 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
16486 Gnus maintains a cache of score alists to avoid having to reload them
16487 all the time. This command will flush the cache
16488 (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}).
16492 You can do scoring from the command line by saying something like:
16494 @findex gnus-batch-score
16495 @cindex batch scoring
16497 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-batch-score
16501 @node Score Variables
16502 @section Score Variables
16503 @cindex score variables
16507 @item gnus-use-scoring
16508 @vindex gnus-use-scoring
16509 If @code{nil}, Gnus will not check for score files, and will not, in
16510 general, do any score-related work. This is @code{t} by default.
16512 @item gnus-kill-killed
16513 @vindex gnus-kill-killed
16514 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will never apply score files to
16515 articles that have already been through the kill process. While this
16516 may save you lots of time, it also means that if you apply a kill file
16517 to a group, and then change the kill file and want to run it over you
16518 group again to kill more articles, it won't work. You have to set this
16519 variable to @code{t} to do that. (It is @code{t} by default.)
16521 @item gnus-kill-files-directory
16522 @vindex gnus-kill-files-directory
16523 All kill and score files will be stored in this directory, which is
16524 initialized from the @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable by default.
16525 This is @file{~/News/} by default.
16527 @item gnus-score-file-suffix
16528 @vindex gnus-score-file-suffix
16529 Suffix to add to the group name to arrive at the score file name
16530 (@samp{SCORE} by default.)
16532 @item gnus-score-uncacheable-files
16533 @vindex gnus-score-uncacheable-files
16534 @cindex score cache
16535 All score files are normally cached to avoid excessive re-loading of
16536 score files. However, if this might make your Emacs grow big and
16537 bloated, so this regexp can be used to weed out score files unlikely to be needed again. It would be a bad idea to deny caching of
16538 @file{all.SCORE}, while it might be a good idea to not cache
16539 @file{comp.infosystems.www.authoring.misc.ADAPT}. In fact, this
16540 variable is @samp{ADAPT$} by default, so no adaptive score files will
16543 @item gnus-save-score
16544 @vindex gnus-save-score
16545 If you have really complicated score files, and do lots of batch
16546 scoring, then you might set this variable to @code{t}. This will make
16547 Gnus save the scores into the @file{.newsrc.eld} file.
16549 If you do not set this to @code{t}, then manual scores (like those set
16550 with @kbd{V s} (@code{gnus-summary-set-score})) will not be preserved
16551 across group visits.
16553 @item gnus-score-interactive-default-score
16554 @vindex gnus-score-interactive-default-score
16555 Score used by all the interactive raise/lower commands to raise/lower
16556 score with. Default is 1000, which may seem excessive, but this is to
16557 ensure that the adaptive scoring scheme gets enough room to play with.
16558 We don't want the small changes from the adaptive scoring to overwrite
16559 manually entered data.
16561 @item gnus-summary-default-score
16562 @vindex gnus-summary-default-score
16563 Default score of an article, which is 0 by default.
16565 @item gnus-summary-expunge-below
16566 @vindex gnus-summary-expunge-below
16567 Don't display the summary lines of articles that have scores lower than
16568 this variable. This is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
16569 articles will be hidden. This variable is local to the summary buffers,
16570 and has to be set from @code{gnus-summary-mode-hook}.
16572 @item gnus-score-over-mark
16573 @vindex gnus-score-over-mark
16574 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score over the
16575 default. Default is @samp{+}.
16577 @item gnus-score-below-mark
16578 @vindex gnus-score-below-mark
16579 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score below the
16580 default. Default is @samp{-}.
16582 @item gnus-score-find-score-files-function
16583 @vindex gnus-score-find-score-files-function
16584 Function used to find score files for the current group. This function
16585 is called with the name of the group as the argument.
16587 Predefined functions available are:
16590 @item gnus-score-find-single
16591 @findex gnus-score-find-single
16592 Only apply the group's own score file.
16594 @item gnus-score-find-bnews
16595 @findex gnus-score-find-bnews
16596 Apply all score files that match, using bnews syntax. This is the
16597 default. If the current group is @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}, for instance,
16598 @file{all.emacs.all.SCORE}, @file{not.alt.all.SCORE} and
16599 @file{gnu.all.SCORE} would all apply. In short, the instances of
16600 @samp{all} in the score file names are translated into @samp{.*}, and
16601 then a regexp match is done.
16603 This means that if you have some score entries that you want to apply to
16604 all groups, then you put those entries in the @file{all.SCORE} file.
16606 The score files are applied in a semi-random order, although Gnus will
16607 try to apply the more general score files before the more specific score
16608 files. It does this by looking at the number of elements in the score
16609 file names---discarding the @samp{all} elements.
16611 @item gnus-score-find-hierarchical
16612 @findex gnus-score-find-hierarchical
16613 Apply all score files from all the parent groups. This means that you
16614 can't have score files like @file{all.SCORE}, but you can have
16615 @file{SCORE}, @file{comp.SCORE} and @file{comp.emacs.SCORE} for each
16619 This variable can also be a list of functions. In that case, all
16620 these functions will be called with the group name as argument, and
16621 all the returned lists of score files will be applied. These
16622 functions can also return lists of lists of score alists directly. In
16623 that case, the functions that return these non-file score alists
16624 should probably be placed before the ``real'' score file functions, to
16625 ensure that the last score file returned is the local score file.
16628 For example, to do hierarchical scoring but use a non-server-specific
16629 overall score file, you could use the value
16631 (list (lambda (group) ("all.SCORE"))
16632 'gnus-score-find-hierarchical)
16635 @item gnus-score-expiry-days
16636 @vindex gnus-score-expiry-days
16637 This variable says how many days should pass before an unused score file
16638 entry is expired. If this variable is @code{nil}, no score file entries
16639 are expired. It's 7 by default.
16641 @item gnus-update-score-entry-dates
16642 @vindex gnus-update-score-entry-dates
16643 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, matching score entries will have
16644 their dates updated. (This is how Gnus controls expiry---all
16645 non-matching entries will become too old while matching entries will
16646 stay fresh and young.) However, if you set this variable to @code{nil},
16647 even matching entries will grow old and will have to face that oh-so
16650 @item gnus-score-after-write-file-function
16651 @vindex gnus-score-after-write-file-function
16652 Function called with the name of the score file just written.
16654 @item gnus-score-thread-simplify
16655 @vindex gnus-score-thread-simplify
16656 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, article subjects will be simplified
16657 for subject scoring purposes in the same manner as with
16658 threading---according to the current value of
16659 gnus-simplify-subject-functions. If the scoring entry uses
16660 @code{substring} or @code{exact} matching, the match will also be
16661 simplified in this manner.
16666 @node Score File Format
16667 @section Score File Format
16668 @cindex score file format
16670 A score file is an @code{emacs-lisp} file that normally contains just a
16671 single form. Casual users are not expected to edit these files;
16672 everything can be changed from the summary buffer.
16674 Anyway, if you'd like to dig into it yourself, here's an example:
16678 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" -10000)
16680 ("larsi\\|lmi" -50000 nil R))
16682 ("Ding is Badd" nil 728373))
16684 ("alt.politics" -1000 728372 s))
16689 (mark-and-expunge -10)
16693 (files "/hom/larsi/News/gnu.SCORE")
16694 (exclude-files "all.SCORE")
16695 (local (gnus-newsgroup-auto-expire t)
16696 (gnus-summary-make-false-root empty))
16700 This example demonstrates most score file elements. For a different
16701 approach, see @pxref{Advanced Scoring}.
16703 Even though this looks much like lisp code, nothing here is actually
16704 @code{eval}ed. The lisp reader is used to read this form, though, so it
16705 has to be valid syntactically, if not semantically.
16707 Six keys are supported by this alist:
16712 If the key is a string, it is the name of the header to perform the
16713 match on. Scoring can only be performed on these eight headers:
16714 @code{From}, @code{Subject}, @code{References}, @code{Message-ID},
16715 @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars} and @code{Date}. In addition to
16716 these headers, there are three strings to tell Gnus to fetch the entire
16717 article and do the match on larger parts of the article: @code{Body}
16718 will perform the match on the body of the article, @code{Head} will
16719 perform the match on the head of the article, and @code{All} will
16720 perform the match on the entire article. Note that using any of these
16721 last three keys will slow down group entry @emph{considerably}. The
16722 final ``header'' you can score on is @code{Followup}. These score
16723 entries will result in new score entries being added for all follow-ups
16724 to articles that matches these score entries.
16726 Following this key is a arbitrary number of score entries, where each
16727 score entry has one to four elements.
16731 The first element is the @dfn{match element}. On most headers this will
16732 be a string, but on the Lines and Chars headers, this must be an
16736 If the second element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{score
16737 element}. This number should be an integer in the neginf to posinf
16738 interval. This number is added to the score of the article if the match
16739 is successful. If this element is not present, the
16740 @code{gnus-score-interactive-default-score} number will be used
16741 instead. This is 1000 by default.
16744 If the third element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{date
16745 element}. This date says when the last time this score entry matched,
16746 which provides a mechanism for expiring the score entries. It this
16747 element is not present, the score entry is permanent. The date is
16748 represented by the number of days since December 31, 1 BCE.
16751 If the fourth element is present, it should be a symbol---the @dfn{type
16752 element}. This element specifies what function should be used to see
16753 whether this score entry matches the article. What match types that can
16754 be used depends on what header you wish to perform the match on.
16757 @item From, Subject, References, Xref, Message-ID
16758 For most header types, there are the @code{r} and @code{R} (regexp), as
16759 well as @code{s} and @code{S} (substring) types, and @code{e} and
16760 @code{E} (exact match), and @code{w} (word match) types. If this
16761 element is not present, Gnus will assume that substring matching should
16762 be used. @code{R}, @code{S}, and @code{E} differ from the others in
16763 that the matches will be done in a case-sensitive manner. All these
16764 one-letter types are really just abbreviations for the @code{regexp},
16765 @code{string}, @code{exact}, and @code{word} types, which you can use
16766 instead, if you feel like.
16769 These two headers use different match types: @code{<}, @code{>},
16770 @code{=}, @code{>=} and @code{<=}.
16772 These predicates are true if
16775 (PREDICATE HEADER MATCH)
16778 evaluates to non-@code{nil}. For instance, the advanced match
16779 @code{("lines" 4 <)} (@pxref{Advanced Scoring}) will result in the
16786 Or to put it another way: When using @code{<} on @code{Lines} with 4 as
16787 the match, we get the score added if the article has less than 4 lines.
16788 (It's easy to get confused and think it's the other way around. But
16789 it's not. I think.)
16791 When matching on @code{Lines}, be careful because some back ends (like
16792 @code{nndir}) do not generate @code{Lines} header, so every article ends
16793 up being marked as having 0 lines. This can lead to strange results if
16794 you happen to lower score of the articles with few lines.
16797 For the Date header we have three kinda silly match types:
16798 @code{before}, @code{at} and @code{after}. I can't really imagine this
16799 ever being useful, but, like, it would feel kinda silly not to provide
16800 this function. Just in case. You never know. Better safe than sorry.
16801 Once burnt, twice shy. Don't judge a book by its cover. Never not have
16802 sex on a first date. (I have been told that at least one person, and I
16803 quote, ``found this function indispensable'', however.)
16807 A more useful match type is @code{regexp}. With it, you can match the
16808 date string using a regular expression. The date is normalized to
16809 ISO8601 compact format first---@var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS}. If
16810 you want to match all articles that have been posted on April 1st in
16811 every year, you could use @samp{....0401.........} as a match string,
16812 for instance. (Note that the date is kept in its original time zone, so
16813 this will match articles that were posted when it was April 1st where
16814 the article was posted from. Time zones are such wholesome fun for the
16817 @item Head, Body, All
16818 These three match keys use the same match types as the @code{From} (etc)
16822 This match key is somewhat special, in that it will match the
16823 @code{From} header, and affect the score of not only the matching
16824 articles, but also all followups to the matching articles. This allows
16825 you e.g. increase the score of followups to your own articles, or
16826 decrease the score of followups to the articles of some known
16827 trouble-maker. Uses the same match types as the @code{From} header
16828 uses. (Using this match key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT}
16832 This match key works along the same lines as the @code{Followup} match
16833 key. If you say that you want to score on a (sub-)thread started by an
16834 article with a @code{Message-ID} @var{x}, then you add a @samp{thread}
16835 match. This will add a new @samp{thread} match for each article that
16836 has @var{x} in its @code{References} header. (These new @samp{thread}
16837 matches will use the @code{Message-ID}s of these matching articles.)
16838 This will ensure that you can raise/lower the score of an entire thread,
16839 even though some articles in the thread may not have complete
16840 @code{References} headers. Note that using this may lead to
16841 undeterministic scores of the articles in the thread. (Using this match
16842 key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT} files.)
16846 @cindex Score File Atoms
16848 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
16849 lower than this number will be marked as read.
16852 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
16853 lower than this number will be removed from the summary buffer.
16855 @item mark-and-expunge
16856 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
16857 lower than this number will be marked as read and removed from the
16860 @item thread-mark-and-expunge
16861 The value of this entry should be a number. All articles that belong to
16862 a thread that has a total score below this number will be marked as read
16863 and removed from the summary buffer. @code{gnus-thread-score-function}
16864 says how to compute the total score for a thread.
16867 The value of this entry should be any number of file names. These files
16868 are assumed to be score files as well, and will be loaded the same way
16871 @item exclude-files
16872 The clue of this entry should be any number of files. These files will
16873 not be loaded, even though they would normally be so, for some reason or
16877 The value of this entry will be @code{eval}el. This element will be
16878 ignored when handling global score files.
16881 Read-only score files will not be updated or saved. Global score files
16882 should feature this atom (@pxref{Global Score Files}). (Note:
16883 @dfn{Global} here really means @dfn{global}; not your personal
16884 apply-to-all-groups score files.)
16887 The value of this entry should be a number. Articles that do not have
16888 parents will get this number added to their scores. Imagine you follow
16889 some high-volume newsgroup, like @samp{comp.lang.c}. Most likely you
16890 will only follow a few of the threads, also want to see any new threads.
16892 You can do this with the following two score file entries:
16896 (mark-and-expunge -100)
16899 When you enter the group the first time, you will only see the new
16900 threads. You then raise the score of the threads that you find
16901 interesting (with @kbd{I T} or @kbd{I S}), and ignore (@kbd{C y}) the
16902 rest. Next time you enter the group, you will see new articles in the
16903 interesting threads, plus any new threads.
16905 I.e.---the orphan score atom is for high-volume groups where a few
16906 interesting threads which can't be found automatically by ordinary
16907 scoring rules exist.
16910 This entry controls the adaptive scoring. If it is @code{t}, the
16911 default adaptive scoring rules will be used. If it is @code{ignore}, no
16912 adaptive scoring will be performed on this group. If it is a list, this
16913 list will be used as the adaptive scoring rules. If it isn't present,
16914 or is something other than @code{t} or @code{ignore}, the default
16915 adaptive scoring rules will be used. If you want to use adaptive
16916 scoring on most groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
16917 @code{t}, and insert an @code{(adapt ignore)} in the groups where you do
16918 not want adaptive scoring. If you only want adaptive scoring in a few
16919 groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to @code{nil}, and
16920 insert @code{(adapt t)} in the score files of the groups where you want
16924 All adaptive score entries will go to the file named by this entry. It
16925 will also be applied when entering the group. This atom might be handy
16926 if you want to adapt on several groups at once, using the same adaptive
16927 file for a number of groups.
16930 @cindex local variables
16931 The value of this entry should be a list of @code{(VAR VALUE)} pairs.
16932 Each @var{var} will be made buffer-local to the current summary buffer,
16933 and set to the value specified. This is a convenient, if somewhat
16934 strange, way of setting variables in some groups if you don't like hooks
16935 much. Note that the @var{value} won't be evaluated.
16939 @node Score File Editing
16940 @section Score File Editing
16942 You normally enter all scoring commands from the summary buffer, but you
16943 might feel the urge to edit them by hand as well, so we've supplied you
16944 with a mode for that.
16946 It's simply a slightly customized @code{emacs-lisp} mode, with these
16947 additional commands:
16952 @kindex C-c C-c (Score)
16953 @findex gnus-score-edit-done
16954 Save the changes you have made and return to the summary buffer
16955 (@code{gnus-score-edit-done}).
16958 @kindex C-c C-d (Score)
16959 @findex gnus-score-edit-insert-date
16960 Insert the current date in numerical format
16961 (@code{gnus-score-edit-insert-date}). This is really the day number, if
16962 you were wondering.
16965 @kindex C-c C-p (Score)
16966 @findex gnus-score-pretty-print
16967 The adaptive score files are saved in an unformatted fashion. If you
16968 intend to read one of these files, you want to @dfn{pretty print} it
16969 first. This command (@code{gnus-score-pretty-print}) does that for
16974 Type @kbd{M-x gnus-score-mode} to use this mode.
16976 @vindex gnus-score-mode-hook
16977 @code{gnus-score-menu-hook} is run in score mode buffers.
16979 In the summary buffer you can use commands like @kbd{V f} and @kbd{V
16980 e} to begin editing score files.
16983 @node Adaptive Scoring
16984 @section Adaptive Scoring
16985 @cindex adaptive scoring
16987 If all this scoring is getting you down, Gnus has a way of making it all
16988 happen automatically---as if by magic. Or rather, as if by artificial
16989 stupidity, to be precise.
16991 @vindex gnus-use-adaptive-scoring
16992 When you read an article, or mark an article as read, or kill an
16993 article, you leave marks behind. On exit from the group, Gnus can sniff
16994 these marks and add score elements depending on what marks it finds.
16995 You turn on this ability by setting @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
16996 @code{t} or @code{(line)}. If you want score adaptively on separate
16997 words appearing in the subjects, you should set this variable to
16998 @code{(word)}. If you want to use both adaptive methods, set this
16999 variable to @code{(word line)}.
17001 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
17002 To give you complete control over the scoring process, you can customize
17003 the @code{gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist} variable. For instance, it
17004 might look something like this:
17007 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
17008 '((gnus-unread-mark)
17009 (gnus-ticked-mark (from 4))
17010 (gnus-dormant-mark (from 5))
17011 (gnus-del-mark (from -4) (subject -1))
17012 (gnus-read-mark (from 4) (subject 2))
17013 (gnus-expirable-mark (from -1) (subject -1))
17014 (gnus-killed-mark (from -1) (subject -3))
17015 (gnus-kill-file-mark)
17016 (gnus-ancient-mark)
17017 (gnus-low-score-mark)
17018 (gnus-catchup-mark (from -1) (subject -1))))
17021 As you see, each element in this alist has a mark as a key (either a
17022 variable name or a ``real'' mark---a character). Following this key is
17023 a arbitrary number of header/score pairs. If there are no header/score
17024 pairs following the key, no adaptive scoring will be done on articles
17025 that have that key as the article mark. For instance, articles with
17026 @code{gnus-unread-mark} in the example above will not get adaptive score
17029 Each article can have only one mark, so just a single of these rules
17030 will be applied to each article.
17032 To take @code{gnus-del-mark} as an example---this alist says that all
17033 articles that have that mark (i.e., are marked with @samp{D}) will have a
17034 score entry added to lower based on the @code{From} header by -4, and
17035 lowered by @code{Subject} by -1. Change this to fit your prejudices.
17037 If you have marked 10 articles with the same subject with
17038 @code{gnus-del-mark}, the rule for that mark will be applied ten times.
17039 That means that that subject will get a score of ten times -1, which
17040 should be, unless I'm much mistaken, -10.
17042 If you have auto-expirable (mail) groups (@pxref{Expiring Mail}), all
17043 the read articles will be marked with the @samp{E} mark. This'll
17044 probably make adaptive scoring slightly impossible, so auto-expiring and
17045 adaptive scoring doesn't really mix very well.
17047 The headers you can score on are @code{from}, @code{subject},
17048 @code{message-id}, @code{references}, @code{xref}, @code{lines},
17049 @code{chars} and @code{date}. In addition, you can score on
17050 @code{followup}, which will create an adaptive score entry that matches
17051 on the @code{References} header using the @code{Message-ID} of the
17052 current article, thereby matching the following thread.
17054 You can also score on @code{thread}, which will try to score all
17055 articles that appear in a thread. @code{thread} matches uses a
17056 @code{Message-ID} to match on the @code{References} header of the
17057 article. If the match is made, the @code{Message-ID} of the article is
17058 added to the @code{thread} rule. (Think about it. I'd recommend two
17059 aspirins afterwards.)
17061 If you use this scheme, you should set the score file atom @code{mark}
17062 to something small---like -300, perhaps, to avoid having small random
17063 changes result in articles getting marked as read.
17065 After using adaptive scoring for a week or so, Gnus should start to
17066 become properly trained and enhance the authors you like best, and kill
17067 the authors you like least, without you having to say so explicitly.
17069 You can control what groups the adaptive scoring is to be performed on
17070 by using the score files (@pxref{Score File Format}). This will also
17071 let you use different rules in different groups.
17073 @vindex gnus-adaptive-file-suffix
17074 The adaptive score entries will be put into a file where the name is the
17075 group name with @code{gnus-adaptive-file-suffix} appended. The default
17078 @vindex gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit
17079 When doing adaptive scoring, substring or fuzzy matching would probably
17080 give you the best results in most cases. However, if the header one
17081 matches is short, the possibility for false positives is great, so if
17082 the length of the match is less than
17083 @code{gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit}, exact matching will be used. If
17084 this variable is @code{nil}, exact matching will always be used to avoid
17087 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
17088 As mentioned above, you can adapt either on individual words or entire
17089 headers. If you adapt on words, the
17090 @code{gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist} variable says what score
17091 each instance of a word should add given a mark.
17094 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
17095 `((,gnus-read-mark . 30)
17096 (,gnus-catchup-mark . -10)
17097 (,gnus-killed-mark . -20)
17098 (,gnus-del-mark . -15)))
17101 This is the default value. If you have adaption on words enabled, every
17102 word that appears in subjects of articles marked with
17103 @code{gnus-read-mark} will result in a score rule that increase the
17104 score with 30 points.
17106 @vindex gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words
17107 @vindex gnus-ignored-adaptive-words
17108 Words that appear in the @code{gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words} list
17109 will be ignored. If you wish to add more words to be ignored, use the
17110 @code{gnus-ignored-adaptive-words} list instead.
17112 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-length-limit
17113 Some may feel that short words shouldn't count when doing adaptive
17114 scoring. If so, you may set @code{gnus-adaptive-word-length-limit} to
17115 an integer. Words shorter than this number will be ignored. This
17116 variable defaults til @code{nil}.
17118 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table
17119 When the scoring is done, @code{gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table} is the
17120 syntax table in effect. It is similar to the standard syntax table, but
17121 it considers numbers to be non-word-constituent characters.
17123 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-minimum
17124 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} is set to a number, the adaptive
17125 word scoring process will never bring down the score of an article to
17126 below this number. The default is @code{nil}.
17128 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-no-group-words
17129 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-no-group-words} is set to @code{t}, gnus
17130 won't adaptively word score any of the words in the group name. Useful
17131 for groups like @samp{comp.editors.emacs}, where most of the subject
17132 lines contain the word @samp{emacs}.
17134 After using this scheme for a while, it might be nice to write a
17135 @code{gnus-psychoanalyze-user} command to go through the rules and see
17136 what words you like and what words you don't like. Or perhaps not.
17138 Note that the adaptive word scoring thing is highly experimental and is
17139 likely to change in the future. Initial impressions seem to indicate
17140 that it's totally useless as it stands. Some more work (involving more
17141 rigorous statistical methods) will have to be done to make this useful.
17144 @node Home Score File
17145 @section Home Score File
17147 The score file where new score file entries will go is called the
17148 @dfn{home score file}. This is normally (and by default) the score file
17149 for the group itself. For instance, the home score file for
17150 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} is @file{gnu.emacs.gnus.SCORE}.
17152 However, this may not be what you want. It is often convenient to share
17153 a common home score file among many groups---all @samp{emacs} groups
17154 could perhaps use the same home score file.
17156 @vindex gnus-home-score-file
17157 The variable that controls this is @code{gnus-home-score-file}. It can
17162 A string. Then this file will be used as the home score file for all
17166 A function. The result of this function will be used as the home score
17167 file. The function will be called with the name of the group as the
17171 A list. The elements in this list can be:
17175 @code{(@var{regexp} @var{file-name})}. If the @var{regexp} matches the
17176 group name, the @var{file-name} will be used as the home score file.
17179 A function. If the function returns non-nil, the result will be used as
17180 the home score file.
17183 A string. Use the string as the home score file.
17186 The list will be traversed from the beginning towards the end looking
17191 So, if you want to use just a single score file, you could say:
17194 (setq gnus-home-score-file
17195 "my-total-score-file.SCORE")
17198 If you want to use @file{gnu.SCORE} for all @samp{gnu} groups and
17199 @file{rec.SCORE} for all @samp{rec} groups (and so on), you can say:
17201 @findex gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file
17203 (setq gnus-home-score-file
17204 'gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file)
17207 This is a ready-made function provided for your convenience.
17208 Other functions include
17211 @item gnus-current-home-score-file
17212 @findex gnus-current-home-score-file
17213 Return the ``current'' regular score file. This will make scoring
17214 commands add entry to the ``innermost'' matching score file.
17218 If you want to have one score file for the @samp{emacs} groups and
17219 another for the @samp{comp} groups, while letting all other groups use
17220 their own home score files:
17223 (setq gnus-home-score-file
17224 ;; All groups that match the regexp "\\.emacs"
17225 '(("\\.emacs" "emacs.SCORE")
17226 ;; All the comp groups in one score file
17227 ("^comp" "comp.SCORE")))
17230 @vindex gnus-home-adapt-file
17231 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file} works exactly the same way as
17232 @code{gnus-home-score-file}, but says what the home adaptive score file
17233 is instead. All new adaptive file entries will go into the file
17234 specified by this variable, and the same syntax is allowed.
17236 In addition to using @code{gnus-home-score-file} and
17237 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file}, you can also use group parameters
17238 (@pxref{Group Parameters}) and topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
17239 Parameters}) to achieve much the same. Group and topic parameters take
17240 precedence over this variable.
17243 @node Followups To Yourself
17244 @section Followups To Yourself
17246 Gnus offers two commands for picking out the @code{Message-ID} header in
17247 the current buffer. Gnus will then add a score rule that scores using
17248 this @code{Message-ID} on the @code{References} header of other
17249 articles. This will, in effect, increase the score of all articles that
17250 respond to the article in the current buffer. Quite useful if you want
17251 to easily note when people answer what you've said.
17255 @item gnus-score-followup-article
17256 @findex gnus-score-followup-article
17257 This will add a score to articles that directly follow up your own
17260 @item gnus-score-followup-thread
17261 @findex gnus-score-followup-thread
17262 This will add a score to all articles that appear in a thread ``below''
17266 @vindex message-sent-hook
17267 These two functions are both primarily meant to be used in hooks like
17268 @code{message-sent-hook}, like this:
17270 (add-hook 'message-sent-hook 'gnus-score-followup-thread)
17274 If you look closely at your own @code{Message-ID}, you'll notice that
17275 the first two or three characters are always the same. Here's two of
17279 <x6u3u47icf.fsf@@eyesore.no>
17280 <x6sp9o7ibw.fsf@@eyesore.no>
17283 So ``my'' ident on this machine is @samp{x6}. This can be
17284 exploited---the following rule will raise the score on all followups to
17289 ("<x6[0-9a-z]+\\.fsf\\(_-_\\)?@@.*eyesore\\.no>"
17293 Whether it's the first two or first three characters that are ``yours''
17294 is system-dependent.
17297 @node Scoring On Other Headers
17298 @section Scoring On Other Headers
17299 @cindex scoring on other headers
17301 Gnus is quite fast when scoring the ``traditional''
17302 headers---@samp{From}, @samp{Subject} and so on. However, scoring
17303 other headers requires writing a @code{head} scoring rule, which means
17304 that Gnus has to request every single article from the back end to find
17305 matches. This takes a long time in big groups.
17307 Now, there's not much you can do about this for news groups, but for
17308 mail groups, you have greater control. In the @pxref{To From
17309 Newsgroups} section of the manual, it's explained in greater detail what
17310 this mechanism does, but here's a cookbook example for @code{nnml} on
17311 how to allow scoring on the @samp{To} and @samp{Cc} headers.
17313 Put the following in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
17316 (setq gnus-extra-headers '(To Cc Newsgroups Keywords)
17317 nnmail-extra-headers gnus-extra-headers)
17320 Restart Gnus and rebuild your @code{nnml} overview files with the
17321 @kbd{M-x nnml-generate-nov-databases} command. This will take a long
17322 time if you have much mail.
17324 Now you can score on @samp{To} and @samp{Cc} as ``extra headers'' like
17325 so: @kbd{I e s p To RET <your name> RET}.
17331 @section Scoring Tips
17332 @cindex scoring tips
17338 @cindex scoring crossposts
17339 If you want to lower the score of crossposts, the line to match on is
17340 the @code{Xref} header.
17342 ("xref" (" talk.politics.misc:" -1000))
17345 @item Multiple crossposts
17346 If you want to lower the score of articles that have been crossposted to
17347 more than, say, 3 groups:
17350 ("[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+"
17354 @item Matching on the body
17355 This is generally not a very good idea---it takes a very long time.
17356 Gnus actually has to fetch each individual article from the server. But
17357 you might want to anyway, I guess. Even though there are three match
17358 keys (@code{Head}, @code{Body} and @code{All}), you should choose one
17359 and stick with it in each score file. If you use any two, each article
17360 will be fetched @emph{twice}. If you want to match a bit on the
17361 @code{Head} and a bit on the @code{Body}, just use @code{All} for all
17364 @item Marking as read
17365 You will probably want to mark articles that have scores below a certain
17366 number as read. This is most easily achieved by putting the following
17367 in your @file{all.SCORE} file:
17371 You may also consider doing something similar with @code{expunge}.
17373 @item Negated character classes
17374 If you say stuff like @code{[^abcd]*}, you may get unexpected results.
17375 That will match newlines, which might lead to, well, The Unknown. Say
17376 @code{[^abcd\n]*} instead.
17380 @node Reverse Scoring
17381 @section Reverse Scoring
17382 @cindex reverse scoring
17384 If you want to keep just articles that have @samp{Sex with Emacs} in the
17385 subject header, and expunge all other articles, you could put something
17386 like this in your score file:
17390 ("Sex with Emacs" 2))
17395 So, you raise all articles that match @samp{Sex with Emacs} and mark the
17396 rest as read, and expunge them to boot.
17399 @node Global Score Files
17400 @section Global Score Files
17401 @cindex global score files
17403 Sure, other newsreaders have ``global kill files''. These are usually
17404 nothing more than a single kill file that applies to all groups, stored
17405 in the user's home directory. Bah! Puny, weak newsreaders!
17407 What I'm talking about here are Global Score Files. Score files from
17408 all over the world, from users everywhere, uniting all nations in one
17409 big, happy score file union! Ange-score! New and untested!
17411 @vindex gnus-global-score-files
17412 All you have to do to use other people's score files is to set the
17413 @code{gnus-global-score-files} variable. One entry for each score file,
17414 or each score file directory. Gnus will decide by itself what score
17415 files are applicable to which group.
17417 To use the score file
17418 @file{/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE} and
17419 all score files in the @file{/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score} directory,
17423 (setq gnus-global-score-files
17424 '("/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE"
17425 "/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score/"))
17428 @findex gnus-score-search-global-directories
17430 Simple, eh? Directory names must end with a @samp{/}. These
17431 directories are typically scanned only once during each Gnus session.
17432 If you feel the need to manually re-scan the remote directories, you can
17433 use the @code{gnus-score-search-global-directories} command.
17435 Note that, at present, using this option will slow down group entry
17436 somewhat. (That is---a lot.)
17438 If you want to start maintaining score files for other people to use,
17439 just put your score file up for anonymous ftp and announce it to the
17440 world. Become a retro-moderator! Participate in the retro-moderator
17441 wars sure to ensue, where retro-moderators battle it out for the
17442 sympathy of the people, luring them to use their score files on false
17443 premises! Yay! The net is saved!
17445 Here are some tips for the would-be retro-moderator, off the top of my
17451 Articles heavily crossposted are probably junk.
17453 To lower a single inappropriate article, lower by @code{Message-ID}.
17455 Particularly brilliant authors can be raised on a permanent basis.
17457 Authors that repeatedly post off-charter for the group can safely be
17458 lowered out of existence.
17460 Set the @code{mark} and @code{expunge} atoms to obliterate the nastiest
17461 articles completely.
17464 Use expiring score entries to keep the size of the file down. You
17465 should probably have a long expiry period, though, as some sites keep
17466 old articles for a long time.
17469 ... I wonder whether other newsreaders will support global score files
17470 in the future. @emph{Snicker}. Yup, any day now, newsreaders like Blue
17471 Wave, xrn and 1stReader are bound to implement scoring. Should we start
17472 holding our breath yet?
17476 @section Kill Files
17479 Gnus still supports those pesky old kill files. In fact, the kill file
17480 entries can now be expiring, which is something I wrote before Daniel
17481 Quinlan thought of doing score files, so I've left the code in there.
17483 In short, kill processing is a lot slower (and I do mean @emph{a lot})
17484 than score processing, so it might be a good idea to rewrite your kill
17485 files into score files.
17487 Anyway, a kill file is a normal @code{emacs-lisp} file. You can put any
17488 forms into this file, which means that you can use kill files as some
17489 sort of primitive hook function to be run on group entry, even though
17490 that isn't a very good idea.
17492 Normal kill files look like this:
17495 (gnus-kill "From" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
17496 (gnus-kill "Subject" "ding")
17500 This will mark every article written by me as read, and remove the
17501 marked articles from the summary buffer. Very useful, you'll agree.
17503 Other programs use a totally different kill file syntax. If Gnus
17504 encounters what looks like a @code{rn} kill file, it will take a stab at
17507 Two summary functions for editing a GNUS kill file:
17512 @kindex M-k (Summary)
17513 @findex gnus-summary-edit-local-kill
17514 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-local-kill}).
17517 @kindex M-K (Summary)
17518 @findex gnus-summary-edit-global-kill
17519 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-global-kill}).
17522 Two group mode functions for editing the kill files:
17527 @kindex M-k (Group)
17528 @findex gnus-group-edit-local-kill
17529 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-local-kill}).
17532 @kindex M-K (Group)
17533 @findex gnus-group-edit-global-kill
17534 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-global-kill}).
17537 Kill file variables:
17540 @item gnus-kill-file-name
17541 @vindex gnus-kill-file-name
17542 A kill file for the group @samp{soc.motss} is normally called
17543 @file{soc.motss.KILL}. The suffix appended to the group name to get
17544 this file name is detailed by the @code{gnus-kill-file-name} variable.
17545 The ``global'' kill file (not in the score file sense of ``global'', of
17546 course) is just called @file{KILL}.
17548 @vindex gnus-kill-save-kill-file
17549 @item gnus-kill-save-kill-file
17550 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will save the
17551 kill file after processing, which is necessary if you use expiring
17554 @item gnus-apply-kill-hook
17555 @vindex gnus-apply-kill-hook
17556 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored
17557 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file
17558 A hook called to apply kill files to a group. It is
17559 @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file)} by default. If you want to ignore the
17560 kill file if you have a score file for the same group, you can set this
17561 hook to @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored)}. If you don't want
17562 kill files to be processed, you should set this variable to @code{nil}.
17564 @item gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
17565 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
17566 A hook called in kill-file mode buffers.
17571 @node Converting Kill Files
17572 @section Converting Kill Files
17574 @cindex converting kill files
17576 If you have loads of old kill files, you may want to convert them into
17577 score files. If they are ``regular'', you can use
17578 the @file{gnus-kill-to-score.el} package; if not, you'll have to do it
17581 The kill to score conversion package isn't included in Gnus by default.
17582 You can fetch it from
17583 @uref{http://www.stud.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/ding-various/gnus-kill-to-score.el}.
17585 If your old kill files are very complex---if they contain more
17586 non-@code{gnus-kill} forms than not, you'll have to convert them by
17587 hand. Or just let them be as they are. Gnus will still use them as
17595 GroupLens (@uref{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/}) is a
17596 collaborative filtering system that helps you work together with other
17597 people to find the quality news articles out of the huge volume of
17598 news articles generated every day.
17600 To accomplish this the GroupLens system combines your opinions about
17601 articles you have already read with the opinions of others who have done
17602 likewise and gives you a personalized prediction for each unread news
17603 article. Think of GroupLens as a matchmaker. GroupLens watches how you
17604 rate articles, and finds other people that rate articles the same way.
17605 Once it has found some people you agree with it tells you, in the form
17606 of a prediction, what they thought of the article. You can use this
17607 prediction to help you decide whether or not you want to read the
17610 @sc{Note:} Unfortunately the GroupLens system seems to have shut down,
17611 so this section is mostly of historical interest.
17614 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
17615 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
17616 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
17617 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
17621 @node Using GroupLens
17622 @subsection Using GroupLens
17624 To use GroupLens you must register a pseudonym with your local Better
17626 @uref{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/bbb.html} is the only
17627 better bit in town at the moment.
17629 Once you have registered you'll need to set a couple of variables.
17633 @item gnus-use-grouplens
17634 @vindex gnus-use-grouplens
17635 Setting this variable to a non-@code{nil} value will make Gnus hook into
17636 all the relevant GroupLens functions.
17638 @item grouplens-pseudonym
17639 @vindex grouplens-pseudonym
17640 This variable should be set to the pseudonym you got when registering
17641 with the Better Bit Bureau.
17643 @item grouplens-newsgroups
17644 @vindex grouplens-newsgroups
17645 A list of groups that you want to get GroupLens predictions for.
17649 That's the minimum of what you need to get up and running with GroupLens.
17650 Once you've registered, GroupLens will start giving you scores for
17651 articles based on the average of what other people think. But, to get
17652 the real benefit of GroupLens you need to start rating articles
17653 yourself. Then the scores GroupLens gives you will be personalized for
17654 you, based on how the people you usually agree with have already rated.
17657 @node Rating Articles
17658 @subsection Rating Articles
17660 In GroupLens, an article is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, inclusive.
17661 Where 1 means something like this article is a waste of bandwidth and 5
17662 means that the article was really good. The basic question to ask
17663 yourself is, "on a scale from 1 to 5 would I like to see more articles
17666 There are four ways to enter a rating for an article in GroupLens.
17671 @kindex r (GroupLens)
17672 @findex bbb-summary-rate-article
17673 This function will prompt you for a rating on a scale of one to five.
17676 @kindex k (GroupLens)
17677 @findex grouplens-score-thread
17678 This function will prompt you for a rating, and rate all the articles in
17679 the thread. This is really useful for some of those long running giant
17680 threads in rec.humor.
17684 The next two commands, @kbd{n} and @kbd{,} take a numerical prefix to be
17685 the score of the article you're reading.
17690 @kindex n (GroupLens)
17691 @findex grouplens-next-unread-article
17692 Rate the article and go to the next unread article.
17695 @kindex , (GroupLens)
17696 @findex grouplens-best-unread-article
17697 Rate the article and go to the next unread article with the highest score.
17701 If you want to give the current article a score of 4 and then go to the
17702 next article, just type @kbd{4 n}.
17705 @node Displaying Predictions
17706 @subsection Displaying Predictions
17708 GroupLens makes a prediction for you about how much you will like a
17709 news article. The predictions from GroupLens are on a scale from 1 to
17710 5, where 1 is the worst and 5 is the best. You can use the predictions
17711 from GroupLens in one of three ways controlled by the variable
17712 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring}.
17714 @vindex gnus-grouplens-override-scoring
17715 There are three ways to display predictions in grouplens. You may
17716 choose to have the GroupLens scores contribute to, or override the
17717 regular gnus scoring mechanism. override is the default; however, some
17718 people prefer to see the Gnus scores plus the grouplens scores. To get
17719 the separate scoring behavior you need to set
17720 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'separate}. To have the
17721 GroupLens predictions combined with the grouplens scores set it to
17722 @code{'override} and to combine the scores set
17723 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'combine}. When you use
17724 the combine option you will also want to set the values for
17725 @code{grouplens-prediction-offset} and
17726 @code{grouplens-score-scale-factor}.
17728 @vindex grouplens-prediction-display
17729 In either case, GroupLens gives you a few choices for how you would like
17730 to see your predictions displayed. The display of predictions is
17731 controlled by the @code{grouplens-prediction-display} variable.
17733 The following are valid values for that variable.
17736 @item prediction-spot
17737 The higher the prediction, the further to the right an @samp{*} is
17740 @item confidence-interval
17741 A numeric confidence interval.
17743 @item prediction-bar
17744 The higher the prediction, the longer the bar.
17746 @item confidence-bar
17747 Numerical confidence.
17749 @item confidence-spot
17750 The spot gets bigger with more confidence.
17752 @item prediction-num
17753 Plain-old numeric value.
17755 @item confidence-plus-minus
17756 Prediction +/- confidence.
17761 @node GroupLens Variables
17762 @subsection GroupLens Variables
17766 @item gnus-summary-grouplens-line-format
17767 The summary line format used in GroupLens-enhanced summary buffers. It
17768 accepts the same specs as the normal summary line format (@pxref{Summary
17769 Buffer Lines}). The default is @samp{%U%R%z%l%I%(%[%4L: %-23,23n%]%)
17772 @item grouplens-bbb-host
17773 Host running the bbbd server. @samp{grouplens.cs.umn.edu} is the
17776 @item grouplens-bbb-port
17777 Port of the host running the bbbd server. The default is 9000.
17779 @item grouplens-score-offset
17780 Offset the prediction by this value. In other words, subtract the
17781 prediction value by this number to arrive at the effective score. The
17784 @item grouplens-score-scale-factor
17785 This variable allows the user to magnify the effect of GroupLens scores.
17786 The scale factor is applied after the offset. The default is 1.
17791 @node Advanced Scoring
17792 @section Advanced Scoring
17794 Scoring on Subjects and From headers is nice enough, but what if you're
17795 really interested in what a person has to say only when she's talking
17796 about a particular subject? Or what if you really don't want to
17797 read what person A has to say when she's following up to person B, but
17798 want to read what she says when she's following up to person C?
17800 By using advanced scoring rules you may create arbitrarily complex
17804 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
17805 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
17806 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
17810 @node Advanced Scoring Syntax
17811 @subsection Advanced Scoring Syntax
17813 Ordinary scoring rules have a string as the first element in the rule.
17814 Advanced scoring rules have a list as the first element. The second
17815 element is the score to be applied if the first element evaluated to a
17816 non-@code{nil} value.
17818 These lists may consist of three logical operators, one redirection
17819 operator, and various match operators.
17826 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
17827 one that evaluates to @code{false}, and then it'll stop. If all arguments
17828 evaluate to @code{true} values, then this operator will return
17833 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
17834 one that evaluates to @code{true}. If no arguments are @code{true},
17835 then this operator will return @code{false}.
17840 This logical operator only takes a single argument. It returns the
17841 logical negation of the value of its argument.
17845 There is an @dfn{indirection operator} that will make its arguments
17846 apply to the ancestors of the current article being scored. For
17847 instance, @code{1-} will make score rules apply to the parent of the
17848 current article. @code{2-} will make score rules apply to the
17849 grandparent of the current article. Alternatively, you can write
17850 @code{^^}, where the number of @code{^}s (carets) says how far back into
17851 the ancestry you want to go.
17853 Finally, we have the match operators. These are the ones that do the
17854 real work. Match operators are header name strings followed by a match
17855 and a match type. A typical match operator looks like @samp{("from"
17856 "Lars Ingebrigtsen" s)}. The header names are the same as when using
17857 simple scoring, and the match types are also the same.
17860 @node Advanced Scoring Examples
17861 @subsection Advanced Scoring Examples
17863 Let's say you want to increase the score of articles written by Lars
17864 when he's talking about Gnus:
17868 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
17869 ("subject" "Gnus"))
17875 When he writes long articles, he sometimes has something nice to say:
17879 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
17886 However, when he responds to things written by Reig Eigil Logge, you
17887 really don't want to read what he's written:
17891 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
17892 (1- ("from" "Reig Eigir Logge")))
17896 Everybody that follows up Redmondo when he writes about disappearing
17897 socks should have their scores raised, but only when they talk about
17898 white socks. However, when Lars talks about socks, it's usually not
17905 ("from" "redmondo@@.*no" r)
17906 ("body" "disappearing.*socks" t)))
17907 (! ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen"))
17908 ("body" "white.*socks"))
17912 The possibilities are endless.
17915 @node Advanced Scoring Tips
17916 @subsection Advanced Scoring Tips
17918 The @code{&} and @code{|} logical operators do short-circuit logic.
17919 That is, they stop processing their arguments when it's clear what the
17920 result of the operation will be. For instance, if one of the arguments
17921 of an @code{&} evaluates to @code{false}, there's no point in evaluating
17922 the rest of the arguments. This means that you should put slow matches
17923 (@samp{body}, @samp{header}) last and quick matches (@samp{from},
17924 @samp{subject}) first.
17926 The indirection arguments (@code{1-} and so on) will make their
17927 arguments work on previous generations of the thread. If you say
17938 Then that means "score on the from header of the grandparent of the
17939 current article". An indirection is quite fast, but it's better to say:
17945 ("subject" "Gnus")))
17952 (1- ("from" "Lars"))
17953 (1- ("subject" "Gnus")))
17958 @section Score Decays
17959 @cindex score decays
17962 You may find that your scores have a tendency to grow without
17963 bounds, especially if you're using adaptive scoring. If scores get too
17964 big, they lose all meaning---they simply max out and it's difficult to
17965 use them in any sensible way.
17967 @vindex gnus-decay-scores
17968 @findex gnus-decay-score
17969 @vindex gnus-decay-score-function
17970 Gnus provides a mechanism for decaying scores to help with this problem.
17971 When score files are loaded and @code{gnus-decay-scores} is
17972 non-@code{nil}, Gnus will run the score files through the decaying
17973 mechanism thereby lowering the scores of all non-permanent score rules.
17974 The decay itself if performed by the @code{gnus-decay-score-function}
17975 function, which is @code{gnus-decay-score} by default. Here's the
17976 definition of that function:
17979 (defun gnus-decay-score (score)
17981 This is done according to `gnus-score-decay-constant'
17982 and `gnus-score-decay-scale'."
17985 (* (if (< score 0) 1 -1)
17987 (max gnus-score-decay-constant
17989 gnus-score-decay-scale)))))))
17992 @vindex gnus-score-decay-scale
17993 @vindex gnus-score-decay-constant
17994 @code{gnus-score-decay-constant} is 3 by default and
17995 @code{gnus-score-decay-scale} is 0.05. This should cause the following:
17999 Scores between -3 and 3 will be set to 0 when this function is called.
18002 Scores with magnitudes between 3 and 60 will be shrunk by 3.
18005 Scores with magnitudes greater than 60 will be shrunk by 5% of the
18009 If you don't like this decay function, write your own. It is called
18010 with the score to be decayed as its only parameter, and it should return
18011 the new score, which should be an integer.
18013 Gnus will try to decay scores once a day. If you haven't run Gnus for
18014 four days, Gnus will decay the scores four times, for instance.
18019 @include message.texi
18020 @chapter Emacs MIME
18021 @include emacs-mime.texi
18029 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
18030 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
18031 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
18032 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
18033 * Window Layout:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
18034 * Faces and Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
18035 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
18036 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
18037 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
18038 * Buttons:: Get tendinitis in ten easy steps!
18039 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
18040 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
18041 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
18042 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
18043 * XEmacs Enhancements:: There are more pictures and stuff under XEmacs.
18044 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
18045 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolicited commercial email.
18046 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
18050 @node Process/Prefix
18051 @section Process/Prefix
18052 @cindex process/prefix convention
18054 Many functions, among them functions for moving, decoding and saving
18055 articles, use what is known as the @dfn{Process/Prefix convention}.
18057 This is a method for figuring out what articles the user wants the
18058 command to be performed on.
18062 If the numeric prefix is N, perform the operation on the next N
18063 articles, starting with the current one. If the numeric prefix is
18064 negative, perform the operation on the previous N articles, starting
18065 with the current one.
18067 @vindex transient-mark-mode
18068 If @code{transient-mark-mode} in non-@code{nil} and the region is
18069 active, all articles in the region will be worked upon.
18071 If there is no numeric prefix, but some articles are marked with the
18072 process mark, perform the operation on the articles marked with
18075 If there is neither a numeric prefix nor any articles marked with the
18076 process mark, just perform the operation on the current article.
18078 Quite simple, really, but it needs to be made clear so that surprises
18081 Commands that react to the process mark will push the current list of
18082 process marked articles onto a stack and will then clear all process
18083 marked articles. You can restore the previous configuration with the
18084 @kbd{M P y} command (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
18086 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
18087 One thing that seems to shock & horrify lots of people is that, for
18088 instance, @kbd{3 d} does exactly the same as @kbd{d} @kbd{d} @kbd{d}.
18089 Since each @kbd{d} (which marks the current article as read) by default
18090 goes to the next unread article after marking, this means that @kbd{3 d}
18091 will mark the next three unread articles as read, no matter what the
18092 summary buffer looks like. Set @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} to
18093 @code{nil} for a more straightforward action.
18095 Many commands do not use the process/prefix convention. All commands
18096 that do explicitly say so in this manual. To apply the process/prefix
18097 convention to commands that do not use it, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
18098 command. For instance, to mark all the articles in the group as
18099 expirable, you could say `M P b M-& E'.
18103 @section Interactive
18104 @cindex interaction
18108 @item gnus-novice-user
18109 @vindex gnus-novice-user
18110 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you are either a newcomer to the
18111 World of Usenet, or you are very cautious, which is a nice thing to be,
18112 really. You will be given questions of the type ``Are you sure you want
18113 to do this?'' before doing anything dangerous. This is @code{t} by
18116 @item gnus-expert-user
18117 @vindex gnus-expert-user
18118 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you will seldom be asked any
18119 questions by Gnus. It will simply assume you know what you're doing, no
18120 matter how strange.
18122 @item gnus-interactive-catchup
18123 @vindex gnus-interactive-catchup
18124 Require confirmation before catching up a group if non-@code{nil}. It
18125 is @code{t} by default.
18127 @item gnus-interactive-exit
18128 @vindex gnus-interactive-exit
18129 Require confirmation before exiting Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
18134 @node Symbolic Prefixes
18135 @section Symbolic Prefixes
18136 @cindex symbolic prefixes
18138 Quite a lot of Emacs commands react to the (numeric) prefix. For
18139 instance, @kbd{C-u 4 C-f} moves point four characters forward, and
18140 @kbd{C-u 9 0 0 I s s p} adds a permanent @code{Subject} substring score
18141 rule of 900 to the current article.
18143 This is all nice and well, but what if you want to give a command some
18144 additional information? Well, what most commands do is interpret the
18145 ``raw'' prefix in some special way. @kbd{C-u 0 C-x C-s} means that one
18146 doesn't want a backup file to be created when saving the current buffer,
18147 for instance. But what if you want to save without making a backup
18148 file, and you want Emacs to flash lights and play a nice tune at the
18149 same time? You can't, and you're probably perfectly happy that way.
18151 @kindex M-i (Summary)
18152 @findex gnus-symbolic-argument
18153 I'm not, so I've added a second prefix---the @dfn{symbolic prefix}. The
18154 prefix key is @kbd{M-i} (@code{gnus-symbolic-argument}), and the next
18155 character typed in is the value. You can stack as many @kbd{M-i}
18156 prefixes as you want. @kbd{M-i a M-C-u} means ``feed the @kbd{M-C-u}
18157 command the symbolic prefix @code{a}''. @kbd{M-i a M-i b M-C-u} means
18158 ``feed the @kbd{M-C-u} command the symbolic prefixes @code{a} and
18159 @code{b}''. You get the drift.
18161 Typing in symbolic prefixes to commands that don't accept them doesn't
18162 hurt, but it doesn't do any good either. Currently not many Gnus
18163 functions make use of the symbolic prefix.
18165 If you're interested in how Gnus implements this, @pxref{Extended
18169 @node Formatting Variables
18170 @section Formatting Variables
18171 @cindex formatting variables
18173 Throughout this manual you've probably noticed lots of variables called
18174 things like @code{gnus-group-line-format} and
18175 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. These control how Gnus is to
18176 output lines in the various buffers. There's quite a lot of them.
18177 Fortunately, they all use the same syntax, so there's not that much to
18180 Here's an example format spec (from the group buffer): @samp{%M%S%5y:
18181 %(%g%)\n}. We see that it is indeed extremely ugly, and that there are
18182 lots of percentages everywhere.
18185 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
18186 * Mode Line Formatting:: Some rules about mode line formatting variables.
18187 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
18188 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
18189 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
18190 * Positioning Point:: Moving point to a position after an operation.
18191 * Tabulation:: Tabulating your output.
18192 * Wide Characters:: Dealing with wide characters.
18195 Currently Gnus uses the following formatting variables:
18196 @code{gnus-group-line-format}, @code{gnus-summary-line-format},
18197 @code{gnus-server-line-format}, @code{gnus-topic-line-format},
18198 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format},
18199 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format},
18200 @code{gnus-article-mode-line-format},
18201 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format}, and
18202 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format}.
18204 All these format variables can also be arbitrary elisp forms. In that
18205 case, they will be @code{eval}ed to insert the required lines.
18207 @kindex M-x gnus-update-format
18208 @findex gnus-update-format
18209 Gnus includes a command to help you while creating your own format
18210 specs. @kbd{M-x gnus-update-format} will @code{eval} the current form,
18211 update the spec in question and pop you to a buffer where you can
18212 examine the resulting lisp code to be run to generate the line.
18216 @node Formatting Basics
18217 @subsection Formatting Basics
18219 Each @samp{%} element will be replaced by some string or other when the
18220 buffer in question is generated. @samp{%5y} means ``insert the @samp{y}
18221 spec, and pad with spaces to get a 5-character field''.
18223 As with normal C and Emacs Lisp formatting strings, the numerical
18224 modifier between the @samp{%} and the formatting type character will
18225 @dfn{pad} the output so that it is always at least that long.
18226 @samp{%5y} will make the field always (at least) five characters wide by
18227 padding with spaces to the left. If you say @samp{%-5y}, it will pad to
18230 You may also wish to limit the length of the field to protect against
18231 particularly wide values. For that you can say @samp{%4,6y}, which
18232 means that the field will never be more than 6 characters wide and never
18233 less than 4 characters wide.
18235 Also Gnus supports some extended format specifications, such as
18236 @samp{%&user-date;}.
18238 @node Mode Line Formatting
18239 @subsection Mode Line Formatting
18241 Mode line formatting variables (e.g.,
18242 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}) follow the same rules as other,
18243 buffer line oriented formatting variables (@pxref{Formatting Basics})
18244 with the following two differences:
18249 There must be no newline (@samp{\n}) at the end.
18252 The special @samp{%%b} spec can be used to display the buffer name.
18253 Well, it's no spec at all, really---@samp{%%} is just a way to quote
18254 @samp{%} to allow it to pass through the formatting machinery unmangled,
18255 so that Emacs receives @samp{%b}, which is something the Emacs mode line
18256 display interprets to mean ``show the buffer name''. For a full list of
18257 mode line specs Emacs understands, see the documentation of the
18258 @code{mode-line-format} variable.
18263 @node Advanced Formatting
18264 @subsection Advanced Formatting
18266 It is frequently useful to post-process the fields in some way.
18267 Padding, limiting, cutting off parts and suppressing certain values can
18268 be achieved by using @dfn{tilde modifiers}. A typical tilde spec might
18269 look like @samp{%~(cut 3)~(ignore "0")y}.
18271 These are the valid modifiers:
18276 Pad the field to the left with spaces until it reaches the required
18280 Pad the field to the right with spaces until it reaches the required
18285 Cut off characters from the left until it reaches the specified length.
18288 Cut off characters from the right until it reaches the specified
18293 Cut off the specified number of characters from the left.
18296 Cut off the specified number of characters from the right.
18299 Return an empty string if the field is equal to the specified value.
18302 Use the specified form as the field value when the @samp{@@} spec is
18306 Let's take an example. The @samp{%o} spec in the summary mode lines
18307 will return a date in compact ISO8601 format---@samp{19960809T230410}.
18308 This is quite a mouthful, so we want to shave off the century number and
18309 the time, leaving us with a six-character date. That would be
18310 @samp{%~(cut-left 2)~(max-right 6)~(pad 6)o}. (Cutting is done before
18311 maxing, and we need the padding to ensure that the date is never less
18312 than 6 characters to make it look nice in columns.)
18314 Ignoring is done first; then cutting; then maxing; and then as the very
18315 last operation, padding.
18317 If you use lots of these advanced thingies, you'll find that Gnus gets
18318 quite slow. This can be helped enormously by running @kbd{M-x
18319 gnus-compile} when you are satisfied with the look of your lines.
18320 @xref{Compilation}.
18323 @node User-Defined Specs
18324 @subsection User-Defined Specs
18326 All the specs allow for inserting user defined specifiers---@samp{u}.
18327 The next character in the format string should be a letter. Gnus
18328 will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where
18329 @samp{X} is the letter following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed
18330 a single parameter---what the parameter means depends on what buffer
18331 it's being called from. The function should return a string, which will
18332 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
18333 specifier. This function may also be called with dummy values, so it
18334 should protect against that.
18336 Also Gnus supports extended user-defined specs, such as @samp{%u&foo;}.
18337 Gnus will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{foo}.
18339 You can also use tilde modifiers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting} to achieve
18340 much the same without defining new functions. Here's an example:
18341 @samp{%~(form (count-lines (point-min) (point)))@@}. The form
18342 given here will be evaluated to yield the current line number, and then
18346 @node Formatting Fonts
18347 @subsection Formatting Fonts
18349 There are specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the format
18350 variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers will get
18351 the special @code{mouse-face} property set, which means that it will be
18352 highlighted (with @code{gnus-mouse-face}) when you put the mouse pointer
18355 Text inside the @samp{%@{} and @samp{%@}} specifiers will have their
18356 normal faces set using @code{gnus-face-0}, which is @code{bold} by
18357 default. If you say @samp{%1@{}, you'll get @code{gnus-face-1} instead,
18358 and so on. Create as many faces as you wish. The same goes for the
18359 @code{mouse-face} specs---you can say @samp{%3(hello%)} to have
18360 @samp{hello} mouse-highlighted with @code{gnus-mouse-face-3}.
18362 Text inside the @samp{%<} and @samp{%>} specifiers will get the special
18363 @code{balloon-help} property set to @code{gnus-balloon-face-0}. If you
18364 say @samp{%1<}, you'll get @code{gnus-balloon-face-1} and so on. The
18365 @code{gnus-balloon-face-*} variables should be either strings or symbols
18366 naming functions that return a string. Under @code{balloon-help-mode},
18367 when the mouse passes over text with this property set, a balloon window
18368 will appear and display the string. Please refer to the doc string of
18369 @code{balloon-help-mode} for more information on this.
18371 Here's an alternative recipe for the group buffer:
18374 ;; Create three face types.
18375 (setq gnus-face-1 'bold)
18376 (setq gnus-face-3 'italic)
18378 ;; We want the article count to be in
18379 ;; a bold and green face. So we create
18380 ;; a new face called `my-green-bold'.
18381 (copy-face 'bold 'my-green-bold)
18383 (set-face-foreground 'my-green-bold "ForestGreen")
18384 (setq gnus-face-2 'my-green-bold)
18386 ;; Set the new & fancy format.
18387 (setq gnus-group-line-format
18388 "%M%S%3@{%5y%@}%2[:%] %(%1@{%g%@}%)\n")
18391 I'm sure you'll be able to use this scheme to create totally unreadable
18392 and extremely vulgar displays. Have fun!
18394 Note that the @samp{%(} specs (and friends) do not make any sense on the
18395 mode-line variables.
18397 @node Positioning Point
18398 @subsection Positioning Point
18400 Gnus usually moves point to a pre-defined place on each line in most
18401 buffers. By default, point move to the first colon character on the
18402 line. You can customize this behaviour in three different ways.
18404 You can move the colon character to somewhere else on the line.
18406 @findex gnus-goto-colon
18407 You can redefine the function that moves the point to the colon. The
18408 function is called @code{gnus-goto-colon}.
18410 But perhaps the most convenient way to deal with this, if you don't want
18411 to have a colon in your line, is to use the @samp{%C} specifier. If you
18412 put a @samp{%C} somewhere in your format line definition, Gnus will
18417 @subsection Tabulation
18419 You can usually line up your displays by padding and cutting your
18420 strings. However, when combining various strings of different size, it
18421 can often be more convenient to just output the strings, and then worry
18422 about lining up the following text afterwards.
18424 To do that, Gnus supplies tabulator specs--@samp{%=}. There are two
18425 different types---@dfn{hard tabulators} and @dfn{soft tabulators}.
18427 @samp{%50=} will insert space characters to pad the line up to column
18428 50. If the text is already past column 50, nothing will be inserted.
18429 This is the soft tabulator.
18431 @samp{%-50=} will insert space characters to pad the line up to column
18432 50. If the text is already past column 50, the excess text past column
18433 50 will be removed. This is the hard tabulator.
18436 @node Wide Characters
18437 @subsection Wide Characters
18439 Proportional fonts in most countries have characters of the same width.
18440 Some countries, however, use Latin characters mixed with wider
18441 characters---most notable East Asian countries.
18443 The problem is that when formatting, Gnus assumes that if a string is 10
18444 characters wide, it'll be 10 Latin characters wide on the screen. In
18445 these coutries, that's not true.
18447 @vindex gnus-use-correct-string-widths
18448 To help fix this, you can set @code{gnus-use-correct-string-widths} to
18449 @code{t}. This makes buffer generation slower, but the results will be
18450 prettieer. The default value is @code{t}.
18454 @node Window Layout
18455 @section Window Layout
18456 @cindex window layout
18458 No, there's nothing here about X, so be quiet.
18460 @vindex gnus-use-full-window
18461 If @code{gnus-use-full-window} non-@code{nil}, Gnus will delete all
18462 other windows and occupy the entire Emacs screen by itself. It is
18463 @code{t} by default.
18465 Setting this variable to @code{nil} kinda works, but there are
18466 glitches. Use at your own peril.
18468 @vindex gnus-buffer-configuration
18469 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} describes how much space each Gnus
18470 buffer should be given. Here's an excerpt of this variable:
18473 ((group (vertical 1.0 (group 1.0 point)
18474 (if gnus-carpal (group-carpal 4))))
18475 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
18479 This is an alist. The @dfn{key} is a symbol that names some action or
18480 other. For instance, when displaying the group buffer, the window
18481 configuration function will use @code{group} as the key. A full list of
18482 possible names is listed below.
18484 The @dfn{value} (i.e., the @dfn{split}) says how much space each buffer
18485 should occupy. To take the @code{article} split as an example -
18488 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
18492 This @dfn{split} says that the summary buffer should occupy 25% of upper
18493 half of the screen, and that it is placed over the article buffer. As
18494 you may have noticed, 100% + 25% is actually 125% (yup, I saw y'all
18495 reaching for that calculator there). However, the special number
18496 @code{1.0} is used to signal that this buffer should soak up all the
18497 rest of the space available after the rest of the buffers have taken
18498 whatever they need. There should be only one buffer with the @code{1.0}
18499 size spec per split.
18501 Point will be put in the buffer that has the optional third element
18502 @code{point}. In a @code{frame} split, the last subsplit having a leaf
18503 split where the tag @code{frame-focus} is a member (i.e. is the third or
18504 fourth element in the list, depending on whether the @code{point} tag is
18505 present) gets focus.
18507 Here's a more complicated example:
18510 (article (vertical 1.0 (group 4)
18511 (summary 0.25 point)
18512 (if gnus-carpal (summary-carpal 4))
18516 If the size spec is an integer instead of a floating point number,
18517 then that number will be used to say how many lines a buffer should
18518 occupy, not a percentage.
18520 If the @dfn{split} looks like something that can be @code{eval}ed (to be
18521 precise---if the @code{car} of the split is a function or a subr), this
18522 split will be @code{eval}ed. If the result is non-@code{nil}, it will
18523 be used as a split. This means that there will be three buffers if
18524 @code{gnus-carpal} is @code{nil}, and four buffers if @code{gnus-carpal}
18527 Not complicated enough for you? Well, try this on for size:
18530 (article (horizontal 1.0
18535 (summary 0.25 point)
18540 Whoops. Two buffers with the mystery 100% tag. And what's that
18541 @code{horizontal} thingie?
18543 If the first element in one of the split is @code{horizontal}, Gnus will
18544 split the window horizontally, giving you two windows side-by-side.
18545 Inside each of these strips you may carry on all you like in the normal
18546 fashion. The number following @code{horizontal} says what percentage of
18547 the screen is to be given to this strip.
18549 For each split, there @emph{must} be one element that has the 100% tag.
18550 The splitting is never accurate, and this buffer will eat any leftover
18551 lines from the splits.
18553 To be slightly more formal, here's a definition of what a valid split
18557 split = frame | horizontal | vertical | buffer | form
18558 frame = "(frame " size *split ")"
18559 horizontal = "(horizontal " size *split ")"
18560 vertical = "(vertical " size *split ")"
18561 buffer = "(" buf-name " " size *[ "point" ] *[ "frame-focus"] ")"
18562 size = number | frame-params
18563 buf-name = group | article | summary ...
18566 The limitations are that the @code{frame} split can only appear as the
18567 top-level split. @var{form} should be an Emacs Lisp form that should
18568 return a valid split. We see that each split is fully recursive, and
18569 may contain any number of @code{vertical} and @code{horizontal} splits.
18571 @vindex gnus-window-min-width
18572 @vindex gnus-window-min-height
18573 @cindex window height
18574 @cindex window width
18575 Finding the right sizes can be a bit complicated. No window may be less
18576 than @code{gnus-window-min-height} (default 1) characters high, and all
18577 windows must be at least @code{gnus-window-min-width} (default 1)
18578 characters wide. Gnus will try to enforce this before applying the
18579 splits. If you want to use the normal Emacs window width/height limit,
18580 you can just set these two variables to @code{nil}.
18582 If you're not familiar with Emacs terminology, @code{horizontal} and
18583 @code{vertical} splits may work the opposite way of what you'd expect.
18584 Windows inside a @code{horizontal} split are shown side-by-side, and
18585 windows within a @code{vertical} split are shown above each other.
18587 @findex gnus-configure-frame
18588 If you want to experiment with window placement, a good tip is to call
18589 @code{gnus-configure-frame} directly with a split. This is the function
18590 that does all the real work when splitting buffers. Below is a pretty
18591 nonsensical configuration with 5 windows; two for the group buffer and
18592 three for the article buffer. (I said it was nonsensical.) If you
18593 @code{eval} the statement below, you can get an idea of how that would
18594 look straight away, without going through the normal Gnus channels.
18595 Play with it until you're satisfied, and then use
18596 @code{gnus-add-configuration} to add your new creation to the buffer
18597 configuration list.
18600 (gnus-configure-frame
18604 (article 0.3 point))
18612 You might want to have several frames as well. No prob---just use the
18613 @code{frame} split:
18616 (gnus-configure-frame
18619 (summary 0.25 point frame-focus)
18621 (vertical ((height . 5) (width . 15)
18622 (user-position . t)
18623 (left . -1) (top . 1))
18628 This split will result in the familiar summary/article window
18629 configuration in the first (or ``main'') frame, while a small additional
18630 frame will be created where picons will be shown. As you can see,
18631 instead of the normal @code{1.0} top-level spec, each additional split
18632 should have a frame parameter alist as the size spec.
18633 @xref{Frame Parameters, , Frame Parameters, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
18634 Reference Manual}. Under XEmacs, a frame property list will be
18635 accepted, too---for instance, @code{(height 5 width 15 left -1 top 1)}
18637 The list of all possible keys for @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} can
18638 be found in its default value.
18640 Note that the @code{message} key is used for both
18641 @code{gnus-group-mail} and @code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}. If
18642 it is desirable to distinguish between the two, something like this
18646 (message (horizontal 1.0
18647 (vertical 1.0 (message 1.0 point))
18649 (if (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer)
18654 One common desire for a multiple frame split is to have a separate frame
18655 for composing mail and news while leaving the original frame intact. To
18656 accomplish that, something like the following can be done:
18661 (if (not (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer))
18662 (car (cdr (assoc 'group gnus-buffer-configuration)))
18663 (car (cdr (assoc 'summary gnus-buffer-configuration))))
18664 (vertical ((user-position . t) (top . 1) (left . 1)
18665 (name . "Message"))
18666 (message 1.0 point))))
18669 @findex gnus-add-configuration
18670 Since the @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} variable is so long and
18671 complicated, there's a function you can use to ease changing the config
18672 of a single setting: @code{gnus-add-configuration}. If, for instance,
18673 you want to change the @code{article} setting, you could say:
18676 (gnus-add-configuration
18677 '(article (vertical 1.0
18679 (summary .25 point)
18683 You'd typically stick these @code{gnus-add-configuration} calls in your
18684 @file{.gnus.el} file or in some startup hook---they should be run after
18685 Gnus has been loaded.
18687 @vindex gnus-always-force-window-configuration
18688 If all windows mentioned in the configuration are already visible, Gnus
18689 won't change the window configuration. If you always want to force the
18690 ``right'' window configuration, you can set
18691 @code{gnus-always-force-window-configuration} to non-@code{nil}.
18693 If you're using tree displays (@pxref{Tree Display}), and the tree
18694 window is displayed vertically next to another window, you may also want
18695 to fiddle with @code{gnus-tree-minimize-window} to avoid having the
18698 @subsection Example Window Configurations
18702 Narrow left hand side occupied by group buffer. Right hand side split
18703 between summary buffer (top one-sixth) and article buffer (bottom).
18718 (gnus-add-configuration
18721 (vertical 25 (group 1.0))
18723 (summary 0.16 point)
18726 (gnus-add-configuration
18729 (vertical 25 (group 1.0))
18730 (vertical 1.0 (summary 1.0 point)))))
18736 @node Faces and Fonts
18737 @section Faces and Fonts
18742 Fiddling with fonts and faces used to be very difficult, but these days
18743 it is very simple. You simply say @kbd{M-x customize-face}, pick out
18744 the face you want to alter, and alter it via the standard Customize
18749 @section Compilation
18750 @cindex compilation
18751 @cindex byte-compilation
18753 @findex gnus-compile
18755 Remember all those line format specification variables?
18756 @code{gnus-summary-line-format}, @code{gnus-group-line-format}, and so
18757 on. Now, Gnus will of course heed whatever these variables are, but,
18758 unfortunately, changing them will mean a quite significant slow-down.
18759 (The default values of these variables have byte-compiled functions
18760 associated with them, while the user-generated versions do not, of
18763 To help with this, you can run @kbd{M-x gnus-compile} after you've
18764 fiddled around with the variables and feel that you're (kind of)
18765 satisfied. This will result in the new specs being byte-compiled, and
18766 you'll get top speed again. Gnus will save these compiled specs in the
18767 @file{.newsrc.eld} file. (User-defined functions aren't compiled by
18768 this function, though---you should compile them yourself by sticking
18769 them into the @code{.gnus.el} file and byte-compiling that file.)
18773 @section Mode Lines
18776 @vindex gnus-updated-mode-lines
18777 @code{gnus-updated-mode-lines} says what buffers should keep their mode
18778 lines updated. It is a list of symbols. Supported symbols include
18779 @code{group}, @code{article}, @code{summary}, @code{server},
18780 @code{browse}, and @code{tree}. If the corresponding symbol is present,
18781 Gnus will keep that mode line updated with information that may be
18782 pertinent. If this variable is @code{nil}, screen refresh may be
18785 @cindex display-time
18787 @vindex gnus-mode-non-string-length
18788 By default, Gnus displays information on the current article in the mode
18789 lines of the summary and article buffers. The information Gnus wishes
18790 to display (e.g. the subject of the article) is often longer than the
18791 mode lines, and therefore have to be cut off at some point. The
18792 @code{gnus-mode-non-string-length} variable says how long the other
18793 elements on the line is (i.e., the non-info part). If you put
18794 additional elements on the mode line (e.g. a clock), you should modify
18797 @c Hook written by Francesco Potorti` <pot@cnuce.cnr.it>
18799 (add-hook 'display-time-hook
18800 (lambda () (setq gnus-mode-non-string-length
18802 (if line-number-mode 5 0)
18803 (if column-number-mode 4 0)
18804 (length display-time-string)))))
18807 If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the default), the mode line
18808 strings won't be chopped off, and they won't be padded either. Note
18809 that the default is unlikely to be desirable, as even the percentage
18810 complete in the buffer may be crowded off the mode line; the user should
18811 configure this variable appropriately for her configuration.
18814 @node Highlighting and Menus
18815 @section Highlighting and Menus
18817 @cindex highlighting
18820 @vindex gnus-visual
18821 The @code{gnus-visual} variable controls most of the Gnus-prettifying
18822 aspects. If @code{nil}, Gnus won't attempt to create menus or use fancy
18823 colors or fonts. This will also inhibit loading the @file{gnus-vis.el}
18826 This variable can be a list of visual properties that are enabled. The
18827 following elements are valid, and are all included by default:
18830 @item group-highlight
18831 Do highlights in the group buffer.
18832 @item summary-highlight
18833 Do highlights in the summary buffer.
18834 @item article-highlight
18835 Do highlights in the article buffer.
18837 Turn on highlighting in all buffers.
18839 Create menus in the group buffer.
18841 Create menus in the summary buffers.
18843 Create menus in the article buffer.
18845 Create menus in the browse buffer.
18847 Create menus in the server buffer.
18849 Create menus in the score buffers.
18851 Create menus in all buffers.
18854 So if you only want highlighting in the article buffer and menus in all
18855 buffers, you could say something like:
18858 (setq gnus-visual '(article-highlight menu))
18861 If you want highlighting only and no menus whatsoever, you'd say:
18864 (setq gnus-visual '(highlight))
18867 If @code{gnus-visual} is @code{t}, highlighting and menus will be used
18868 in all Gnus buffers.
18870 Other general variables that influence the look of all buffers include:
18873 @item gnus-mouse-face
18874 @vindex gnus-mouse-face
18875 This is the face (i.e., font) used for mouse highlighting in Gnus. No
18876 mouse highlights will be done if @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
18880 There are hooks associated with the creation of all the different menus:
18884 @item gnus-article-menu-hook
18885 @vindex gnus-article-menu-hook
18886 Hook called after creating the article mode menu.
18888 @item gnus-group-menu-hook
18889 @vindex gnus-group-menu-hook
18890 Hook called after creating the group mode menu.
18892 @item gnus-summary-menu-hook
18893 @vindex gnus-summary-menu-hook
18894 Hook called after creating the summary mode menu.
18896 @item gnus-server-menu-hook
18897 @vindex gnus-server-menu-hook
18898 Hook called after creating the server mode menu.
18900 @item gnus-browse-menu-hook
18901 @vindex gnus-browse-menu-hook
18902 Hook called after creating the browse mode menu.
18904 @item gnus-score-menu-hook
18905 @vindex gnus-score-menu-hook
18906 Hook called after creating the score mode menu.
18917 Those new-fangled @dfn{mouse} contraptions is very popular with the
18918 young, hep kids who don't want to learn the proper way to do things
18919 these days. Why, I remember way back in the summer of '89, when I was
18920 using Emacs on a Tops 20 system. Three hundred users on one single
18921 machine, and every user was running Simula compilers. Bah!
18925 @vindex gnus-carpal
18926 Well, you can make Gnus display bufferfuls of buttons you can click to
18927 do anything by setting @code{gnus-carpal} to @code{t}. Pretty simple,
18928 really. Tell the chiropractor I sent you.
18933 @item gnus-carpal-mode-hook
18934 @vindex gnus-carpal-mode-hook
18935 Hook run in all carpal mode buffers.
18937 @item gnus-carpal-button-face
18938 @vindex gnus-carpal-button-face
18939 Face used on buttons.
18941 @item gnus-carpal-header-face
18942 @vindex gnus-carpal-header-face
18943 Face used on carpal buffer headers.
18945 @item gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
18946 @vindex gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
18947 Buttons in the group buffer.
18949 @item gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
18950 @vindex gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
18951 Buttons in the summary buffer.
18953 @item gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
18954 @vindex gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
18955 Buttons in the server buffer.
18957 @item gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
18958 @vindex gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
18959 Buttons in the browse buffer.
18962 All the @code{buttons} variables are lists. The elements in these list
18963 are either cons cells where the @code{car} contains a text to be displayed and
18964 the @code{cdr} contains a function symbol, or a simple string.
18972 Gnus, being larger than any program ever written (allegedly), does lots
18973 of strange stuff that you may wish to have done while you're not
18974 present. For instance, you may want it to check for new mail once in a
18975 while. Or you may want it to close down all connections to all servers
18976 when you leave Emacs idle. And stuff like that.
18978 Gnus will let you do stuff like that by defining various
18979 @dfn{handlers}. Each handler consists of three elements: A
18980 @var{function}, a @var{time}, and an @var{idle} parameter.
18982 Here's an example of a handler that closes connections when Emacs has
18983 been idle for thirty minutes:
18986 (gnus-demon-close-connections nil 30)
18989 Here's a handler that scans for PGP headers every hour when Emacs is
18993 (gnus-demon-scan-pgp 60 t)
18996 This @var{time} parameter and than @var{idle} parameter work together
18997 in a strange, but wonderful fashion. Basically, if @var{idle} is
18998 @code{nil}, then the function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
19000 If @var{idle} is @code{t}, then the function will be called after
19001 @var{time} minutes only if Emacs is idle. So if Emacs is never idle,
19002 the function will never be called. But once Emacs goes idle, the
19003 function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
19005 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is a number, the function will
19006 be called every @var{time} minutes only when Emacs has been idle for
19007 @var{idle} minutes.
19009 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is @code{nil}, the function
19010 will be called once every time Emacs has been idle for @var{idle}
19013 And if @var{time} is a string, it should look like @samp{07:31}, and
19014 the function will then be called once every day somewhere near that
19015 time. Modified by the @var{idle} parameter, of course.
19017 @vindex gnus-demon-timestep
19018 (When I say ``minute'' here, I really mean @code{gnus-demon-timestep}
19019 seconds. This is 60 by default. If you change that variable,
19020 all the timings in the handlers will be affected.)
19022 So, if you want to add a handler, you could put something like this in
19023 your @file{.gnus} file:
19025 @findex gnus-demon-add-handler
19027 (gnus-demon-add-handler 'gnus-demon-close-connections 30 t)
19030 @findex gnus-demon-add-nocem
19031 @findex gnus-demon-add-scanmail
19032 @findex gnus-demon-add-rescan
19033 @findex gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps
19034 @findex gnus-demon-add-disconnection
19035 Some ready-made functions to do this have been created:
19036 @code{gnus-demon-add-nocem}, @code{gnus-demon-add-disconnection},
19037 @code{gnus-demon-add-nntp-close-connection},
19038 @code{gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps}, @code{gnus-demon-add-rescan}, and
19039 @code{gnus-demon-add-scanmail}. Just put those functions in your
19040 @file{.gnus} if you want those abilities.
19042 @findex gnus-demon-init
19043 @findex gnus-demon-cancel
19044 @vindex gnus-demon-handlers
19045 If you add handlers to @code{gnus-demon-handlers} directly, you should
19046 run @code{gnus-demon-init} to make the changes take hold. To cancel all
19047 daemons, you can use the @code{gnus-demon-cancel} function.
19049 Note that adding daemons can be pretty naughty if you over do it. Adding
19050 functions that scan all news and mail from all servers every two seconds
19051 is a sure-fire way of getting booted off any respectable system. So
19060 @dfn{Spamming} is posting the same article lots and lots of times.
19061 Spamming is bad. Spamming is evil.
19063 Spamming is usually canceled within a day or so by various anti-spamming
19064 agencies. These agencies usually also send out @dfn{NoCeM} messages.
19065 NoCeM is pronounced ``no see-'em'', and means what the name
19066 implies---these are messages that make the offending articles, like, go
19069 What use are these NoCeM messages if the articles are canceled anyway?
19070 Some sites do not honor cancel messages and some sites just honor cancels
19071 from a select few people. Then you may wish to make use of the NoCeM
19072 messages, which are distributed in the @samp{alt.nocem.misc} newsgroup.
19074 Gnus can read and parse the messages in this group automatically, and
19075 this will make spam disappear.
19077 There are some variables to customize, of course:
19080 @item gnus-use-nocem
19081 @vindex gnus-use-nocem
19082 Set this variable to @code{t} to set the ball rolling. It is @code{nil}
19085 @item gnus-nocem-groups
19086 @vindex gnus-nocem-groups
19087 Gnus will look for NoCeM messages in the groups in this list. The
19088 default is @code{("news.lists.filters" "news.admin.net-abuse.bulletins"
19089 "alt.nocem.misc" "news.admin.net-abuse.announce")}.
19091 @item gnus-nocem-issuers
19092 @vindex gnus-nocem-issuers
19093 There are many people issuing NoCeM messages. This list says what
19094 people you want to listen to. The default is @code{("Automoose-1"
19095 "clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" "cosmo.roadkill" "SpamHippo"
19096 "hweede@@snafu.de")}; fine, upstanding citizens all of them.
19098 Known despammers that you can put in this list are listed at
19099 @uref{http://www.xs4all.nl/~rosalind/nocemreg/nocemreg.html}.
19101 You do not have to heed NoCeM messages from all these people---just the
19102 ones you want to listen to. You also don't have to accept all NoCeM
19103 messages from the people you like. Each NoCeM message has a @dfn{type}
19104 header that gives the message a (more or less, usually less) rigorous
19105 definition. Common types are @samp{spam}, @samp{spew}, @samp{mmf},
19106 @samp{binary}, and @samp{troll}. To specify this, you have to use
19107 @code{(@var{issuer} @var{conditions} @dots{})} elements in the list.
19108 Each condition is either a string (which is a regexp that matches types
19109 you want to use) or a list on the form @code{(not @var{string})}, where
19110 @var{string} is a regexp that matches types you don't want to use.
19112 For instance, if you want all NoCeM messages from Chris Lewis except his
19113 @samp{troll} messages, you'd say:
19116 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" ".*" (not "troll"))
19119 On the other hand, if you just want nothing but his @samp{spam} and
19120 @samp{spew} messages, you'd say:
19123 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" (not ".*") "spew" "spam")
19126 The specs are applied left-to-right.
19129 @item gnus-nocem-verifyer
19130 @vindex gnus-nocem-verifyer
19132 This should be a function for verifying that the NoCeM issuer is who she
19133 says she is. The default is @code{mc-verify}, which is a Mailcrypt
19134 function. If this is too slow and you don't care for verification
19135 (which may be dangerous), you can set this variable to @code{nil}.
19137 If you want signed NoCeM messages to be verified and unsigned messages
19138 not to be verified (but used anyway), you could do something like:
19141 (setq gnus-nocem-verifyer 'my-gnus-mc-verify)
19143 (defun my-gnus-mc-verify ()
19151 This might be dangerous, though.
19153 @item gnus-nocem-directory
19154 @vindex gnus-nocem-directory
19155 This is where Gnus will store its NoCeM cache files. The default is
19156 @file{~/News/NoCeM/}.
19158 @item gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
19159 @vindex gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
19160 The number of days before removing old NoCeM entries from the cache.
19161 The default is 15. If you make it shorter Gnus will be faster, but you
19162 might then see old spam.
19164 @item gnus-nocem-check-from
19165 @vindex gnus-nocem-check-from
19166 Non-@code{nil} means check for valid issuers in message bodies.
19167 Otherwise don't bother fetching articles unless their author matches a
19168 valid issuer; that is much faster if you are selective about the
19171 @item gnus-nocem-check-article-limit
19172 @vindex gnus-nocem-check-article-limit
19173 If non-@code{nil}, the maximum number of articles to check in any NoCeM
19174 group. NoCeM groups can be huge and very slow to process.
19178 Using NoCeM could potentially be a memory hog. If you have many living
19179 (i. e., subscribed or unsubscribed groups), your Emacs process will grow
19180 big. If this is a problem, you should kill off all (or most) of your
19181 unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Subscription Commands}).
19188 It is very useful to be able to undo actions one has done. In normal
19189 Emacs buffers, it's easy enough---you just push the @code{undo} button.
19190 In Gnus buffers, however, it isn't that simple.
19192 The things Gnus displays in its buffer is of no value whatsoever to
19193 Gnus---it's all just data designed to look nice to the user.
19194 Killing a group in the group buffer with @kbd{C-k} makes the line
19195 disappear, but that's just a side-effect of the real action---the
19196 removal of the group in question from the internal Gnus structures.
19197 Undoing something like that can't be done by the normal Emacs
19198 @code{undo} function.
19200 Gnus tries to remedy this somewhat by keeping track of what the user
19201 does and coming up with actions that would reverse the actions the user
19202 takes. When the user then presses the @code{undo} key, Gnus will run
19203 the code to reverse the previous action, or the previous actions.
19204 However, not all actions are easily reversible, so Gnus currently offers
19205 a few key functions to be undoable. These include killing groups,
19206 yanking groups, and changing the list of read articles of groups.
19207 That's it, really. More functions may be added in the future, but each
19208 added function means an increase in data to be stored, so Gnus will
19209 never be totally undoable.
19211 @findex gnus-undo-mode
19212 @vindex gnus-use-undo
19214 The undoability is provided by the @code{gnus-undo-mode} minor mode. It
19215 is used if @code{gnus-use-undo} is non-@code{nil}, which is the
19216 default. The @kbd{M-C-_} key performs the @code{gnus-undo}
19217 command, which should feel kinda like the normal Emacs @code{undo}
19222 @section Moderation
19225 If you are a moderator, you can use the @file{gnus-mdrtn.el} package.
19226 It is not included in the standard Gnus package. Write a mail to
19227 @samp{larsi@@gnus.org} and state what group you moderate, and you'll
19230 The moderation package is implemented as a minor mode for summary
19234 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-moderate)
19237 in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
19239 If you are the moderator of @samp{rec.zoofle}, this is how it's
19244 You split your incoming mail by matching on
19245 @samp{Newsgroups:.*rec.zoofle}, which will put all the to-be-posted
19246 articles in some mail group---for instance, @samp{nnml:rec.zoofle}.
19249 You enter that group once in a while and post articles using the @kbd{e}
19250 (edit-and-post) or @kbd{s} (just send unedited) commands.
19253 If, while reading the @samp{rec.zoofle} newsgroup, you happen upon some
19254 articles that weren't approved by you, you can cancel them with the
19258 To use moderation mode in these two groups, say:
19261 (setq gnus-moderated-list
19262 "^nnml:rec.zoofle$\\|^rec.zoofle$")
19266 @node XEmacs Enhancements
19267 @section XEmacs Enhancements
19270 XEmacs is able to display pictures and stuff, so Gnus has taken
19274 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
19275 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
19276 * Toolbar:: Click'n'drool.
19277 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
19290 So@dots{} You want to slow down your news reader even more! This is a
19291 good way to do so. Its also a great way to impress people staring
19292 over your shoulder as you read news.
19295 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
19296 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
19297 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
19298 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
19299 * Picon Useless Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
19304 @subsubsection Picon Basics
19306 What are Picons? To quote directly from the Picons Web site:
19315 @dfn{Picons} is short for ``personal icons''. They're small,
19316 constrained images used to represent users and domains on the net,
19317 organized into databases so that the appropriate image for a given
19318 e-mail address can be found. Besides users and domains, there are picon
19319 databases for Usenet newsgroups and weather forecasts. The picons are
19320 in either monochrome @code{XBM} format or color @code{XPM} and
19321 @code{GIF} formats.
19324 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
19325 If you have a permanent connection to the Internet you can use Steve
19326 Kinzler's Picons Search engine by setting
19327 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} to the string @*
19328 @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/search.html}.
19330 @vindex gnus-picons-database
19331 Otherwise you need a local copy of his database. For instructions on
19332 obtaining and installing the picons databases, point your Web browser at @*
19333 @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/ftp/index.html}. Gnus expects
19334 picons to be installed into a location pointed to by
19335 @code{gnus-picons-database}.
19338 @node Picon Requirements
19339 @subsubsection Picon Requirements
19341 To have Gnus display Picons for you, you must have @code{x} support
19342 compiled into XEmacs. To display color picons which are much nicer
19343 than the black & white one, you also need one of @code{xpm} or
19344 @code{gif} compiled into XEmacs.
19346 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
19347 If you want to display faces from @code{X-Face} headers, you should have
19348 the @code{xface} support compiled into XEmacs. Otherwise you must have
19349 the @code{netpbm} utilities installed, or munge the
19350 @code{gnus-picons-convert-x-face} variable to use something else.
19354 @subsubsection Easy Picons
19356 To enable displaying picons, simply put the following line in your
19357 @file{~/.gnus} file and start Gnus.
19360 (setq gnus-use-picons t)
19361 (setq gnus-treat-display-picons t)
19364 and make sure @code{gnus-picons-database} points to the directory
19365 containing the Picons databases.
19367 Alternatively if you want to use the web piconsearch engine add this:
19370 (setq gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
19371 "http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch")
19376 @subsubsection Hard Picons
19384 Gnus can display picons for you as you enter and leave groups and
19385 articles. It knows how to interact with three sections of the picons
19386 database. Namely, it can display the picons newsgroup pictures,
19387 author's face picture(s), and the authors domain. To enable this
19388 feature, you need to select where to get the picons from, and where to
19393 @item gnus-picons-database
19394 @vindex gnus-picons-database
19395 The location of the picons database. Should point to a directory
19396 containing the @file{news}, @file{domains}, @file{users} (and so on)
19397 subdirectories. This is only useful if
19398 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} is @code{nil}. Defaults to
19399 @file{/usr/local/faces/}.
19401 @item gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
19402 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
19403 The URL for the web picons search engine. The only currently known
19404 engine is @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch}. To
19405 workaround network delays, icons will be fetched in the background. If
19406 this is @code{nil} 'the default), then picons are fetched from local
19407 database indicated by @code{gnus-picons-database}.
19409 @item gnus-picons-display-where
19410 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
19411 Where the picon images should be displayed. It is @code{picons} by
19412 default (which by default maps to the buffer @samp{*Picons*}). Other
19413 valid places could be @code{article}, @code{summary}, or
19414 @samp{*scratch*} for all I care. Just make sure that you've made the
19415 buffer visible using the standard Gnus window configuration
19416 routines---@pxref{Window Layout}.
19418 @item gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
19419 @vindex gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
19420 Groups that are matched by this regexp won't have their group icons
19425 Note: If you set @code{gnus-use-picons} to @code{t}, it will set up your
19426 window configuration for you to include the @code{picons} buffer.
19428 Now that you've made those decision, you need to add the following
19429 functions to the appropriate hooks so these pictures will get displayed
19432 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
19434 @item gnus-article-display-picons
19435 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
19436 Looks up and displays the picons for the author and the author's domain
19437 in the @code{gnus-picons-display-where} buffer.
19439 @item gnus-picons-article-display-x-face
19440 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
19441 Decodes and displays the X-Face header if present.
19447 @node Picon Useless Configuration
19448 @subsubsection Picon Useless Configuration
19456 The following variables offer further control over how things are
19457 done, where things are located, and other useless stuff you really
19458 don't need to worry about.
19462 @item gnus-picons-news-directories
19463 @vindex gnus-picons-news-directories
19464 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
19465 newsgroups faces. @code{("news")} is the default.
19467 @item gnus-picons-user-directories
19468 @vindex gnus-picons-user-directories
19469 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for user
19470 faces. @code{("local" "users" "usenix" "misc")} is the default.
19472 @item gnus-picons-domain-directories
19473 @vindex gnus-picons-domain-directories
19474 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
19475 domain name faces. Defaults to @code{("domains")}. Some people may
19476 want to add @samp{"unknown"} to this list.
19478 @item gnus-picons-convert-x-face
19479 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
19480 If you don't have @code{xface} support builtin XEmacs, this is the
19481 command to use to convert the @code{X-Face} header to an X bitmap
19482 (@code{xbm}). Defaults to @code{(format "@{ echo '/* Width=48,
19483 Height=48 */'; uncompface; @} | icontopbm | pbmtoxbm > %s"
19484 gnus-picons-x-face-file-name)}
19486 @item gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
19487 @vindex gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
19488 Names a temporary file to store the @code{X-Face} bitmap in. Defaults
19489 to @code{(format "/tmp/picon-xface.%s.xbm" (user-login-name))}.
19491 @item gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
19492 @vindex gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
19493 If you have set @code{gnus-picons-display-where} to @code{picons}, your
19494 XEmacs frame will become really cluttered. To alleviate this a bit you
19495 can set @code{gnus-picons-has-modeline-p} to @code{nil}; this will
19496 remove the mode line from the Picons buffer. This is only useful if
19497 @code{gnus-picons-display-where} is @code{picons}.
19499 @item gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
19500 @vindex gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
19501 If non-nil, display the article buffer before computing the picons.
19502 Defaults to @code{nil}.
19504 @item gnus-picons-display-as-address
19505 @vindex gnus-picons-display-as-address
19506 If @code{t} display textual email addresses along with pictures.
19507 Defaults to @code{t}.
19509 @item gnus-picons-file-suffixes
19510 @vindex gnus-picons-file-suffixes
19511 Ordered list of suffixes on picon file names to try. Defaults to
19512 @code{("xpm" "gif" "xbm")} minus those not builtin your XEmacs.
19514 @item gnus-picons-setup-hook
19515 @vindex gnus-picons-setup-hook
19516 Hook run in the picon buffer, if that is displayed.
19518 @item gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
19519 @vindex gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
19520 Whether to move point to first empty line when displaying picons. This
19521 has only an effect if `gnus-picons-display-where' has value `article'.
19523 If @code{nil}, display the picons in the @code{From} and
19524 @code{Newsgroups} lines. This is the default.
19526 @item gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
19527 @vindex gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
19528 Whether to clear the picons cache when exiting gnus. Gnus caches every
19529 picons it finds while it is running. This saves some time in the search
19530 process but eats some memory. If this variable is set to @code{nil},
19531 Gnus will never clear the cache itself; you will have to manually call
19532 @code{gnus-picons-clear-cache} to clear it. Otherwise the cache will be
19533 cleared every time you exit Gnus. Defaults to @code{t}.
19544 @subsection Smileys
19549 \gnusfig{-3cm}{0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/BigFace,height=20cm}}
19554 @dfn{Smiley} is a package separate from Gnus, but since Gnus is
19555 currently the only package that uses Smiley, it is documented here.
19557 In short---to use Smiley in Gnus, put the following in your
19558 @file{.gnus.el} file:
19561 (setq gnus-treat-display-smileys t)
19564 Smiley maps text smiley faces---@samp{:-)}, @samp{:-=}, @samp{:-(} and
19565 the like---to pictures and displays those instead of the text smiley
19566 faces. The conversion is controlled by a list of regexps that matches
19567 text and maps that to file names.
19569 @vindex smiley-nosey-regexp-alist
19570 @vindex smiley-deformed-regexp-alist
19571 Smiley supplies two example conversion alists by default:
19572 @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist} (which matches @samp{:)}, @samp{:(}
19573 and so on), and @code{smiley-nosey-regexp-alist} (which matches
19574 @samp{:-)}, @samp{:-(} and so on).
19576 The alist used is specified by the @code{smiley-regexp-alist} variable,
19577 which defaults to the value of @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist}.
19579 The first item in each element is the regexp to be matched; the second
19580 element is the regexp match group that is to be replaced by the picture;
19581 and the third element is the name of the file to be displayed.
19583 The following variables customize where Smiley will look for these
19584 files, as well as the color to be used and stuff:
19588 @item smiley-data-directory
19589 @vindex smiley-data-directory
19590 Where Smiley will look for smiley faces files.
19592 @item smiley-flesh-color
19593 @vindex smiley-flesh-color
19594 Skin color. The default is @samp{yellow}, which is really racist.
19596 @item smiley-features-color
19597 @vindex smiley-features-color
19598 Color of the features of the face. The default is @samp{black}.
19600 @item smiley-tongue-color
19601 @vindex smiley-tongue-color
19602 Color of the tongue. The default is @samp{red}.
19604 @item smiley-circle-color
19605 @vindex smiley-circle-color
19606 Color of the circle around the face. The default is @samp{black}.
19608 @item smiley-mouse-face
19609 @vindex smiley-mouse-face
19610 Face used for mouse highlighting over the smiley face.
19616 @subsection Toolbar
19626 @item gnus-use-toolbar
19627 @vindex gnus-use-toolbar
19628 If @code{nil}, don't display toolbars. If non-@code{nil}, it should be
19629 one of @code{default-toolbar}, @code{top-toolbar}, @code{bottom-toolbar},
19630 @code{right-toolbar}, or @code{left-toolbar}.
19632 @item gnus-group-toolbar
19633 @vindex gnus-group-toolbar
19634 The toolbar in the group buffer.
19636 @item gnus-summary-toolbar
19637 @vindex gnus-summary-toolbar
19638 The toolbar in the summary buffer.
19640 @item gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
19641 @vindex gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
19642 The toolbar in the summary buffer of mail groups.
19648 @subsection Various XEmacs Variables
19651 @item gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
19652 @vindex gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
19653 This is where Gnus will look for pictures. Gnus will normally
19654 auto-detect this directory, but you may set it manually if you have an
19655 unusual directory structure.
19657 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
19658 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
19659 This is an alist where the key is a type symbol and the values are the
19660 foreground and background color of the splash page glyph.
19662 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
19663 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
19664 This is the key used to look up the color in the alist described above.
19665 Valid values include @code{flame}, @code{pine}, @code{moss},
19666 @code{irish}, @code{sky}, @code{tin}, @code{velvet}, @code{grape},
19667 @code{labia}, @code{berry}, @code{neutral}, and @code{september}.
19669 @item gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
19670 @vindex gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
19671 A glyph displayed in all Gnus mode lines. It is a tiny gnu head by
19685 @node Fuzzy Matching
19686 @section Fuzzy Matching
19687 @cindex fuzzy matching
19689 Gnus provides @dfn{fuzzy matching} of @code{Subject} lines when doing
19690 things like scoring, thread gathering and thread comparison.
19692 As opposed to regular expression matching, fuzzy matching is very fuzzy.
19693 It's so fuzzy that there's not even a definition of what @dfn{fuzziness}
19694 means, and the implementation has changed over time.
19696 Basically, it tries to remove all noise from lines before comparing.
19697 @samp{Re: }, parenthetical remarks, white space, and so on, are filtered
19698 out of the strings before comparing the results. This often leads to
19699 adequate results---even when faced with strings generated by text
19700 manglers masquerading as newsreaders.
19703 @node Thwarting Email Spam
19704 @section Thwarting Email Spam
19708 @cindex unsolicited commercial email
19710 In these last days of the Usenet, commercial vultures are hanging about
19711 and grepping through news like crazy to find email addresses they can
19712 foist off their scams and products to. As a reaction to this, many
19713 people have started putting nonsense addresses into their @code{From}
19714 lines. I think this is counterproductive---it makes it difficult for
19715 people to send you legitimate mail in response to things you write, as
19716 well as making it difficult to see who wrote what. This rewriting may
19717 perhaps be a bigger menace than the unsolicited commercial email itself
19720 The biggest problem I have with email spam is that it comes in under
19721 false pretenses. I press @kbd{g} and Gnus merrily informs me that I
19722 have 10 new emails. I say ``Golly gee! Happy is me!'' and select the
19723 mail group, only to find two pyramid schemes, seven advertisements
19724 (``New! Miracle tonic for growing full, lustrous hair on your toes!'')
19725 and one mail asking me to repent and find some god.
19729 The way to deal with this is having Gnus split out all spam into a
19730 @samp{spam} mail group (@pxref{Splitting Mail}).
19732 First, pick one (1) valid mail address that you can be reached at, and
19733 put it in your @code{From} header of all your news articles. (I've
19734 chosen @samp{larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no}, but for many addresses on the form
19735 @samp{larsi+usenet@@ifi.uio.no} will be a better choice. Ask your
19736 sysadmin whether your sendmail installation accepts keywords in the local
19737 part of the mail address.)
19740 (setq message-default-news-headers
19741 "From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no>\n")
19744 Then put the following split rule in @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
19745 (@pxref{Fancy Mail Splitting}):
19750 (to "larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no"
19751 (| ("subject" "re:.*" "misc")
19752 ("references" ".*@@.*" "misc")
19758 This says that all mail to this address is suspect, but if it has a
19759 @code{Subject} that starts with a @samp{Re:} or has a @code{References}
19760 header, it's probably ok. All the rest goes to the @samp{spam} group.
19761 (This idea probably comes from Tim Pierce.)
19763 In addition, many mail spammers talk directly to your @code{smtp} server
19764 and do not include your email address explicitly in the @code{To}
19765 header. Why they do this is unknown---perhaps it's to thwart this
19766 thwarting scheme? In any case, this is trivial to deal with---you just
19767 put anything not addressed to you in the @samp{spam} group by ending
19768 your fancy split rule in this way:
19773 (to "larsi" "misc")
19777 In my experience, this will sort virtually everything into the right
19778 group. You still have to check the @samp{spam} group from time to time to
19779 check for legitimate mail, though. If you feel like being a good net
19780 citizen, you can even send off complaints to the proper authorities on
19781 each unsolicited commercial email---at your leisure.
19783 If you are also a lazy net citizen, you will probably prefer complaining
19784 automatically with the @file{gnus-junk.el} package, available FOR FREE
19785 at @* @uref{http://stud2.tuwien.ac.at/~e9426626/gnus-junk.html}.
19786 Since most e-mail spam is sent automatically, this may reconcile the
19787 cosmic balance somewhat.
19789 This works for me. It allows people an easy way to contact me (they can
19790 just press @kbd{r} in the usual way), and I'm not bothered at all with
19791 spam. It's a win-win situation. Forging @code{From} headers to point
19792 to non-existent domains is yucky, in my opinion.
19795 @node Various Various
19796 @section Various Various
19802 @item gnus-home-directory
19803 All Gnus path variables will be initialized from this variable, which
19804 defaults to @file{~/}.
19806 @item gnus-directory
19807 @vindex gnus-directory
19808 Most Gnus storage path variables will be initialized from this variable,
19809 which defaults to the @samp{SAVEDIR} environment variable, or
19810 @file{~/News/} if that variable isn't set.
19812 Note that Gnus is mostly loaded when the @file{.gnus.el} file is read.
19813 This means that other directory variables that are initialized from this
19814 variable won't be set properly if you set this variable in
19815 @file{.gnus.el}. Set this variable in @file{.emacs} instead.
19817 @item gnus-default-directory
19818 @vindex gnus-default-directory
19819 Not related to the above variable at all---this variable says what the
19820 default directory of all Gnus buffers should be. If you issue commands
19821 like @kbd{C-x C-f}, the prompt you'll get starts in the current buffer's
19822 default directory. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
19823 default), the default directory will be the default directory of the
19824 buffer you were in when you started Gnus.
19827 @vindex gnus-verbose
19828 This variable is an integer between zero and ten. The higher the value,
19829 the more messages will be displayed. If this variable is zero, Gnus
19830 will never flash any messages, if it is seven (which is the default),
19831 most important messages will be shown, and if it is ten, Gnus won't ever
19832 shut up, but will flash so many messages it will make your head swim.
19834 @item gnus-verbose-backends
19835 @vindex gnus-verbose-backends
19836 This variable works the same way as @code{gnus-verbose}, but it applies
19837 to the Gnus back ends instead of Gnus proper.
19839 @item nnheader-max-head-length
19840 @vindex nnheader-max-head-length
19841 When the back ends read straight heads of articles, they all try to read
19842 as little as possible. This variable (default 4096) specifies
19843 the absolute max length the back ends will try to read before giving up
19844 on finding a separator line between the head and the body. If this
19845 variable is @code{nil}, there is no upper read bound. If it is
19846 @code{t}, the back ends won't try to read the articles piece by piece,
19847 but read the entire articles. This makes sense with some versions of
19848 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs}.
19850 @item nnheader-head-chop-length
19851 @vindex nnheader-head-chop-length
19852 This variable (default 2048) says how big a piece of each article to
19853 read when doing the operation described above.
19855 @item nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
19856 @vindex nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
19858 @cindex invalid characters in file names
19859 @cindex characters in file names
19860 This is an alist that says how to translate characters in file names.
19861 For instance, if @samp{:} is invalid as a file character in file names
19862 on your system (you OS/2 user you), you could say something like:
19865 (setq nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
19869 In fact, this is the default value for this variable on OS/2 and MS
19870 Windows (phooey) systems.
19872 @item gnus-hidden-properties
19873 @vindex gnus-hidden-properties
19874 This is a list of properties to use to hide ``invisible'' text. It is
19875 @code{(invisible t intangible t)} by default on most systems, which
19876 makes invisible text invisible and intangible.
19878 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
19879 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
19880 A hook called before parsing headers. It can be used, for instance, to
19881 gather statistics on the headers fetched, or perhaps you'd like to prune
19882 some headers. I don't see why you'd want that, though.
19884 @item gnus-shell-command-separator
19885 @vindex gnus-shell-command-separator
19886 String used to separate two shell commands. The default is @samp{;}.
19888 @item gnus-invalid-group-regexp
19889 @vindex gnus-invalid-group-regexp
19891 Regexp to match ``invalid'' group names when querying user for a group
19892 name. The default value catches some @strong{really} invalid group
19893 names who could possibly mess up Gnus internally (like allowing
19894 @samp{:} in a group name, which is normally used to delimit method and
19897 @sc{imap} users might want to allow @samp{/} in group names though.
19905 Well, that's the manual---you can get on with your life now. Keep in
19906 touch. Say hello to your cats from me.
19908 My @strong{ghod}---I just can't stand goodbyes. Sniffle.
19910 Ol' Charles Reznikoff said it pretty well, so I leave the floor to him:
19916 Not because of victories @*
19919 but for the common sunshine,@*
19921 the largess of the spring.
19925 but for the day's work done@*
19926 as well as I was able;@*
19927 not for a seat upon the dais@*
19928 but at the common table.@*
19933 @chapter Appendices
19936 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
19937 * On Writing Manuals:: Why this is not a beginner's guide.
19938 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
19939 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
19940 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
19941 * Gnus Reference Guide:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
19942 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
19943 * Frequently Asked Questions::
19951 @sc{gnus} was written by Masanobu @sc{Umeda}. When autumn crept up in
19952 '94, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen grew bored and decided to rewrite Gnus.
19954 If you want to investigate the person responsible for this outrage,
19955 you can point your (feh!) web browser to
19956 @uref{http://quimby.gnus.org/}. This is also the primary
19957 distribution point for the new and spiffy versions of Gnus, and is
19958 known as The Site That Destroys Newsrcs And Drives People Mad.
19960 During the first extended alpha period of development, the new Gnus was
19961 called ``(ding) Gnus''. @dfn{(ding)} is, of course, short for
19962 @dfn{ding is not Gnus}, which is a total and utter lie, but who cares?
19963 (Besides, the ``Gnus'' in this abbreviation should probably be
19964 pronounced ``news'' as @sc{Umeda} intended, which makes it a more
19965 appropriate name, don't you think?)
19967 In any case, after spending all that energy on coming up with a new and
19968 spunky name, we decided that the name was @emph{too} spunky, so we
19969 renamed it back again to ``Gnus''. But in mixed case. ``Gnus'' vs.
19970 ``@sc{gnus}''. New vs. old.
19973 * Gnus Versions:: What Gnus versions have been released.
19974 * Other Gnus Versions:: Other Gnus versions that also have been released.
19975 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
19976 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
19977 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
19978 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
19979 * Gnus Development:: How Gnus is developed.
19980 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
19981 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
19985 @node Gnus Versions
19986 @subsection Gnus Versions
19987 @cindex Pterodactyl Gnus
19989 @cindex September Gnus
19990 @cindex Quassia Gnus
19992 The first ``proper'' release of Gnus 5 was done in November 1995 when it
19993 was included in the Emacs 19.30 distribution (132 (ding) Gnus releases
19994 plus 15 Gnus 5.0 releases).
19996 In May 1996 the next Gnus generation (aka. ``September Gnus'' (after 99
19997 releases)) was released under the name ``Gnus 5.2'' (40 releases).
19999 On July 28th 1996 work on Red Gnus was begun, and it was released on
20000 January 25th 1997 (after 84 releases) as ``Gnus 5.4'' (67 releases).
20002 On September 13th 1997, Quassia Gnus was started and lasted 37 releases.
20003 If was released as ``Gnus 5.6'' on March 8th 1998 (46 releases).
20005 Gnus 5.6 begat Pterodactyl Gnus on August 29th 1998 and was released as
20006 ``Gnus 5.8'' (after 99 releases and a CVS repository) on December 3rd
20009 On the 26th of October 2000, Oort Gnus was begun.
20011 If you happen upon a version of Gnus that has a prefixed name --
20012 ``(ding) Gnus'', ``September Gnus'', ``Red Gnus'', ``Quassia Gnus'',
20013 ``Pterodactyl Gnus'', ``Oort Gnus'' -- don't panic. Don't let it know
20014 that you're frightened. Back away. Slowly. Whatever you do, don't
20015 run. Walk away, calmly, until you're out of its reach. Find a proper
20016 released version of Gnus and snuggle up to that instead.
20019 @node Other Gnus Versions
20020 @subsection Other Gnus Versions
20023 In addition to the versions of Gnus which have had their releases
20024 coordinated by Lars, one major development has been Semi-gnus from
20025 Japan. It's based on a library called @sc{semi}, which provides
20026 @sc{mime} capabilities.
20028 These Gnusae are based mainly on Gnus 5.6 and Pterodactyl Gnus.
20029 Collectively, they are called ``Semi-gnus'', and different strains are
20030 called T-gnus, ET-gnus, Nana-gnus and Chaos. These provide powerful
20031 @sc{mime} and multilingualization things, especially important for
20038 What's the point of Gnus?
20040 I want to provide a ``rad'', ``happening'', ``way cool'' and ``hep''
20041 newsreader, that lets you do anything you can think of. That was my
20042 original motivation, but while working on Gnus, it has become clear to
20043 me that this generation of newsreaders really belong in the stone age.
20044 Newsreaders haven't developed much since the infancy of the net. If the
20045 volume continues to rise with the current rate of increase, all current
20046 newsreaders will be pretty much useless. How do you deal with
20047 newsgroups that have thousands of new articles each day? How do you
20048 keep track of millions of people who post?
20050 Gnus offers no real solutions to these questions, but I would very much
20051 like to see Gnus being used as a testing ground for new methods of
20052 reading and fetching news. Expanding on @sc{Umeda}-san's wise decision
20053 to separate the newsreader from the back ends, Gnus now offers a simple
20054 interface for anybody who wants to write new back ends for fetching mail
20055 and news from different sources. I have added hooks for customizations
20056 everywhere I could imagine it being useful. By doing so, I'm inviting
20057 every one of you to explore and invent.
20059 May Gnus never be complete. @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-emacs} and
20060 @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-xemacs}.
20063 @node Compatibility
20064 @subsection Compatibility
20066 @cindex compatibility
20067 Gnus was designed to be fully compatible with @sc{gnus}. Almost all key
20068 bindings have been kept. More key bindings have been added, of course,
20069 but only in one or two obscure cases have old bindings been changed.
20074 @center In a cloud bones of steel.
20078 All commands have kept their names. Some internal functions have changed
20081 The @code{gnus-uu} package has changed drastically. @xref{Decoding
20084 One major compatibility question is the presence of several summary
20085 buffers. All variables relevant while reading a group are
20086 buffer-local to the summary buffer they belong in. Although many
20087 important variables have their values copied into their global
20088 counterparts whenever a command is executed in the summary buffer, this
20089 change might lead to incorrect values being used unless you are careful.
20091 All code that relies on knowledge of @sc{gnus} internals will probably
20092 fail. To take two examples: Sorting @code{gnus-newsrc-alist} (or
20093 changing it in any way, as a matter of fact) is strictly verboten. Gnus
20094 maintains a hash table that points to the entries in this alist (which
20095 speeds up many functions), and changing the alist directly will lead to
20099 @cindex highlighting
20100 Old hilit19 code does not work at all. In fact, you should probably
20101 remove all hilit code from all Gnus hooks
20102 (@code{gnus-group-prepare-hook} and @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook}).
20103 Gnus provides various integrated functions for highlighting. These are
20104 faster and more accurate. To make life easier for everybody, Gnus will
20105 by default remove all hilit calls from all hilit hooks. Uncleanliness!
20108 Packages like @code{expire-kill} will no longer work. As a matter of
20109 fact, you should probably remove all old @sc{gnus} packages (and other
20110 code) when you start using Gnus. More likely than not, Gnus already
20111 does what you have written code to make @sc{gnus} do. (Snicker.)
20113 Even though old methods of doing things are still supported, only the
20114 new methods are documented in this manual. If you detect a new method of
20115 doing something while reading this manual, that does not mean you have
20116 to stop doing it the old way.
20118 Gnus understands all @sc{gnus} startup files.
20120 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
20122 @cindex reporting bugs
20124 Overall, a casual user who hasn't written much code that depends on
20125 @sc{gnus} internals should suffer no problems. If problems occur,
20126 please let me know by issuing that magic command @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}.
20128 @vindex gnus-bug-create-help-buffer
20129 If you are in the habit of sending bug reports @emph{very} often, you
20130 may find the helpful help buffer annoying after a while. If so, set
20131 @code{gnus-bug-create-help-buffer} to @code{nil} to avoid having it pop
20136 @subsection Conformity
20138 No rebels without a clue here, ma'am. We conform to all standards known
20139 to (wo)man. Except for those standards and/or conventions we disagree
20146 There are no known breaches of this standard.
20150 There are no known breaches of this standard, either.
20152 @item Son-of-RFC 1036
20153 @cindex Son-of-RFC 1036
20154 We do have some breaches to this one.
20160 These are considered to be ``vanity headers'', while I consider them
20161 to be consumer information. After seeing so many badly formatted
20162 articles coming from @code{tin} and @code{Netscape} I know not to use
20163 either of those for posting articles. I would not have known that if
20164 it wasn't for the @code{X-Newsreader} header.
20169 USEFOR is an IETF working group writing a successor to RFC 1036, based
20170 on Son-of-RFC 1036. They have produced a number of drafts proposing
20171 various changes to the format of news articles. The Gnus towers will
20172 look into implementing the changes when the draft is accepted as an RFC.
20176 If you ever notice Gnus acting non-compliant with regards to the texts
20177 mentioned above, don't hesitate to drop a note to Gnus Towers and let us
20182 @subsection Emacsen
20188 Gnus should work on :
20196 XEmacs 20.4 and up.
20200 This Gnus version will absolutely not work on any Emacsen older than
20201 that. Not reliably, at least. Older versions of Gnus may work on older
20204 There are some vague differences between Gnus on the various
20205 platforms---XEmacs features more graphics (a logo and a toolbar)---but
20206 other than that, things should look pretty much the same under all
20210 @node Gnus Development
20211 @subsection Gnus Development
20213 Gnus is developed in a two-phased cycle. The first phase involves much
20214 discussion on the @samp{ding@@gnus.org} mailing list, where people
20215 propose changes and new features, post patches and new back ends. This
20216 phase is called the @dfn{alpha} phase, since the Gnusae released in this
20217 phase are @dfn{alpha releases}, or (perhaps more commonly in other
20218 circles) @dfn{snapshots}. During this phase, Gnus is assumed to be
20219 unstable and should not be used by casual users. Gnus alpha releases
20220 have names like ``Red Gnus'' and ``Quassia Gnus''.
20222 After futzing around for 50-100 alpha releases, Gnus is declared
20223 @dfn{frozen}, and only bug fixes are applied. Gnus loses the prefix,
20224 and is called things like ``Gnus 5.6.32'' instead. Normal people are
20225 supposed to be able to use these, and these are mostly discussed on the
20226 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} newsgroup.
20229 @vindex mail-source-delete-incoming
20230 Some variable defaults differ between alpha Gnusae and released Gnusae.
20231 In particular, @code{mail-source-delete-incoming} defaults to @code{nil} in
20232 alpha Gnusae and @code{t} in released Gnusae. This is to prevent
20233 lossage of mail if an alpha release hiccups while handling the mail.
20235 The division of discussion between the ding mailing list and the Gnus
20236 newsgroup is not purely based on publicity concerns. It's true that
20237 having people write about the horrible things that an alpha Gnus release
20238 can do (sometimes) in a public forum may scare people off, but more
20239 importantly, talking about new experimental features that have been
20240 introduced may confuse casual users. New features are frequently
20241 introduced, fiddled with, and judged to be found wanting, and then
20242 either discarded or totally rewritten. People reading the mailing list
20243 usually keep up with these rapid changes, while people on the newsgroup
20244 can't be assumed to do so.
20249 @subsection Contributors
20250 @cindex contributors
20252 The new Gnus version couldn't have been done without the help of all the
20253 people on the (ding) mailing list. Every day for over a year I have
20254 gotten billions of nice bug reports from them, filling me with joy,
20255 every single one of them. Smooches. The people on the list have been
20256 tried beyond endurance, what with my ``oh, that's a neat idea <type
20257 type>, yup, I'll release it right away <ship off> no wait, that doesn't
20258 work at all <type type>, yup, I'll ship that one off right away <ship
20259 off> no, wait, that absolutely does not work'' policy for releases.
20260 Micro$oft---bah. Amateurs. I'm @emph{much} worse. (Or is that
20261 ``worser''? ``much worser''? ``worsest''?)
20263 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Academy for... oops,
20269 Masanobu @sc{Umeda}---the writer of the original @sc{gnus}.
20272 Shenghuo Zhu---uudecode.el, mm-uu.el, rfc1843.el, webmail.el,
20273 nnwarchive and many, many other things connected with @sc{mime} and
20274 other types of en/decoding, as well as general bug fixing, new
20275 functionality and stuff.
20278 Per Abrahamsen---custom, scoring, highlighting and @sc{soup} code (as
20279 well as numerous other things).
20282 Luis Fernandes---design and graphics.
20285 Joe Reiss---creator of the smiley faces.
20288 Justin Sheehy--the FAQ maintainer.
20291 Erik Naggum---help, ideas, support, code and stuff.
20294 Wes Hardaker---@file{gnus-picon.el} and the manual section on
20295 @dfn{picons} (@pxref{Picons}).
20298 Kim-Minh Kaplan---further work on the picon code.
20301 Brad Miller---@file{gnus-gl.el} and the GroupLens manual section
20302 (@pxref{GroupLens}).
20305 Sudish Joseph---innumerable bug fixes.
20308 Ilja Weis---@file{gnus-topic.el}.
20311 Steven L. Baur---lots and lots and lots of bugs detections and fixes.
20314 Vladimir Alexiev---the refcard and reference booklets.
20317 Felix Lee & Jamie Zawinski---I stole some pieces from the XGnus
20318 distribution by Felix Lee and JWZ.
20321 Scott Byer---@file{nnfolder.el} enhancements & rewrite.
20324 Peter Mutsaers---orphan article scoring code.
20327 Ken Raeburn---POP mail support.
20330 Hallvard B Furuseth---various bits and pieces, especially dealing with
20334 Brian Edmonds---@file{gnus-bbdb.el}.
20337 David Moore---rewrite of @file{nnvirtual.el} and many other things.
20340 Kevin Davidson---came up with the name @dfn{ding}, so blame him.
20343 François Pinard---many, many interesting and thorough bug reports, as
20344 well as autoconf support.
20348 This manual was proof-read by Adrian Aichner, with Ricardo Nassif, Mark
20349 Borges, and Jost Krieger proof-reading parts of the manual.
20351 The following people have contributed many patches and suggestions:
20360 Jason L. Tibbitts, III,
20364 Also thanks to the following for patches and stuff:
20374 Alexei V. Barantsev,
20389 Massimo Campostrini,
20394 Jae-you Chung, @c ?
20395 James H. Cloos, Jr.,
20399 Andrew J. Cosgriff,
20402 Geoffrey T. Dairiki,
20408 Michael Welsh Duggan,
20413 Enami Tsugutomo, @c Enami
20417 Nelson Jose dos Santos Ferreira,
20425 Arne Georg Gleditsch,
20427 Michelangelo Grigni,
20431 Kenichi Handa, @c Handa
20433 Yoshiki Hayashi, @c ?
20435 Hisashige Kenji, @c Hisashige
20442 François Felix Ingrand,
20443 Tatsuya Ichikawa, @c ?
20444 Ishikawa Ichiro, @c Ishikawa
20446 Iwamuro Motonori, @c Iwamuro
20457 Peter Skov Knudsen,
20458 Shuhei Kobayashi, @c Kobayashi
20460 Koseki Yoshinori, @c Koseki
20461 Thor Kristoffersen,
20464 Seokchan Lee, @c Lee
20482 Morioka Tomohiko, @c Morioka
20483 Erik Toubro Nielsen,
20490 Masaharu Onishi, @c Onishi
20495 Jens-Ulrik Holger Petersen,
20499 John McClary Prevost,
20505 Lars Balker Rasmussen,
20510 Christian von Roques,
20513 Wolfgang Rupprecht,
20520 Philippe Schnoebelen,
20522 Randal L. Schwartz,
20536 Kiyokazu Suto, @c Suto
20541 Tozawa Akihiko, @c Tozawa
20557 Katsumi Yamaoka @c Yamaoka
20562 For a full overview of what each person has done, the ChangeLogs
20563 included in the Gnus alpha distributions should give ample reading
20564 (550kB and counting).
20566 Apologies to everybody that I've forgotten, of which there are many, I'm
20569 Gee, that's quite a list of people. I guess that must mean that there
20570 actually are people who are using Gnus. Who'd'a thunk it!
20574 @subsection New Features
20575 @cindex new features
20578 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
20579 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.2/5.3.
20580 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
20581 * Quassia Gnus:: Two times two is four, or Gnus 5.6/5.7.
20582 * Pterodactyl Gnus:: Pentad also starts with P, AKA Gnus 5.8/5.9.
20585 These lists are, of course, just @emph{short} overviews of the
20586 @emph{most} important new features. No, really. There are tons more.
20587 Yes, we have feeping creaturism in full effect.
20590 @subsubsection (ding) Gnus
20592 New features in Gnus 5.0/5.1:
20597 The look of all buffers can be changed by setting format-like variables
20598 (@pxref{Group Buffer Format} and @pxref{Summary Buffer Format}).
20601 Local spool and several @sc{nntp} servers can be used at once
20602 (@pxref{Select Methods}).
20605 You can combine groups into virtual groups (@pxref{Virtual Groups}).
20608 You can read a number of different mail formats (@pxref{Getting Mail}).
20609 All the mail back ends implement a convenient mail expiry scheme
20610 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
20613 Gnus can use various strategies for gathering threads that have lost
20614 their roots (thereby gathering loose sub-threads into one thread) or it
20615 can go back and retrieve enough headers to build a complete thread
20616 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
20619 Killed groups can be displayed in the group buffer, and you can read
20620 them as well (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
20623 Gnus can do partial group updates---you do not have to retrieve the
20624 entire active file just to check for new articles in a few groups
20625 (@pxref{The Active File}).
20628 Gnus implements a sliding scale of subscribedness to groups
20629 (@pxref{Group Levels}).
20632 You can score articles according to any number of criteria
20633 (@pxref{Scoring}). You can even get Gnus to find out how to score
20634 articles for you (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
20637 Gnus maintains a dribble buffer that is auto-saved the normal Emacs
20638 manner, so it should be difficult to lose much data on what you have
20639 read if your machine should go down (@pxref{Auto Save}).
20642 Gnus now has its own startup file (@file{.gnus}) to avoid cluttering up
20643 the @file{.emacs} file.
20646 You can set the process mark on both groups and articles and perform
20647 operations on all the marked items (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
20650 You can grep through a subset of groups and create a group from the
20651 results (@pxref{Kibozed Groups}).
20654 You can list subsets of groups according to, well, anything
20655 (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
20658 You can browse foreign servers and subscribe to groups from those
20659 servers (@pxref{Browse Foreign Server}).
20662 Gnus can fetch articles, asynchronously, on a second connection to the
20663 server (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
20666 You can cache articles locally (@pxref{Article Caching}).
20669 The uudecode functions have been expanded and generalized
20670 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
20673 You can still post uuencoded articles, which was a little-known feature
20674 of @sc{gnus}' past (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
20677 Fetching parents (and other articles) now actually works without
20678 glitches (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
20681 Gnus can fetch FAQs and group descriptions (@pxref{Group Information}).
20684 Digests (and other files) can be used as the basis for groups
20685 (@pxref{Document Groups}).
20688 Articles can be highlighted and customized (@pxref{Customizing
20692 URLs and other external references can be buttonized (@pxref{Article
20696 You can do lots of strange stuff with the Gnus window & frame
20697 configuration (@pxref{Window Layout}).
20700 You can click on buttons instead of using the keyboard
20706 @node September Gnus
20707 @subsubsection September Gnus
20711 \gnusfig{-28cm}{0cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/september,height=20cm}}
20715 New features in Gnus 5.2/5.3:
20720 A new message composition mode is used. All old customization variables
20721 for @code{mail-mode}, @code{rnews-reply-mode} and @code{gnus-msg} are
20725 Gnus is now able to generate @dfn{sparse} threads---threads where
20726 missing articles are represented by empty nodes (@pxref{Customizing
20730 (setq gnus-build-sparse-threads 'some)
20734 Outgoing articles are stored on a special archive server
20735 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
20738 Partial thread regeneration now happens when articles are
20742 Gnus can make use of GroupLens predictions (@pxref{GroupLens}).
20745 Picons (personal icons) can be displayed under XEmacs (@pxref{Picons}).
20748 A @code{trn}-like tree buffer can be displayed (@pxref{Tree Display}).
20751 (setq gnus-use-trees t)
20755 An @code{nn}-like pick-and-read minor mode is available for the summary
20756 buffers (@pxref{Pick and Read}).
20759 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
20763 In binary groups you can use a special binary minor mode (@pxref{Binary
20767 Groups can be grouped in a folding topic hierarchy (@pxref{Group
20771 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
20775 Gnus can re-send and bounce mail (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
20778 Groups can now have a score, and bubbling based on entry frequency
20779 is possible (@pxref{Group Score}).
20782 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-exit-hook 'gnus-summary-bubble-group)
20786 Groups can be process-marked, and commands can be performed on
20787 groups of groups (@pxref{Marking Groups}).
20790 Caching is possible in virtual groups.
20793 @code{nndoc} now understands all kinds of digests, mail boxes, rnews
20794 news batches, ClariNet briefs collections, and just about everything
20795 else (@pxref{Document Groups}).
20798 Gnus has a new back end (@code{nnsoup}) to create/read SOUP packets
20802 The Gnus cache is much faster.
20805 Groups can be sorted according to many criteria (@pxref{Sorting
20809 New group parameters have been introduced to set list-addresses and
20810 expiry times (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
20813 All formatting specs allow specifying faces to be used
20814 (@pxref{Formatting Fonts}).
20817 There are several more commands for setting/removing/acting on process
20818 marked articles on the @kbd{M P} submap (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
20821 The summary buffer can be limited to show parts of the available
20822 articles based on a wide range of criteria. These commands have been
20823 bound to keys on the @kbd{/} submap (@pxref{Limiting}).
20826 Articles can be made persistent with the @kbd{*} command
20827 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
20830 All functions for hiding article elements are now toggles.
20833 Article headers can be buttonized (@pxref{Article Washing}).
20836 All mail back ends support fetching articles by @code{Message-ID}.
20839 Duplicate mail can now be treated properly (@pxref{Duplicates}).
20842 All summary mode commands are available directly from the article
20843 buffer (@pxref{Article Keymap}).
20846 Frames can be part of @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} (@pxref{Window
20850 Mail can be re-scanned by a daemonic process (@pxref{Daemons}).
20853 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=ps/fseptember,height=5cm}]{\epsfig{figure=ps/fseptember,height=5cm}}
20858 Gnus can make use of NoCeM files to weed out spam (@pxref{NoCeM}).
20861 (setq gnus-use-nocem t)
20865 Groups can be made permanently visible (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
20868 (setq gnus-permanently-visible-groups "^nnml:")
20872 Many new hooks have been introduced to make customizing easier.
20875 Gnus respects the @code{Mail-Copies-To} header.
20878 Threads can be gathered by looking at the @code{References} header
20879 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
20882 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
20883 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
20887 Read articles can be stored in a special backlog buffer to avoid
20888 refetching (@pxref{Article Backlog}).
20891 (setq gnus-keep-backlog 50)
20895 A clean copy of the current article is always stored in a separate
20896 buffer to allow easier treatment.
20899 Gnus can suggest where to save articles (@pxref{Saving Articles}).
20902 Gnus doesn't have to do as much prompting when saving (@pxref{Saving
20906 (setq gnus-prompt-before-saving t)
20910 @code{gnus-uu} can view decoded files asynchronously while fetching
20911 articles (@pxref{Other Decode Variables}).
20914 (setq gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions 'gnus-uu-grab-view)
20918 Filling in the article buffer now works properly on cited text
20919 (@pxref{Article Washing}).
20922 Hiding cited text adds buttons to toggle hiding, and how much
20923 cited text to hide is now customizable (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
20926 (setq gnus-cited-lines-visible 2)
20930 Boring headers can be hidden (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
20933 Default scoring values can now be set from the menu bar.
20936 Further syntax checking of outgoing articles have been added.
20942 @subsubsection Red Gnus
20944 New features in Gnus 5.4/5.5:
20948 \gnusfig{-5.5cm}{-4cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/red,height=20cm}}
20955 @file{nntp.el} has been totally rewritten in an asynchronous fashion.
20958 Article prefetching functionality has been moved up into
20959 Gnus (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
20962 Scoring can now be performed with logical operators like @code{and},
20963 @code{or}, @code{not}, and parent redirection (@pxref{Advanced
20967 Article washing status can be displayed in the
20968 article mode line (@pxref{Misc Article}).
20971 @file{gnus.el} has been split into many smaller files.
20974 Suppression of duplicate articles based on Message-ID can be done
20975 (@pxref{Duplicate Suppression}).
20978 (setq gnus-suppress-duplicates t)
20982 New variables for specifying what score and adapt files are to be
20983 considered home score and adapt files (@pxref{Home Score File}) have
20987 @code{nndoc} was rewritten to be easily extendable (@pxref{Document
20988 Server Internals}).
20991 Groups can inherit group parameters from parent topics (@pxref{Topic
20995 Article editing has been revamped and is now actually usable.
20998 Signatures can be recognized in more intelligent fashions
20999 (@pxref{Article Signature}).
21002 Summary pick mode has been made to look more @code{nn}-like. Line
21003 numbers are displayed and the @kbd{.} command can be used to pick
21004 articles (@code{Pick and Read}).
21007 Commands for moving the @file{.newsrc.eld} from one server to
21008 another have been added (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
21011 There's a way now to specify that ``uninteresting'' fields be suppressed
21012 when generating lines in buffers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting}).
21015 Several commands in the group buffer can be undone with @kbd{M-C-_}
21019 Scoring can be done on words using the new score type @code{w}
21020 (@pxref{Score File Format}).
21023 Adaptive scoring can be done on a Subject word-by-word basis
21024 (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
21027 (setq gnus-use-adaptive-scoring '(word))
21031 Scores can be decayed (@pxref{Score Decays}).
21034 (setq gnus-decay-scores t)
21038 Scoring can be performed using a regexp on the Date header. The Date is
21039 normalized to compact ISO 8601 format first (@pxref{Score File Format}).
21042 A new command has been added to remove all data on articles from
21043 the native server (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
21046 A new command for reading collections of documents
21047 (@code{nndoc} with @code{nnvirtual} on top) has been added---@kbd{M-C-d}
21048 (@pxref{Really Various Summary Commands}).
21051 Process mark sets can be pushed and popped (@pxref{Setting Process
21055 A new mail-to-news back end makes it possible to post even when the @sc{nntp}
21056 server doesn't allow posting (@pxref{Mail-To-News Gateways}).
21059 A new back end for reading searches from Web search engines
21060 (@dfn{DejaNews}, @dfn{Alta Vista}, @dfn{InReference}) has been added
21061 (@pxref{Web Searches}).
21064 Groups inside topics can now be sorted using the standard sorting
21065 functions, and each topic can be sorted independently (@pxref{Topic
21069 Subsets of the groups can be sorted independently (@code{Sorting
21073 Cached articles can be pulled into the groups (@pxref{Summary Generation
21077 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=ps/fred,width=3cm}]{\epsfig{figure=ps/fred,width=3cm}}
21082 Score files are now applied in a more reliable order (@pxref{Score
21086 Reports on where mail messages end up can be generated (@pxref{Splitting
21090 More hooks and functions have been added to remove junk from incoming
21091 mail before saving the mail (@pxref{Washing Mail}).
21094 Emphasized text can be properly fontisized:
21100 @subsubsection Quassia Gnus
21102 New features in Gnus 5.6:
21107 New functionality for using Gnus as an offline newsreader has been
21108 added. A plethora of new commands and modes have been added. See
21109 @pxref{Gnus Unplugged} for the full story.
21112 The @code{nndraft} back end has returned, but works differently than
21113 before. All Message buffers are now also articles in the @code{nndraft}
21114 group, which is created automatically.
21117 @code{gnus-alter-header-function} can now be used to alter header
21121 @code{gnus-summary-goto-article} now accept Message-ID's.
21124 A new Message command for deleting text in the body of a message
21125 outside the region: @kbd{C-c C-v}.
21128 You can now post to component group in @code{nnvirtual} groups with
21132 @code{nntp-rlogin-program}---new variable to ease customization.
21135 @code{C-u C-c C-c} in @code{gnus-article-edit-mode} will now inhibit
21136 re-highlighting of the article buffer.
21139 New element in @code{gnus-boring-article-headers}---@code{long-to}.
21142 @kbd{M-i} symbolic prefix command. See the section "Symbolic
21143 Prefixes" in the Gnus manual for details.
21146 @kbd{L} and @kbd{I} in the summary buffer now take the symbolic prefix
21147 @kbd{a} to add the score rule to the "all.SCORE" file.
21150 @code{gnus-simplify-subject-functions} variable to allow greater
21151 control over simplification.
21154 @kbd{A T}---new command for fetching the current thread.
21157 @kbd{/ T}---new command for including the current thread in the
21161 @kbd{M-RET} is a new Message command for breaking cited text.
21164 @samp{\\1}-expressions are now valid in @code{nnmail-split-methods}.
21167 The @code{custom-face-lookup} function has been removed.
21168 If you used this function in your initialization files, you must
21169 rewrite them to use @code{face-spec-set} instead.
21172 Canceling now uses the current select method. Symbolic prefix
21173 @kbd{a} forces normal posting method.
21176 New command to translate M******** sm*rtq**t*s into proper
21180 For easier debugging of @code{nntp}, you can set
21181 @code{nntp-record-commands} to a non-@code{nil} value.
21184 @code{nntp} now uses @file{~/.authinfo}, a @file{.netrc}-like file, for
21185 controlling where and how to send @sc{authinfo} to @sc{nntp} servers.
21188 A command for editing group parameters from the summary buffer
21192 A history of where mails have been split is available.
21195 A new article date command has been added---@code{article-date-iso8601}.
21198 Subjects can be simplified when threading by setting
21199 @code{gnus-score-thread-simplify}.
21202 A new function for citing in Message has been
21203 added---@code{message-cite-original-without-signature}.
21206 @code{article-strip-all-blank-lines}---new article command.
21209 A new Message command to kill to the end of the article has
21213 A minimum adaptive score can be specified by using the
21214 @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} variable.
21217 The "lapsed date" article header can be kept continually
21218 updated by the @code{gnus-start-date-timer} command.
21221 Web listserv archives can be read with the @code{nnlistserv} back end.
21224 Old dejanews archives can now be read by @code{nnweb}.
21228 @node Pterodactyl Gnus
21229 @subsubsection Pterodactyl Gnus
21231 New features in Gnus 5.8:
21236 The mail-fetching functions have changed. See the manual for the
21237 many details. In particular, all procmail fetching variables are gone.
21239 If you used procmail like in
21242 (setq nnmail-use-procmail t)
21243 (setq nnmail-spool-file 'procmail)
21244 (setq nnmail-procmail-directory "~/mail/incoming/")
21245 (setq nnmail-procmail-suffix "\\.in")
21248 this now has changed to
21252 '((directory :path "~/mail/incoming/"
21256 More information is available in the info doc at Select Methods ->
21257 Getting Mail -> Mail Sources
21260 Gnus is now a MIME-capable reader. This affects many parts of
21261 Gnus, and adds a slew of new commands. See the manual for details.
21264 Gnus has also been multilingualized. This also affects too
21265 many parts of Gnus to summarize here, and adds many new variables.
21268 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} can now be a function to be
21269 called to position point.
21272 The user can now decide which extra headers should be included in
21273 summary buffers and NOV files.
21276 @code{gnus-article-display-hook} has been removed. Instead, a number
21277 of variables starting with @code{gnus-treat-} have been added.
21280 The Gnus posting styles have been redone again and now works in a
21281 subtly different manner.
21284 New web-based back ends have been added: @code{nnslashdot},
21285 @code{nnwarchive} and @code{nnultimate}. nnweb has been revamped,
21286 again, to keep up with ever-changing layouts.
21289 Gnus can now read IMAP mail via @code{nnimap}.
21297 @section The Manual
21301 This manual was generated from a TeXinfo file and then run through
21302 either @code{texi2dvi}
21304 or my own home-brewed TeXinfo to \LaTeX\ transformer,
21305 and then run through @code{latex} and @code{dvips}
21307 to get what you hold in your hands now.
21309 The following conventions have been used:
21314 This is a @samp{string}
21317 This is a @kbd{keystroke}
21320 This is a @file{file}
21323 This is a @code{symbol}
21327 So if I were to say ``set @code{flargnoze} to @samp{yes}'', that would
21331 (setq flargnoze "yes")
21334 If I say ``set @code{flumphel} to @code{yes}'', that would mean:
21337 (setq flumphel 'yes)
21340 @samp{yes} and @code{yes} are two @emph{very} different things---don't
21341 ever get them confused.
21345 Of course, everything in this manual is of vital interest, so you should
21346 read it all. Several times. However, if you feel like skimming the
21347 manual, look for that gnu head you should see in the margin over
21348 there---it means that what's being discussed is of more importance than
21349 the rest of the stuff. (On the other hand, if everything is infinitely
21350 important, how can anything be more important than that? Just one more
21351 of the mysteries of this world, I guess.)
21357 @node On Writing Manuals
21358 @section On Writing Manuals
21360 I guess most manuals are written after-the-fact; documenting a program
21361 that's already there. This is not how this manual is written. When
21362 implementing something, I write the manual entry for that something
21363 straight away. I then see that it's difficult to explain the
21364 functionality, so I write how it's supposed to be, and then I change the
21365 implementation. Writing the documentation and writing the code goes
21368 This, of course, means that this manual has no, or little, flow. It
21369 documents absolutely everything in Gnus, but often not where you're
21370 looking for it. It is a reference manual, and not a guide to how to get
21373 That would be a totally different book, that should be written using the
21374 reference manual as source material. It would look quite differently.
21379 @section Terminology
21381 @cindex terminology
21386 This is what you are supposed to use this thing for---reading news.
21387 News is generally fetched from a nearby @sc{nntp} server, and is
21388 generally publicly available to everybody. If you post news, the entire
21389 world is likely to read just what you have written, and they'll all
21390 snigger mischievously. Behind your back.
21394 Everything that's delivered to you personally is mail. Some news/mail
21395 readers (like Gnus) blur the distinction between mail and news, but
21396 there is a difference. Mail is private. News is public. Mailing is
21397 not posting, and replying is not following up.
21401 Send a mail to the person who has written what you are reading.
21405 Post an article to the current newsgroup responding to the article you
21410 Gnus gets fed articles from a number of back ends, both news and mail
21411 back ends. Gnus does not handle the underlying media, so to speak---this
21412 is all done by the back ends.
21416 Gnus will always use one method (and back end) as the @dfn{native}, or
21417 default, way of getting news.
21421 You can also have any number of foreign groups active at the same time.
21422 These are groups that use non-native non-secondary back ends for getting
21427 Secondary back ends are somewhere half-way between being native and being
21428 foreign, but they mostly act like they are native.
21432 A message that has been posted as news.
21435 @cindex mail message
21436 A message that has been mailed.
21440 A mail message or news article
21444 The top part of a message, where administrative information (etc.) is
21449 The rest of an article. Everything not in the head is in the
21454 A line from the head of an article.
21458 A collection of such lines, or a collection of heads. Or even a
21459 collection of @sc{nov} lines.
21463 When Gnus enters a group, it asks the back end for the headers of all
21464 unread articles in the group. Most servers support the News OverView
21465 format, which is more compact and much faster to read and parse than the
21466 normal @sc{head} format.
21470 Each group is subscribed at some @dfn{level} or other (1-9). The ones
21471 that have a lower level are ``more'' subscribed than the groups with a
21472 higher level. In fact, groups on levels 1-5 are considered
21473 @dfn{subscribed}; 6-7 are @dfn{unsubscribed}; 8 are @dfn{zombies}; and 9
21474 are @dfn{killed}. Commands for listing groups and scanning for new
21475 articles will all use the numeric prefix as @dfn{working level}.
21477 @item killed groups
21478 @cindex killed groups
21479 No information on killed groups is stored or updated, which makes killed
21480 groups much easier to handle than subscribed groups.
21482 @item zombie groups
21483 @cindex zombie groups
21484 Just like killed groups, only slightly less dead.
21487 @cindex active file
21488 The news server has to keep track of what articles it carries, and what
21489 groups exist. All this information in stored in the active file, which
21490 is rather large, as you might surmise.
21493 @cindex bogus groups
21494 A group that exists in the @file{.newsrc} file, but isn't known to the
21495 server (i.e., it isn't in the active file), is a @emph{bogus group}.
21496 This means that the group probably doesn't exist (any more).
21499 @cindex activating groups
21500 The act of asking the server for info on a group and computing the
21501 number of unread articles is called @dfn{activating the group}.
21502 Un-activated groups are listed with @samp{*} in the group buffer.
21506 A machine one can connect to and get news (or mail) from.
21508 @item select method
21509 @cindex select method
21510 A structure that specifies the back end, the server and the virtual
21513 @item virtual server
21514 @cindex virtual server
21515 A named select method. Since a select method defines all there is to
21516 know about connecting to a (physical) server, taking the thing as a
21517 whole is a virtual server.
21521 Taking a buffer and running it through a filter of some sort. The
21522 result will (more often than not) be cleaner and more pleasing than the
21525 @item ephemeral groups
21526 @cindex ephemeral groups
21527 Most groups store data on what articles you have read. @dfn{Ephemeral}
21528 groups are groups that will have no data stored---when you exit the
21529 group, it'll disappear into the aether.
21532 @cindex solid groups
21533 This is the opposite of ephemeral groups. All groups listed in the
21534 group buffer are solid groups.
21536 @item sparse articles
21537 @cindex sparse articles
21538 These are article placeholders shown in the summary buffer when
21539 @code{gnus-build-sparse-threads} has been switched on.
21543 To put responses to articles directly after the articles they respond
21544 to---in a hierarchical fashion.
21548 @cindex thread root
21549 The first article in a thread is the root. It is the ancestor of all
21550 articles in the thread.
21554 An article that has responses.
21558 An article that responds to a different article---its parent.
21562 A collection of messages in one file. The most common digest format is
21563 specified by RFC 1153.
21569 @node Customization
21570 @section Customization
21571 @cindex general customization
21573 All variables are properly documented elsewhere in this manual. This
21574 section is designed to give general pointers on how to customize Gnus
21575 for some quite common situations.
21578 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
21579 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
21580 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
21581 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
21585 @node Slow/Expensive Connection
21586 @subsection Slow/Expensive @sc{nntp} Connection
21588 If you run Emacs on a machine locally, and get your news from a machine
21589 over some very thin strings, you want to cut down on the amount of data
21590 Gnus has to get from the @sc{nntp} server.
21594 @item gnus-read-active-file
21595 Set this to @code{nil}, which will inhibit Gnus from requesting the
21596 entire active file from the server. This file is often v. large. You
21597 also have to set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
21598 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make sure that Gnus
21599 doesn't suddenly decide to fetch the active file anyway.
21601 @item gnus-nov-is-evil
21602 This one has to be @code{nil}. If not, grabbing article headers from
21603 the @sc{nntp} server will not be very fast. Not all @sc{nntp} servers
21604 support @sc{xover}; Gnus will detect this by itself.
21608 @node Slow Terminal Connection
21609 @subsection Slow Terminal Connection
21611 Let's say you use your home computer for dialing up the system that runs
21612 Emacs and Gnus. If your modem is slow, you want to reduce (as much as
21613 possible) the amount of data sent over the wires.
21617 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
21618 Set this to @code{nil} to inhibit Gnus from re-centering the summary
21619 buffer all the time. If it is @code{vertical}, do only vertical
21620 re-centering. If it is neither @code{nil} nor @code{vertical}, do both
21621 horizontal and vertical recentering.
21623 @item gnus-visible-headers
21624 Cut down on the headers included in the articles to the
21625 minimum. You can, in fact, make do without them altogether---most of the
21626 useful data is in the summary buffer, anyway. Set this variable to
21627 @samp{^NEVVVVER} or @samp{From:}, or whatever you feel you need.
21629 Set this hook to all the available hiding commands:
21631 (setq gnus-treat-hide-headers 'head
21632 gnus-treat-hide-signature t
21633 gnus-treat-hide-citation t)
21636 @item gnus-use-full-window
21637 By setting this to @code{nil}, you can make all the windows smaller.
21638 While this doesn't really cut down much generally, it means that you
21639 have to see smaller portions of articles before deciding that you didn't
21640 want to read them anyway.
21642 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
21643 If this is non-@code{nil}, all threads in the summary buffer will be
21646 @item gnus-updated-mode-lines
21647 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not put information in the buffer mode
21648 lines, which might save some time.
21652 @node Little Disk Space
21653 @subsection Little Disk Space
21656 The startup files can get rather large, so you may want to cut their
21657 sizes a bit if you are running out of space.
21661 @item gnus-save-newsrc-file
21662 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never save @file{.newsrc}---it will
21663 only save @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
21664 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
21667 @item gnus-read-newsrc-file
21668 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never read @file{.newsrc}---it will
21669 only read @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
21670 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
21673 @item gnus-save-killed-list
21674 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not save the list of dead groups. You
21675 should also set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{ask-server}
21676 and @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} if you set this
21677 variable to @code{nil}. This variable is @code{t} by default.
21683 @subsection Slow Machine
21684 @cindex slow machine
21686 If you have a slow machine, or are just really impatient, there are a
21687 few things you can do to make Gnus run faster.
21689 Set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
21690 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make startup faster.
21692 Set @code{gnus-show-threads}, @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} and
21693 @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{nil} to make entering and exiting the
21694 summary buffer faster.
21698 @node Troubleshooting
21699 @section Troubleshooting
21700 @cindex troubleshooting
21702 Gnus works @emph{so} well straight out of the box---I can't imagine any
21710 Make sure your computer is switched on.
21713 Make sure that you really load the current Gnus version. If you have
21714 been running @sc{gnus}, you need to exit Emacs and start it up again before
21718 Try doing an @kbd{M-x gnus-version}. If you get something that looks
21719 like @samp{Gnus v5.46; nntp 4.0} you have the right files loaded. If,
21720 on the other hand, you get something like @samp{NNTP 3.x} or @samp{nntp
21721 flee}, you have some old @file{.el} files lying around. Delete these.
21724 Read the help group (@kbd{G h} in the group buffer) for a FAQ and a
21728 @vindex max-lisp-eval-depth
21729 Gnus works on many recursive structures, and in some extreme (and very
21730 rare) cases Gnus may recurse down ``too deeply'' and Emacs will beep at
21731 you. If this happens to you, set @code{max-lisp-eval-depth} to 500 or
21732 something like that.
21735 If all else fails, report the problem as a bug.
21738 @cindex reporting bugs
21740 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
21742 If you find a bug in Gnus, you can report it with the @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}
21743 command. @kbd{M-x set-variable RET debug-on-error RET t RET}, and send
21744 me the backtrace. I will fix bugs, but I can only fix them if you send
21745 me a precise description as to how to reproduce the bug.
21747 You really can never be too detailed in a bug report. Always use the
21748 @kbd{M-x gnus-bug} command when you make bug reports, even if it creates
21749 a 10Kb mail each time you use it, and even if you have sent me your
21750 environment 500 times before. I don't care. I want the full info each
21753 It is also important to remember that I have no memory whatsoever. If
21754 you send a bug report, and I send you a reply, and then you just send
21755 back ``No, it's not! Moron!'', I will have no idea what you are
21756 insulting me about. Always over-explain everything. It's much easier
21757 for all of us---if I don't have all the information I need, I will just
21758 mail you and ask for more info, and everything takes more time.
21760 If the problem you're seeing is very visual, and you can't quite explain
21761 it, copy the Emacs window to a file (with @code{xwd}, for instance), put
21762 it somewhere it can be reached, and include the URL of the picture in
21766 If you would like to contribute a patch to fix bugs or make
21767 improvements, please produce the patch using @samp{diff -u}.
21769 If you just need help, you are better off asking on
21770 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}. I'm not very helpful.
21772 @cindex gnu.emacs.gnus
21773 @cindex ding mailing list
21774 You can also ask on the ding mailing list---@samp{ding@@gnus.org}.
21775 Write to @samp{ding-request@@gnus.org} to subscribe.
21779 @node Gnus Reference Guide
21780 @section Gnus Reference Guide
21782 It is my hope that other people will figure out smart stuff that Gnus
21783 can do, and that other people will write those smart things as well. To
21784 facilitate that I thought it would be a good idea to describe the inner
21785 workings of Gnus. And some of the not-so-inner workings, while I'm at
21788 You can never expect the internals of a program not to change, but I
21789 will be defining (in some details) the interface between Gnus and its
21790 back ends (this is written in stone), the format of the score files
21791 (ditto), data structures (some are less likely to change than others)
21792 and general methods of operation.
21795 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
21796 * Back End Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
21797 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
21798 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
21799 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
21800 * Group Info:: The group info format.
21801 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
21802 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
21803 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
21807 @node Gnus Utility Functions
21808 @subsection Gnus Utility Functions
21809 @cindex Gnus utility functions
21810 @cindex utility functions
21812 @cindex internal variables
21814 When writing small functions to be run from hooks (and stuff), it's
21815 vital to have access to the Gnus internal functions and variables.
21816 Below is a list of the most common ones.
21820 @item gnus-newsgroup-name
21821 @vindex gnus-newsgroup-name
21822 This variable holds the name of the current newsgroup.
21824 @item gnus-find-method-for-group
21825 @findex gnus-find-method-for-group
21826 A function that returns the select method for @var{group}.
21828 @item gnus-group-real-name
21829 @findex gnus-group-real-name
21830 Takes a full (prefixed) Gnus group name, and returns the unprefixed
21833 @item gnus-group-prefixed-name
21834 @findex gnus-group-prefixed-name
21835 Takes an unprefixed group name and a select method, and returns the full
21836 (prefixed) Gnus group name.
21838 @item gnus-get-info
21839 @findex gnus-get-info
21840 Returns the group info list for @var{group}.
21842 @item gnus-group-unread
21843 @findex gnus-group-unread
21844 The number of unread articles in @var{group}, or @code{t} if that is
21848 @findex gnus-active
21849 The active entry for @var{group}.
21851 @item gnus-set-active
21852 @findex gnus-set-active
21853 Set the active entry for @var{group}.
21855 @item gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
21856 @findex gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
21857 Adds the current buffer to the list of buffers to be killed on Gnus
21860 @item gnus-continuum-version
21861 @findex gnus-continuum-version
21862 Takes a Gnus version string as a parameter and returns a floating point
21863 number. Earlier versions will always get a lower number than later
21866 @item gnus-group-read-only-p
21867 @findex gnus-group-read-only-p
21868 Says whether @var{group} is read-only or not.
21870 @item gnus-news-group-p
21871 @findex gnus-news-group-p
21872 Says whether @var{group} came from a news back end.
21874 @item gnus-ephemeral-group-p
21875 @findex gnus-ephemeral-group-p
21876 Says whether @var{group} is ephemeral or not.
21878 @item gnus-server-to-method
21879 @findex gnus-server-to-method
21880 Returns the select method corresponding to @var{server}.
21882 @item gnus-server-equal
21883 @findex gnus-server-equal
21884 Says whether two virtual servers are equal.
21886 @item gnus-group-native-p
21887 @findex gnus-group-native-p
21888 Says whether @var{group} is native or not.
21890 @item gnus-group-secondary-p
21891 @findex gnus-group-secondary-p
21892 Says whether @var{group} is secondary or not.
21894 @item gnus-group-foreign-p
21895 @findex gnus-group-foreign-p
21896 Says whether @var{group} is foreign or not.
21898 @item group-group-find-parameter
21899 @findex group-group-find-parameter
21900 Returns the parameter list of @var{group}. If given a second parameter,
21901 returns the value of that parameter for @var{group}.
21903 @item gnus-group-set-parameter
21904 @findex gnus-group-set-parameter
21905 Takes three parameters; @var{group}, @var{parameter} and @var{value}.
21907 @item gnus-narrow-to-body
21908 @findex gnus-narrow-to-body
21909 Narrows the current buffer to the body of the article.
21911 @item gnus-check-backend-function
21912 @findex gnus-check-backend-function
21913 Takes two parameters, @var{function} and @var{group}. If the back end
21914 @var{group} comes from supports @var{function}, return non-@code{nil}.
21917 (gnus-check-backend-function "request-scan" "nnml:misc")
21921 @item gnus-read-method
21922 @findex gnus-read-method
21923 Prompts the user for a select method.
21928 @node Back End Interface
21929 @subsection Back End Interface
21931 Gnus doesn't know anything about @sc{nntp}, spools, mail or virtual
21932 groups. It only knows how to talk to @dfn{virtual servers}. A virtual
21933 server is a @dfn{back end} and some @dfn{back end variables}. As examples
21934 of the first, we have @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and @code{nnmbox}. As
21935 examples of the latter we have @code{nntp-port-number} and
21936 @code{nnmbox-directory}.
21938 When Gnus asks for information from a back end---say @code{nntp}---on
21939 something, it will normally include a virtual server name in the
21940 function parameters. (If not, the back end should use the ``current''
21941 virtual server.) For instance, @code{nntp-request-list} takes a virtual
21942 server as its only (optional) parameter. If this virtual server hasn't
21943 been opened, the function should fail.
21945 Note that a virtual server name has no relation to some physical server
21946 name. Take this example:
21950 (nntp-address "ifi.uio.no")
21951 (nntp-port-number 4324))
21954 Here the virtual server name is @samp{odd-one} while the name of
21955 the physical server is @samp{ifi.uio.no}.
21957 The back ends should be able to switch between several virtual servers.
21958 The standard back ends implement this by keeping an alist of virtual
21959 server environments that they pull down/push up when needed.
21961 There are two groups of interface functions: @dfn{required functions},
21962 which must be present, and @dfn{optional functions}, which Gnus will
21963 always check for presence before attempting to call 'em.
21965 All these functions are expected to return data in the buffer
21966 @code{nntp-server-buffer} (@samp{ *nntpd*}), which is somewhat
21967 unfortunately named, but we'll have to live with it. When I talk about
21968 @dfn{resulting data}, I always refer to the data in that buffer. When I
21969 talk about @dfn{return value}, I talk about the function value returned by
21970 the function call. Functions that fail should return @code{nil} as the
21973 Some back ends could be said to be @dfn{server-forming} back ends, and
21974 some might be said not to be. The latter are back ends that generally
21975 only operate on one group at a time, and have no concept of ``server''
21976 -- they have a group, and they deliver info on that group and nothing
21979 Gnus identifies each message by way of group name and article number. A
21980 few remarks about these article numbers might be useful. First of all,
21981 the numbers are positive integers. Secondly, it is normally not
21982 possible for later articles to `re-use' older article numbers without
21983 confusing Gnus. That is, if a group has ever contained a message
21984 numbered 42, then no other message may get that number, or Gnus will get
21985 mightily confused.@footnote{See the function
21986 @code{nnchoke-request-update-info}, @ref{Optional Back End Functions}.}
21987 Third, article numbers must be assigned in order of arrival in the
21988 group; this is not necessarily the same as the date of the message.
21990 The previous paragraph already mentions all the `hard' restrictions that
21991 article numbers must fulfill. But it seems that it might be useful to
21992 assign @emph{consecutive} article numbers, for Gnus gets quite confused
21993 if there are holes in the article numbering sequence. However, due to
21994 the `no-reuse' restriction, holes cannot be avoided altogether. It's
21995 also useful for the article numbers to start at 1 to avoid running out
21996 of numbers as long as possible.
21998 In the examples and definitions I will refer to the imaginary back end
22001 @cindex @code{nnchoke}
22004 * Required Back End Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
22005 * Optional Back End Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
22006 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
22007 * Writing New Back Ends:: Extending old back ends.
22008 * Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
22009 * Mail-like Back Ends:: Some tips on mail back ends.
22013 @node Required Back End Functions
22014 @subsubsection Required Back End Functions
22018 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-headers ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FETCH-OLD)
22020 @var{articles} is either a range of article numbers or a list of
22021 @code{Message-ID}s. Current back ends do not fully support either---only
22022 sequences (lists) of article numbers, and most back ends do not support
22023 retrieval of @code{Message-ID}s. But they should try for both.
22025 The result data should either be HEADs or NOV lines, and the result
22026 value should either be @code{headers} or @code{nov} to reflect this.
22027 This might later be expanded to @code{various}, which will be a mixture
22028 of HEADs and NOV lines, but this is currently not supported by Gnus.
22030 If @var{fetch-old} is non-@code{nil} it says to try fetching "extra
22031 headers", in some meaning of the word. This is generally done by
22032 fetching (at most) @var{fetch-old} extra headers less than the smallest
22033 article number in @code{articles}, and filling the gaps as well. The
22034 presence of this parameter can be ignored if the back end finds it
22035 cumbersome to follow the request. If this is non-@code{nil} and not a
22036 number, do maximum fetches.
22038 Here's an example HEAD:
22041 221 1056 Article retrieved.
22042 Path: ifi.uio.no!sturles
22043 From: sturles@@ifi.uio.no (Sturle Sunde)
22044 Newsgroups: ifi.discussion
22045 Subject: Re: Something very droll
22046 Date: 27 Oct 1994 14:02:57 +0100
22047 Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
22049 Message-ID: <38o8e1$a0o@@holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no>
22050 References: <38jdmq$4qu@@visbur.ifi.uio.no>
22051 NNTP-Posting-Host: holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no
22055 So a @code{headers} return value would imply that there's a number of
22056 these in the data buffer.
22058 Here's a BNF definition of such a buffer:
22062 head = error / valid-head
22063 error-message = [ "4" / "5" ] 2number " " <error message> eol
22064 valid-head = valid-message *header "." eol
22065 valid-message = "221 " <number> " Article retrieved." eol
22066 header = <text> eol
22069 If the return value is @code{nov}, the data buffer should contain
22070 @dfn{network overview database} lines. These are basically fields
22074 nov-buffer = *nov-line
22075 nov-line = 8*9 [ field <TAB> ] eol
22076 field = <text except TAB>
22079 For a closer look at what should be in those fields,
22083 @item (nnchoke-open-server SERVER &optional DEFINITIONS)
22085 @var{server} is here the virtual server name. @var{definitions} is a
22086 list of @code{(VARIABLE VALUE)} pairs that define this virtual server.
22088 If the server can't be opened, no error should be signaled. The back end
22089 may then choose to refuse further attempts at connecting to this
22090 server. In fact, it should do so.
22092 If the server is opened already, this function should return a
22093 non-@code{nil} value. There should be no data returned.
22096 @item (nnchoke-close-server &optional SERVER)
22098 Close connection to @var{server} and free all resources connected
22099 to it. Return @code{nil} if the server couldn't be closed for some
22102 There should be no data returned.
22105 @item (nnchoke-request-close)
22107 Close connection to all servers and free all resources that the back end
22108 have reserved. All buffers that have been created by that back end
22109 should be killed. (Not the @code{nntp-server-buffer}, though.) This
22110 function is generally only called when Gnus is shutting down.
22112 There should be no data returned.
22115 @item (nnchoke-server-opened &optional SERVER)
22117 If @var{server} is the current virtual server, and the connection to the
22118 physical server is alive, then this function should return a
22119 non-@code{nil} vlue. This function should under no circumstances
22120 attempt to reconnect to a server we have lost connection to.
22122 There should be no data returned.
22125 @item (nnchoke-status-message &optional SERVER)
22127 This function should return the last error message from @var{server}.
22129 There should be no data returned.
22132 @item (nnchoke-request-article ARTICLE &optional GROUP SERVER TO-BUFFER)
22134 The result data from this function should be the article specified by
22135 @var{article}. This might either be a @code{Message-ID} or a number.
22136 It is optional whether to implement retrieval by @code{Message-ID}, but
22137 it would be nice if that were possible.
22139 If @var{to-buffer} is non-@code{nil}, the result data should be returned
22140 in this buffer instead of the normal data buffer. This is to make it
22141 possible to avoid copying large amounts of data from one buffer to
22142 another, while Gnus mainly requests articles to be inserted directly
22143 into its article buffer.
22145 If it is at all possible, this function should return a cons cell where
22146 the @code{car} is the group name the article was fetched from, and the @code{cdr} is
22147 the article number. This will enable Gnus to find out what the real
22148 group and article numbers are when fetching articles by
22149 @code{Message-ID}. If this isn't possible, @code{t} should be returned
22150 on successful article retrieval.
22153 @item (nnchoke-request-group GROUP &optional SERVER FAST)
22155 Get data on @var{group}. This function also has the side effect of
22156 making @var{group} the current group.
22158 If @var{fast}, don't bother to return useful data, just make @var{group}
22161 Here's an example of some result data and a definition of the same:
22164 211 56 1000 1059 ifi.discussion
22167 The first number is the status, which should be 211. Next is the
22168 total number of articles in the group, the lowest article number, the
22169 highest article number, and finally the group name. Note that the total
22170 number of articles may be less than one might think while just
22171 considering the highest and lowest article numbers, but some articles
22172 may have been canceled. Gnus just discards the total-number, so
22173 whether one should take the bother to generate it properly (if that is a
22174 problem) is left as an exercise to the reader.
22177 group-status = [ error / info ] eol
22178 error = [ "4" / "5" ] 2<number> " " <Error message>
22179 info = "211 " 3* [ <number> " " ] <string>
22183 @item (nnchoke-close-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
22185 Close @var{group} and free any resources connected to it. This will be
22186 a no-op on most back ends.
22188 There should be no data returned.
22191 @item (nnchoke-request-list &optional SERVER)
22193 Return a list of all groups available on @var{server}. And that means
22196 Here's an example from a server that only carries two groups:
22199 ifi.test 0000002200 0000002000 y
22200 ifi.discussion 3324 3300 n
22203 On each line we have a group name, then the highest article number in
22204 that group, the lowest article number, and finally a flag.
22207 active-file = *active-line
22208 active-line = name " " <number> " " <number> " " flags eol
22210 flags = "n" / "y" / "m" / "x" / "j" / "=" name
22213 The flag says whether the group is read-only (@samp{n}), is moderated
22214 (@samp{m}), is dead (@samp{x}), is aliased to some other group
22215 (@samp{=other-group}) or none of the above (@samp{y}).
22218 @item (nnchoke-request-post &optional SERVER)
22220 This function should post the current buffer. It might return whether
22221 the posting was successful or not, but that's not required. If, for
22222 instance, the posting is done asynchronously, it has generally not been
22223 completed by the time this function concludes. In that case, this
22224 function should set up some kind of sentinel to beep the user loud and
22225 clear if the posting could not be completed.
22227 There should be no result data from this function.
22232 @node Optional Back End Functions
22233 @subsubsection Optional Back End Functions
22237 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-groups GROUPS &optional SERVER)
22239 @var{groups} is a list of groups, and this function should request data
22240 on all those groups. How it does it is of no concern to Gnus, but it
22241 should attempt to do this in a speedy fashion.
22243 The return value of this function can be either @code{active} or
22244 @code{group}, which says what the format of the result data is. The
22245 former is in the same format as the data from
22246 @code{nnchoke-request-list}, while the latter is a buffer full of lines
22247 in the same format as @code{nnchoke-request-group} gives.
22250 group-buffer = *active-line / *group-status
22254 @item (nnchoke-request-update-info GROUP INFO &optional SERVER)
22256 A Gnus group info (@pxref{Group Info}) is handed to the back end for
22257 alterations. This comes in handy if the back end really carries all the
22258 information (as is the case with virtual and imap groups). This
22259 function should destructively alter the info to suit its needs, and
22260 should return the (altered) group info.
22262 There should be no result data from this function.
22265 @item (nnchoke-request-type GROUP &optional ARTICLE)
22267 When the user issues commands for ``sending news'' (@kbd{F} in the
22268 summary buffer, for instance), Gnus has to know whether the article the
22269 user is following up on is news or mail. This function should return
22270 @code{news} if @var{article} in @var{group} is news, @code{mail} if it
22271 is mail and @code{unknown} if the type can't be decided. (The
22272 @var{article} parameter is necessary in @code{nnvirtual} groups which
22273 might very well combine mail groups and news groups.) Both @var{group}
22274 and @var{article} may be @code{nil}.
22276 There should be no result data from this function.
22279 @item (nnchoke-request-set-mark GROUP ACTION &optional SERVER)
22281 Set/remove/add marks on articles. Normally Gnus handles the article
22282 marks (such as read, ticked, expired etc) internally, and store them in
22283 @code{~/.newsrc.eld}. Some back ends (such as @sc{imap}) however carry
22284 all information about the articles on the server, so Gnus need to
22285 propagate the mark information to the server.
22287 ACTION is a list of mark setting requests, having this format:
22290 (RANGE ACTION MARK)
22293 RANGE is a range of articles you wish to update marks on. ACTION is
22294 @code{add} or @code{del}, used to add marks or remove marks
22295 (preserving all marks not mentioned). MARK is a list of marks; where
22296 each mark is a symbol. Currently used marks are @code{read},
22297 @code{tick}, @code{reply}, @code{expire}, @code{killed},
22298 @code{dormant}, @code{save}, @code{download}, @code{unsend},
22299 @code{forward} and @code{recent}, but your back end should, if
22300 possible, not limit itself to these.
22302 Given contradictory actions, the last action in the list should be the
22303 effective one. That is, if your action contains a request to add the
22304 @code{tick} mark on article 1 and, later in the list, a request to
22305 remove the mark on the same article, the mark should in fact be removed.
22307 An example action list:
22310 (((5 12 30) 'del '(tick))
22311 ((10 . 90) 'add '(read expire))
22312 ((92 94) 'del '(read)))
22315 The function should return a range of articles it wasn't able to set the
22316 mark on (currently not used for anything).
22318 There should be no result data from this function.
22320 @item (nnchoke-request-update-mark GROUP ARTICLE MARK)
22322 If the user tries to set a mark that the back end doesn't like, this
22323 function may change the mark. Gnus will use whatever this function
22324 returns as the mark for @var{article} instead of the original
22325 @var{mark}. If the back end doesn't care, it must return the original
22326 @var{mark}, and not @code{nil} or any other type of garbage.
22328 The only use for this I can see is what @code{nnvirtual} does with
22329 it---if a component group is auto-expirable, marking an article as read
22330 in the virtual group should result in the article being marked as
22333 There should be no result data from this function.
22336 @item (nnchoke-request-scan &optional GROUP SERVER)
22338 This function may be called at any time (by Gnus or anything else) to
22339 request that the back end check for incoming articles, in one way or
22340 another. A mail back end will typically read the spool file or query the
22341 POP server when this function is invoked. The @var{group} doesn't have
22342 to be heeded---if the back end decides that it is too much work just
22343 scanning for a single group, it may do a total scan of all groups. It
22344 would be nice, however, to keep things local if that's practical.
22346 There should be no result data from this function.
22349 @item (nnchoke-request-group-description GROUP &optional SERVER)
22351 The result data from this function should be a description of
22355 description-line = name <TAB> description eol
22357 description = <text>
22360 @item (nnchoke-request-list-newsgroups &optional SERVER)
22362 The result data from this function should be the description of all
22363 groups available on the server.
22366 description-buffer = *description-line
22370 @item (nnchoke-request-newgroups DATE &optional SERVER)
22372 The result data from this function should be all groups that were
22373 created after @samp{date}, which is in normal human-readable date format
22374 (i.e., the date format used in mail and news headers, and returned by
22375 the function @code{message-make-date} by default). The data should be
22376 in the active buffer format.
22378 It is okay for this function to return `too many' groups; some back ends
22379 might find it cheaper to return the full list of groups, rather than
22380 just the new groups. But don't do this for back ends with many groups.
22381 Normally, if the user creates the groups herself, there won't be too
22382 many groups, so nnml and the like are probably safe. But for back ends
22383 like nntp, where the groups have been created by the server, it is quite
22384 likely that there can be many groups.
22387 @item (nnchoke-request-create-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
22389 This function should create an empty group with name @var{group}.
22391 There should be no return data.
22394 @item (nnchoke-request-expire-articles ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FORCE)
22396 This function should run the expiry process on all articles in the
22397 @var{articles} range (which is currently a simple list of article
22398 numbers.) It is left up to the back end to decide how old articles
22399 should be before they are removed by this function. If @var{force} is
22400 non-@code{nil}, all @var{articles} should be deleted, no matter how new
22403 This function should return a list of articles that it did not/was not
22406 There should be no result data returned.
22409 @item (nnchoke-request-move-article ARTICLE GROUP SERVER ACCEPT-FORM
22412 This function should move @var{article} (which is a number) from
22413 @var{group} by calling @var{accept-form}.
22415 This function should ready the article in question for moving by
22416 removing any header lines it has added to the article, and generally
22417 should ``tidy up'' the article. Then it should @code{eval}
22418 @var{accept-form} in the buffer where the ``tidy'' article is. This
22419 will do the actual copying. If this @code{eval} returns a
22420 non-@code{nil} value, the article should be removed.
22422 If @var{last} is @code{nil}, that means that there is a high likelihood
22423 that there will be more requests issued shortly, so that allows some
22426 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
22427 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
22429 There should be no data returned.
22432 @item (nnchoke-request-accept-article GROUP &optional SERVER LAST)
22434 This function takes the current buffer and inserts it into @var{group}.
22435 If @var{last} in @code{nil}, that means that there will be more calls to
22436 this function in short order.
22438 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
22439 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
22441 There should be no data returned.
22444 @item (nnchoke-request-replace-article ARTICLE GROUP BUFFER)
22446 This function should remove @var{article} (which is a number) from
22447 @var{group} and insert @var{buffer} there instead.
22449 There should be no data returned.
22452 @item (nnchoke-request-delete-group GROUP FORCE &optional SERVER)
22454 This function should delete @var{group}. If @var{force}, it should
22455 really delete all the articles in the group, and then delete the group
22456 itself. (If there is such a thing as ``the group itself''.)
22458 There should be no data returned.
22461 @item (nnchoke-request-rename-group GROUP NEW-NAME &optional SERVER)
22463 This function should rename @var{group} into @var{new-name}. All
22464 articles in @var{group} should move to @var{new-name}.
22466 There should be no data returned.
22471 @node Error Messaging
22472 @subsubsection Error Messaging
22474 @findex nnheader-report
22475 @findex nnheader-get-report
22476 The back ends should use the function @code{nnheader-report} to report
22477 error conditions---they should not raise errors when they aren't able to
22478 perform a request. The first argument to this function is the back end
22479 symbol, and the rest are interpreted as arguments to @code{format} if
22480 there are multiple of them, or just a string if there is one of them.
22481 This function must always returns @code{nil}.
22484 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "You did something totally bogus")
22486 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "Could not request group %s" group)
22489 Gnus, in turn, will call @code{nnheader-get-report} when it gets a
22490 @code{nil} back from a server, and this function returns the most
22491 recently reported message for the back end in question. This function
22492 takes one argument---the server symbol.
22494 Internally, these functions access @var{back-end}@code{-status-string},
22495 so the @code{nnchoke} back end will have its error message stored in
22496 @code{nnchoke-status-string}.
22499 @node Writing New Back Ends
22500 @subsubsection Writing New Back Ends
22502 Many back ends are quite similar. @code{nnml} is just like
22503 @code{nnspool}, but it allows you to edit the articles on the server.
22504 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, but it doesn't use an active file,
22505 and it doesn't maintain overview databases. @code{nndir} is just like
22506 @code{nnml}, but it has no concept of ``groups'', and it doesn't allow
22509 It would make sense if it were possible to ``inherit'' functions from
22510 back ends when writing new back ends. And, indeed, you can do that if you
22511 want to. (You don't have to if you don't want to, of course.)
22513 All the back ends declare their public variables and functions by using a
22514 package called @code{nnoo}.
22516 To inherit functions from other back ends (and allow other back ends to
22517 inherit functions from the current back end), you should use the
22523 This macro declares the first parameter to be a child of the subsequent
22524 parameters. For instance:
22527 (nnoo-declare nndir
22531 @code{nndir} has declared here that it intends to inherit functions from
22532 both @code{nnml} and @code{nnmh}.
22535 This macro is equivalent to @code{defvar}, but registers the variable as
22536 a public server variable. Most state-oriented variables should be
22537 declared with @code{defvoo} instead of @code{defvar}.
22539 In addition to the normal @code{defvar} parameters, it takes a list of
22540 variables in the parent back ends to map the variable to when executing
22541 a function in those back ends.
22544 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
22545 "Where nndir will look for groups."
22546 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
22549 This means that @code{nnml-current-directory} will be set to
22550 @code{nndir-directory} when an @code{nnml} function is called on behalf
22551 of @code{nndir}. (The same with @code{nnmh}.)
22553 @item nnoo-define-basics
22554 This macro defines some common functions that almost all back ends should
22558 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
22562 This macro is just like @code{defun} and takes the same parameters. In
22563 addition to doing the normal @code{defun} things, it registers the
22564 function as being public so that other back ends can inherit it.
22566 @item nnoo-map-functions
22567 This macro allows mapping of functions from the current back end to
22568 functions from the parent back ends.
22571 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
22572 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
22573 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0))
22576 This means that when @code{nndir-retrieve-headers} is called, the first,
22577 third, and fourth parameters will be passed on to
22578 @code{nnml-retrieve-headers}, while the second parameter is set to the
22579 value of @code{nndir-current-group}.
22582 This macro allows importing functions from back ends. It should be the
22583 last thing in the source file, since it will only define functions that
22584 haven't already been defined.
22590 nnmh-request-newgroups)
22594 This means that calls to @code{nndir-request-list} should just be passed
22595 on to @code{nnmh-request-list}, while all public functions from
22596 @code{nnml} that haven't been defined in @code{nndir} yet should be
22601 Below is a slightly shortened version of the @code{nndir} back end.
22604 ;;; nndir.el --- single directory newsgroup access for Gnus
22605 ;; Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
22609 (require 'nnheader)
22613 (eval-when-compile (require 'cl))
22615 (nnoo-declare nndir
22618 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
22619 "Where nndir will look for groups."
22620 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
22622 (defvoo nndir-nov-is-evil nil
22623 "*Non-nil means that nndir will never retrieve NOV headers."
22626 (defvoo nndir-current-group ""
22628 nnml-current-group nnmh-current-group)
22629 (defvoo nndir-top-directory nil nil nnml-directory nnmh-directory)
22630 (defvoo nndir-get-new-mail nil nil nnml-get-new-mail nnmh-get-new-mail)
22632 (defvoo nndir-status-string "" nil nnmh-status-string)
22633 (defconst nndir-version "nndir 1.0")
22635 ;;; Interface functions.
22637 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
22639 (deffoo nndir-open-server (server &optional defs)
22640 (setq nndir-directory
22641 (or (cadr (assq 'nndir-directory defs))
22643 (unless (assq 'nndir-directory defs)
22644 (push `(nndir-directory ,server) defs))
22645 (push `(nndir-current-group
22646 ,(file-name-nondirectory
22647 (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
22649 (push `(nndir-top-directory
22650 ,(file-name-directory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
22652 (nnoo-change-server 'nndir server defs))
22654 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
22655 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
22656 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
22657 (nnmh-request-group nndir-current-group 0 0)
22658 (nnmh-close-group nndir-current-group 0))
22662 nnmh-status-message
22664 nnmh-request-newgroups))
22670 @node Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus
22671 @subsubsection Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus
22673 @vindex gnus-valid-select-methods
22674 @findex gnus-declare-backend
22675 Having Gnus start using your new back end is rather easy---you just
22676 declare it with the @code{gnus-declare-backend} functions. This will
22677 enter the back end into the @code{gnus-valid-select-methods} variable.
22679 @code{gnus-declare-backend} takes two parameters---the back end name and
22680 an arbitrary number of @dfn{abilities}.
22685 (gnus-declare-backend "nnchoke" 'mail 'respool 'address)
22688 The above line would then go in the @file{nnchoke.el} file.
22690 The abilities can be:
22694 This is a mailish back end---followups should (probably) go via mail.
22696 This is a newsish back end---followups should (probably) go via news.
22698 This back end supports both mail and news.
22700 This is neither a post nor mail back end---it's something completely
22703 It supports respooling---or rather, it is able to modify its source
22704 articles and groups.
22706 The name of the server should be in the virtual server name. This is
22707 true for almost all back ends.
22708 @item prompt-address
22709 The user should be prompted for an address when doing commands like
22710 @kbd{B} in the group buffer. This is true for back ends like
22711 @code{nntp}, but not @code{nnmbox}, for instance.
22715 @node Mail-like Back Ends
22716 @subsubsection Mail-like Back Ends
22718 One of the things that separate the mail back ends from the rest of the
22719 back ends is the heavy dependence by the mail back ends on common
22720 functions in @file{nnmail.el}. For instance, here's the definition of
22721 @code{nnml-request-scan}:
22724 (deffoo nnml-request-scan (&optional group server)
22725 (setq nnml-article-file-alist nil)
22726 (nnmail-get-new-mail 'nnml 'nnml-save-nov nnml-directory group))
22729 It simply calls @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} with a few parameters,
22730 and @code{nnmail} takes care of all the moving and splitting of the
22733 This function takes four parameters.
22737 This should be a symbol to designate which back end is responsible for
22740 @item exit-function
22741 This function should be called after the splitting has been performed.
22743 @item temp-directory
22744 Where the temporary files should be stored.
22747 This optional argument should be a group name if the splitting is to be
22748 performed for one group only.
22751 @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} will call @var{back-end}@code{-save-mail} to
22752 save each article. @var{back-end}@code{-active-number} will be called to
22753 find the article number assigned to this article.
22755 The function also uses the following variables:
22756 @var{back-end}@code{-get-new-mail} (to see whether to get new mail for
22757 this back end); and @var{back-end}@code{-group-alist} and
22758 @var{back-end}@code{-active-file} to generate the new active file.
22759 @var{back-end}@code{-group-alist} should be a group-active alist, like
22763 (("a-group" (1 . 10))
22764 ("some-group" (34 . 39)))
22768 @node Score File Syntax
22769 @subsection Score File Syntax
22771 Score files are meant to be easily parseable, but yet extremely
22772 mallable. It was decided that something that had the same read syntax
22773 as an Emacs Lisp list would fit that spec.
22775 Here's a typical score file:
22779 ("win95" -10000 nil s)
22786 BNF definition of a score file:
22789 score-file = "" / "(" *element ")"
22790 element = rule / atom
22791 rule = string-rule / number-rule / date-rule
22792 string-rule = "(" quote string-header quote space *string-match ")"
22793 number-rule = "(" quote number-header quote space *number-match ")"
22794 date-rule = "(" quote date-header quote space *date-match ")"
22796 string-header = "subject" / "from" / "references" / "message-id" /
22797 "xref" / "body" / "head" / "all" / "followup"
22798 number-header = "lines" / "chars"
22799 date-header = "date"
22800 string-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
22801 space date [ "" / [ space string-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
22802 score = "nil" / <integer>
22803 date = "nil" / <natural number>
22804 string-match-t = "nil" / "s" / "substring" / "S" / "Substring" /
22805 "r" / "regex" / "R" / "Regex" /
22806 "e" / "exact" / "E" / "Exact" /
22807 "f" / "fuzzy" / "F" / "Fuzzy"
22808 number-match = "(" <integer> [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
22809 space date [ "" / [ space number-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
22810 number-match-t = "nil" / "=" / "<" / ">" / ">=" / "<="
22811 date-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
22812 space date [ "" / [ space date-match-t ] ] ] ] ")"
22813 date-match-t = "nil" / "at" / "before" / "after"
22814 atom = "(" [ required-atom / optional-atom ] ")"
22815 required-atom = mark / expunge / mark-and-expunge / files /
22816 exclude-files / read-only / touched
22817 optional-atom = adapt / local / eval
22818 mark = "mark" space nil-or-number
22819 nil-or-number = "nil" / <integer>
22820 expunge = "expunge" space nil-or-number
22821 mark-and-expunge = "mark-and-expunge" space nil-or-number
22822 files = "files" *[ space <string> ]
22823 exclude-files = "exclude-files" *[ space <string> ]
22824 read-only = "read-only" [ space "nil" / space "t" ]
22825 adapt = "adapt" [ space "ignore" / space "t" / space adapt-rule ]
22826 adapt-rule = "(" *[ <string> *[ "(" <string> <integer> ")" ] ")"
22827 local = "local" *[ space "(" <string> space <form> ")" ]
22828 eval = "eval" space <form>
22829 space = *[ " " / <TAB> / <NEWLINE> ]
22832 Any unrecognized elements in a score file should be ignored, but not
22835 As you can see, white space is needed, but the type and amount of white
22836 space is irrelevant. This means that formatting of the score file is
22837 left up to the programmer---if it's simpler to just spew it all out on
22838 one looong line, then that's ok.
22840 The meaning of the various atoms are explained elsewhere in this
22841 manual (@pxref{Score File Format}).
22845 @subsection Headers
22847 Internally Gnus uses a format for storing article headers that
22848 corresponds to the @sc{nov} format in a mysterious fashion. One could
22849 almost suspect that the author looked at the @sc{nov} specification and
22850 just shamelessly @emph{stole} the entire thing, and one would be right.
22852 @dfn{Header} is a severely overloaded term. ``Header'' is used in
22853 RFC 1036 to talk about lines in the head of an article (e.g.,
22854 @code{From}). It is used by many people as a synonym for
22855 ``head''---``the header and the body''. (That should be avoided, in my
22856 opinion.) And Gnus uses a format internally that it calls ``header'',
22857 which is what I'm talking about here. This is a 9-element vector,
22858 basically, with each header (ouch) having one slot.
22860 These slots are, in order: @code{number}, @code{subject}, @code{from},
22861 @code{date}, @code{id}, @code{references}, @code{chars}, @code{lines},
22862 @code{xref}, and @code{extra}. There are macros for accessing and
22863 setting these slots---they all have predictable names beginning with
22864 @code{mail-header-} and @code{mail-header-set-}, respectively.
22866 All these slots contain strings, except the @code{extra} slot, which
22867 contains an alist of header/value pairs (@pxref{To From Newsgroups}).
22873 @sc{gnus} introduced a concept that I found so useful that I've started
22874 using it a lot and have elaborated on it greatly.
22876 The question is simple: If you have a large amount of objects that are
22877 identified by numbers (say, articles, to take a @emph{wild} example)
22878 that you want to qualify as being ``included'', a normal sequence isn't
22879 very useful. (A 200,000 length sequence is a bit long-winded.)
22881 The solution is as simple as the question: You just collapse the
22885 (1 2 3 4 5 6 10 11 12)
22888 is transformed into
22891 ((1 . 6) (10 . 12))
22894 To avoid having those nasty @samp{(13 . 13)} elements to denote a
22895 lonesome object, a @samp{13} is a valid element:
22898 ((1 . 6) 7 (10 . 12))
22901 This means that comparing two ranges to find out whether they are equal
22902 is slightly tricky:
22905 ((1 . 5) 7 8 (10 . 12))
22911 ((1 . 5) (7 . 8) (10 . 12))
22914 are equal. In fact, any non-descending list is a range:
22920 is a perfectly valid range, although a pretty long-winded one. This is
22927 and is equal to the previous range.
22929 Here's a BNF definition of ranges. Of course, one must remember the
22930 semantic requirement that the numbers are non-descending. (Any number
22931 of repetition of the same number is allowed, but apt to disappear in
22935 range = simple-range / normal-range
22936 simple-range = "(" number " . " number ")"
22937 normal-range = "(" start-contents ")"
22938 contents = "" / simple-range *[ " " contents ] /
22939 number *[ " " contents ]
22942 Gnus currently uses ranges to keep track of read articles and article
22943 marks. I plan on implementing a number of range operators in C if The
22944 Powers That Be are willing to let me. (I haven't asked yet, because I
22945 need to do some more thinking on what operators I need to make life
22946 totally range-based without ever having to convert back to normal
22951 @subsection Group Info
22953 Gnus stores all permanent info on groups in a @dfn{group info} list.
22954 This list is from three to six elements (or more) long and exhaustively
22955 describes the group.
22957 Here are two example group infos; one is a very simple group while the
22958 second is a more complex one:
22961 ("no.group" 5 ((1 . 54324)))
22963 ("nnml:my.mail" 3 ((1 . 5) 9 (20 . 55))
22964 ((tick (15 . 19)) (replied 3 6 (19 . 3)))
22966 ((auto-expire . t) (to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")))
22969 The first element is the @dfn{group name}---as Gnus knows the group,
22970 anyway. The second element is the @dfn{subscription level}, which
22971 normally is a small integer. (It can also be the @dfn{rank}, which is a
22972 cons cell where the @code{car} is the level and the @code{cdr} is the
22973 score.) The third element is a list of ranges of read articles. The
22974 fourth element is a list of lists of article marks of various kinds.
22975 The fifth element is the select method (or virtual server, if you like).
22976 The sixth element is a list of @dfn{group parameters}, which is what
22977 this section is about.
22979 Any of the last three elements may be missing if they are not required.
22980 In fact, the vast majority of groups will normally only have the first
22981 three elements, which saves quite a lot of cons cells.
22983 Here's a BNF definition of the group info format:
22986 info = "(" group space ralevel space read
22987 [ "" / [ space marks-list [ "" / [ space method [ "" /
22988 space parameters ] ] ] ] ] ")"
22989 group = quote <string> quote
22990 ralevel = rank / level
22991 level = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
22992 rank = "(" level "." score ")"
22993 score = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
22995 marks-lists = nil / "(" *marks ")"
22996 marks = "(" <string> range ")"
22997 method = "(" <string> *elisp-forms ")"
22998 parameters = "(" *elisp-forms ")"
23001 Actually that @samp{marks} rule is a fib. A @samp{marks} is a
23002 @samp{<string>} consed on to a @samp{range}, but that's a bitch to say
23005 If you have a Gnus info and want to access the elements, Gnus offers a
23006 series of macros for getting/setting these elements.
23009 @item gnus-info-group
23010 @itemx gnus-info-set-group
23011 @findex gnus-info-group
23012 @findex gnus-info-set-group
23013 Get/set the group name.
23015 @item gnus-info-rank
23016 @itemx gnus-info-set-rank
23017 @findex gnus-info-rank
23018 @findex gnus-info-set-rank
23019 Get/set the group rank (@pxref{Group Score}).
23021 @item gnus-info-level
23022 @itemx gnus-info-set-level
23023 @findex gnus-info-level
23024 @findex gnus-info-set-level
23025 Get/set the group level.
23027 @item gnus-info-score
23028 @itemx gnus-info-set-score
23029 @findex gnus-info-score
23030 @findex gnus-info-set-score
23031 Get/set the group score (@pxref{Group Score}).
23033 @item gnus-info-read
23034 @itemx gnus-info-set-read
23035 @findex gnus-info-read
23036 @findex gnus-info-set-read
23037 Get/set the ranges of read articles.
23039 @item gnus-info-marks
23040 @itemx gnus-info-set-marks
23041 @findex gnus-info-marks
23042 @findex gnus-info-set-marks
23043 Get/set the lists of ranges of marked articles.
23045 @item gnus-info-method
23046 @itemx gnus-info-set-method
23047 @findex gnus-info-method
23048 @findex gnus-info-set-method
23049 Get/set the group select method.
23051 @item gnus-info-params
23052 @itemx gnus-info-set-params
23053 @findex gnus-info-params
23054 @findex gnus-info-set-params
23055 Get/set the group parameters.
23058 All the getter functions take one parameter---the info list. The setter
23059 functions take two parameters---the info list and the new value.
23061 The last three elements in the group info aren't mandatory, so it may be
23062 necessary to extend the group info before setting the element. If this
23063 is necessary, you can just pass on a non-@code{nil} third parameter to
23064 the three final setter functions to have this happen automatically.
23067 @node Extended Interactive
23068 @subsection Extended Interactive
23069 @cindex interactive
23070 @findex gnus-interactive
23072 Gnus extends the standard Emacs @code{interactive} specification
23073 slightly to allow easy use of the symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic
23074 Prefixes}). Here's an example of how this is used:
23077 (defun gnus-summary-increase-score (&optional score symp)
23078 (interactive (gnus-interactive "P\ny"))
23083 The best thing to do would have been to implement
23084 @code{gnus-interactive} as a macro which would have returned an
23085 @code{interactive} form, but this isn't possible since Emacs checks
23086 whether a function is interactive or not by simply doing an @code{assq}
23087 on the lambda form. So, instead we have @code{gnus-interactive}
23088 function that takes a string and returns values that are usable to
23089 @code{interactive}.
23091 This function accepts (almost) all normal @code{interactive} specs, but
23096 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbol
23097 The current symbolic prefix---the @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol}
23101 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbols
23102 A list of the current symbolic prefixes---the
23103 @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol} variable.
23106 The current article number---the @code{gnus-summary-article-number}
23110 The current article header---the @code{gnus-summary-article-header}
23114 The current group name---the @code{gnus-group-group-name}
23120 @node Emacs/XEmacs Code
23121 @subsection Emacs/XEmacs Code
23125 While Gnus runs under Emacs, XEmacs and Mule, I decided that one of the
23126 platforms must be the primary one. I chose Emacs. Not because I don't
23127 like XEmacs or Mule, but because it comes first alphabetically.
23129 This means that Gnus will byte-compile under Emacs with nary a warning,
23130 while XEmacs will pump out gigabytes of warnings while byte-compiling.
23131 As I use byte-compilation warnings to help me root out trivial errors in
23132 Gnus, that's very useful.
23134 I've also consistently used Emacs function interfaces, but have used
23135 Gnusey aliases for the functions. To take an example: Emacs defines a
23136 @code{run-at-time} function while XEmacs defines a @code{start-itimer}
23137 function. I then define a function called @code{gnus-run-at-time} that
23138 takes the same parameters as the Emacs @code{run-at-time}. When running
23139 Gnus under Emacs, the former function is just an alias for the latter.
23140 However, when running under XEmacs, the former is an alias for the
23141 following function:
23144 (defun gnus-xmas-run-at-time (time repeat function &rest args)
23148 (,function ,@@args))
23152 This sort of thing has been done for bunches of functions. Gnus does
23153 not redefine any native Emacs functions while running under XEmacs---it
23154 does this @code{defalias} thing with Gnus equivalents instead. Cleaner
23157 In the cases where the XEmacs function interface was obviously cleaner,
23158 I used it instead. For example @code{gnus-region-active-p} is an alias
23159 for @code{region-active-p} in XEmacs, whereas in Emacs it is a function.
23161 Of course, I could have chosen XEmacs as my native platform and done
23162 mapping functions the other way around. But I didn't. The performance
23163 hit these indirections impose on Gnus under XEmacs should be slight.
23166 @node Various File Formats
23167 @subsection Various File Formats
23170 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
23171 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
23175 @node Active File Format
23176 @subsubsection Active File Format
23178 The active file lists all groups available on the server in
23179 question. It also lists the highest and lowest current article numbers
23182 Here's an excerpt from a typical active file:
23185 soc.motss 296030 293865 y
23186 alt.binaries.pictures.fractals 3922 3913 n
23187 comp.sources.unix 1605 1593 m
23188 comp.binaries.ibm.pc 5097 5089 y
23189 no.general 1000 900 y
23192 Here's a pseudo-BNF definition of this file:
23195 active = *group-line
23196 group-line = group spc high-number spc low-number spc flag <NEWLINE>
23197 group = <non-white-space string>
23199 high-number = <non-negative integer>
23200 low-number = <positive integer>
23201 flag = "y" / "n" / "m" / "j" / "x" / "=" group
23204 For a full description of this file, see the manual pages for
23205 @samp{innd}, in particular @samp{active(5)}.
23208 @node Newsgroups File Format
23209 @subsubsection Newsgroups File Format
23211 The newsgroups file lists groups along with their descriptions. Not all
23212 groups on the server have to be listed, and not all groups in the file
23213 have to exist on the server. The file is meant purely as information to
23216 The format is quite simple; a group name, a tab, and the description.
23217 Here's the definition:
23221 line = group tab description <NEWLINE>
23222 group = <non-white-space string>
23224 description = <string>
23229 @node Emacs for Heathens
23230 @section Emacs for Heathens
23232 Believe it or not, but some people who use Gnus haven't really used
23233 Emacs much before they embarked on their journey on the Gnus Love Boat.
23234 If you are one of those unfortunates whom ``@kbd{M-C-a}'', ``kill the
23235 region'', and ``set @code{gnus-flargblossen} to an alist where the key
23236 is a regexp that is used for matching on the group name'' are magical
23237 phrases with little or no meaning, then this appendix is for you. If
23238 you are already familiar with Emacs, just ignore this and go fondle your
23242 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
23243 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
23248 @subsection Keystrokes
23252 Q: What is an experienced Emacs user?
23255 A: A person who wishes that the terminal had pedals.
23258 Yes, when you use Emacs, you are apt to use the control key, the shift
23259 key and the meta key a lot. This is very annoying to some people
23260 (notably @code{vi}le users), and the rest of us just love the hell out
23261 of it. Just give up and submit. Emacs really does stand for
23262 ``Escape-Meta-Alt-Control-Shift'', and not ``Editing Macros'', as you
23263 may have heard from other disreputable sources (like the Emacs author).
23265 The shift keys are normally located near your pinky fingers, and are
23266 normally used to get capital letters and stuff. You probably use it all
23267 the time. The control key is normally marked ``CTRL'' or something like
23268 that. The meta key is, funnily enough, never marked as such on any
23269 keyboard. The one I'm currently at has a key that's marked ``Alt'',
23270 which is the meta key on this keyboard. It's usually located somewhere
23271 to the left hand side of the keyboard, usually on the bottom row.
23273 Now, us Emacs people don't say ``press the meta-control-m key'',
23274 because that's just too inconvenient. We say ``press the @kbd{M-C-m}
23275 key''. @kbd{M-} is the prefix that means ``meta'' and ``C-'' is the
23276 prefix that means ``control''. So ``press @kbd{C-k}'' means ``press
23277 down the control key, and hold it down while you press @kbd{k}''.
23278 ``Press @kbd{M-C-k}'' means ``press down and hold down the meta key and
23279 the control key and then press @kbd{k}''. Simple, ay?
23281 This is somewhat complicated by the fact that not all keyboards have a
23282 meta key. In that case you can use the ``escape'' key. Then @kbd{M-k}
23283 means ``press escape, release escape, press @kbd{k}''. That's much more
23284 work than if you have a meta key, so if that's the case, I respectfully
23285 suggest you get a real keyboard with a meta key. You can't live without
23291 @subsection Emacs Lisp
23293 Emacs is the King of Editors because it's really a Lisp interpreter.
23294 Each and every key you tap runs some Emacs Lisp code snippet, and since
23295 Emacs Lisp is an interpreted language, that means that you can configure
23296 any key to run any arbitrary code. You just, like, do it.
23298 Gnus is written in Emacs Lisp, and is run as a bunch of interpreted
23299 functions. (These are byte-compiled for speed, but it's still
23300 interpreted.) If you decide that you don't like the way Gnus does
23301 certain things, it's trivial to have it do something a different way.
23302 (Well, at least if you know how to write Lisp code.) However, that's
23303 beyond the scope of this manual, so we are simply going to talk about
23304 some common constructs that you normally use in your @file{.emacs} file
23307 If you want to set the variable @code{gnus-florgbnize} to four (4), you
23308 write the following:
23311 (setq gnus-florgbnize 4)
23314 This function (really ``special form'') @code{setq} is the one that can
23315 set a variable to some value. This is really all you need to know. Now
23316 you can go and fill your @code{.emacs} file with lots of these to change
23319 If you have put that thing in your @code{.emacs} file, it will be read
23320 and @code{eval}ed (which is lisp-ese for ``run'') the next time you
23321 start Emacs. If you want to change the variable right away, simply say
23322 @kbd{C-x C-e} after the closing parenthesis. That will @code{eval} the
23323 previous ``form'', which is a simple @code{setq} statement here.
23325 Go ahead---just try it, if you're located at your Emacs. After you
23326 @kbd{C-x C-e}, you will see @samp{4} appear in the echo area, which
23327 is the return value of the form you @code{eval}ed.
23331 If the manual says ``set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{some}'',
23335 (setq gnus-read-active-file 'some)
23338 On the other hand, if the manual says ``set @code{gnus-nntp-server} to
23339 @samp{nntp.ifi.uio.no}'', that means:
23342 (setq gnus-nntp-server "nntp.ifi.uio.no")
23345 So be careful not to mix up strings (the latter) with symbols (the
23346 former). The manual is unambiguous, but it can be confusing.
23349 @include gnus-faq.texi
23370 % LocalWords: BNF mucho detailmenu cindex kindex kbd
23371 % LocalWords: findex Gnusae vindex dfn dfn samp nntp setq nnspool nntpserver
23372 % LocalWords: nnmbox newusers Blllrph NEWGROUPS dingnusdingnusdingnus
23373 % LocalWords: pre fab rec comp nnslashdot regex ga ga sci nnml nnbabyl nnmh
23374 % LocalWords: nnfolder emph looong eld newsreaders defun init elc pxref