\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
@setfilename gnus
-@settitle Gnus 5.4.34 Manual
+@settitle Gnus 5.4.52 Manual
@synindex fn cp
@synindex vr cp
@synindex pg cp
@tex
@titlepage
-@title Gnus 5.4.34 Manual
+@title Gnus 5.4.52 Manual
@author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
@page
spool or your mbox file. All at the same time, if you want to push your
luck.
-This manual corresponds to Gnus 5.4.34.
+This manual corresponds to Gnus 5.4.52.
@end ifinfo
What Gnus does when it encounters a new group is determined by the
@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} variable.
-This variable should contain a function. Some handy pre-fab values
-are:
+This variable should contain a function. This function will be called
+with the name of the new group as the only parameter.
+
+Some handy pre-fab functions are:
@table @code
Here's an example group parameter list:
@example
-((to-address . "ding@@ifi.uio.no")
+((to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")
(auto-expiry . t))
@end example
Describe all groups (@code{gnus-group-describe-all-groups}). If given a
prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description file from the server.
-@item V
+@item H v
+@itemx V
@kindex V (Group)
+@kindex H v (Group)
@cindex version
@findex gnus-version
Display current Gnus version numbers (@code{gnus-version}).
@item S O p
@kindex S O p (Summary)
@findex gnus-uu-digest-post-forward
+@cindex digests
+@cindex making digests
Digest the current series and forward the result to a newsgroup
-(@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}).
+(@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command uses the
+process/prefix convention.
@item S u
@kindex S u (Summary)
(setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
'(gnus-thread-sort-by-number
gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
- gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
+ gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score))
@end lisp
The threads that have highest score will be displayed first in the
@code{Archive-name} line and use that as a suggestion for the file
name.
+Here's an example function to clean up file names somewhat. If you have
+lots of mail groups that are called things like
+@samp{nnml:mail.whatever}, you may want to chop off the beginning of
+these group names before creating the file name to save to. The
+following will do just that:
+
+@lisp
+(defun my-save-name (group)
+ (when (string-match "^nnml:mail." group)
+ (substring group (match-end 0))))
+
+(setq gnus-split-methods
+ '((gnus-article-archive-name)
+ (my-save-name)))
+@end lisp
+
+
@vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
Finally, you have the @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable. If it is
@code{nil}, all the preceding functions will replace all periods
that look something like @samp{<38o6up$6f2@@hymir.ifi.uio.no>}. You
have to get it all exactly right. No fuzzy searches, I'm afraid.
+The current select method will be used when fetching by
+@code{Message-ID} from non-news select method, but you can override this
+by giving this command a prefix.
+
@vindex gnus-refer-article-method
If the group you are reading is located on a backend that does not
support fetching by @code{Message-ID} very well (like @code{nnspool}),
@subsection Pick and Read
@cindex pick and read
-Some newsreaders (like @code{nn} and, uhm, @code{nn}) use a two-phased
-reading interface. The user first marks the articles she wants to read
-from a summary buffer. Then she starts reading the articles with just
-an article buffer displayed.
+Some newsreaders (like @code{nn} and, uhm, @code{Netnews} on VM/CMS) use
+a two-phased reading interface. The user first marks the articles she
+wants to read from a summary buffer. Then she starts reading the
+articles with just an article buffer displayed.
@findex gnus-pick-mode
@kindex M-x gnus-pick-mode
If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will try to keep the tree
buffer as small as possible to allow more room for the other Gnus
windows. If this variable is a number, the tree buffer will never be
-higher than that number. The default is @code{t}.
+higher than that number. The default is @code{t}. Note that if you
+have several windows displayed side-by-side in a frame and the tree
+buffer is one of these, minimizing the tree window will also resize all
+other windows that are displayed next to it.
@item gnus-generate-tree-function
@vindex gnus-generate-tree-function
List of regexps to match headers included in digested messages. The
headers will be included in the sequence they are matched.
+@item gnus-add-to-list
+@vindex gnus-add-to-list
+If non-@code{nil}, add a @code{to-list} group parameter to mail groups
+that have none when you do a @kbd{a}.
+
@end table
That might seem quite naughty, but it does make sense most of the time.
Let's say you have 10 groups subscribed to the server
-@samp{nepholococcygia.com}. This server is located somewhere quite far
-away from you, the machine is quite, so it takes 1 minute just to find
-out that it refuses connection from you today. If Gnus were to attempt
-to do that 10 times, you'd be quite annoyed, so Gnus won't attempt to do
-that. Once it has gotten a single ``connection refused'', it will
-regard that server as ``down''.
+@samp{nephelococcygia.com}. This server is located somewhere quite far
+away from you and the machine is quite slow, so it takes 1 minute just
+to find out that it refuses connection from you today. If Gnus were to
+attempt to do that 10 times, you'd be quite annoyed, so Gnus won't
+attempt to do that. Once it has gotten a single ``connection refused'',
+it will regard that server as ``down''.
So, what happens if the machine was only feeling unwell temporarily?
How do you test to see whether the machine has come up again?
server.
@findex nntp-open-rlogin
+@findex nntp-open-telnet
@findex nntp-open-network-stream
@item nntp-open-connection-function
@vindex nntp-open-connection-function
-This function is used to connect to the remote system. Two pre-made
+This function is used to connect to the remote system. Three pre-made
functions are @code{nntp-open-network-stream}, which is the default, and
simply connects to some port or other on the remote system. The other
-is @code{nntp-open-rlogin}, which does an rlogin on the remote system,
-and then does a telnet to the @sc{nntp} server available there.
+two are @code{nntp-open-rlogin}, which does an @samp{rlogin} on the
+remote system, and then does a @samp{telnet} to the @sc{nntp} server
+available there, and @code{nntp-open-telnet}, which does a @samp{telnet}
+to the remote system and then another @samp{telnet} to get to the
+@sc{nntp} server.
+
+@code{nntp-open-rlogin}-related variables:
+
+@table @code
@item nntp-rlogin-parameters
@vindex nntp-rlogin-parameters
-If you use @code{nntp-open-rlogin} as the
-@code{nntp-open-connection-function}, this list will be used as the
-parameter list given to @code{rsh}.
+This list will be used as the parameter list given to @code{rsh}.
+
+@item nntp-rlogin-user-name
+@vindex nntp-rlogin-user-name
+User name on the remote system.
+
+@end table
+
+@code{nntp-open-telnet}-related variables:
+
+@table @code
+@item nntp-telnet-command
+@vindex nntp-telnet-command
+Command used to start @samp{telnet}.
+
+@item nntp-telnet-switches
+@vindex nntp-telnet-switches
+List of strings to be used as the switches to the telnet command.
+
+@item nntp-telnet-user-name
+@vindex nntp-telnet-user-name
+User name to log in on the remote system as.
+
+@item nntp-telnet-passwd
+@vindex nntp-telnet-passwd
+Password to use when logging in.
+
+@item nntp-telnet-parameters
+@vindex nntp-telnet-parameters
+A list of strings that will be executed as a command after logging in
+via telnet.
+
+@end table
@item nntp-end-of-line
@vindex nntp-end-of-line
(eval (ding)))
@end lisp
-This example demonstrates absolutely everything about a score file.
+This example demonstrates most score file elements. For a different
+approach, see @pxref{Advanced Scoring}.
Even though this looks much like lisp code, nothing here is actually
@code{eval}ed. The lisp reader is used to read this form, though, so it
files are applicable to which group.
Say you want to use the score file
-@file{/ftp@@ftp.ifi.uio.no:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE} and
+@file{/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE} and
all score files in the @file{/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score} directory:
@lisp
(setq gnus-global-score-files
- '("/ftp@@ftp.ifi.uio.no:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE"
+ '("/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE"
"/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score/"))
@end lisp
* Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
* XEmacs Enhancements:: There are more pictures and stuff under XEmacs.
* Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
+* Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolited commercial email.
* Various Various:: Things that are really various.
@end menu
Note that adding daemons can be pretty naughty if you overdo it. Adding
functions that scan all news and mail from all servers every two seconds
is a sure-fire way of getting booted off any respectable system. So
-behave.
+behave.
@node NoCeM
function. If this is too slow and you don't care for verification
(which may be dangerous), you can set this variable to @code{nil}.
+If you want signed NoCeM messages to be verified and unsigned messages
+not to be verified (but used anyway), you could do something like:
+
+@lisp
+(setq gnus-nocem-verifyer 'my-gnus-mc-verify)
+
+(defun my-gnus-mc-verify ()
+ (not (eq 'forged
+ (ignore-errors
+ (if (mc-verify)
+ t
+ 'forged)))))
+@end lisp
+
+This might be dangerous, though.
+
@item gnus-nocem-directory
@vindex gnus-nocem-directory
This is where Gnus will store its NoCeM cache files. The default is
@end table
+Using NoCeM could potentially be a memory hog. If you have many living
+(i. e., subscribed or unsubscribed groups), your Emacs process will grow
+big. If this is a problem, you should kill off all (or most) of your
+unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Subscription Commands}).
+
@node Picons
@section Picons
If you are a moderator, you can use the @file{gnus-mdrtn.el} package.
It is not included in the standard Gnus package. Write a mail to
-@samp{larsi@@ifi.uio.no} and state what group you moderate, and you'll
+@samp{larsi@@gnus.org} and state what group you moderate, and you'll
get a copy.
The moderation package is implemented as a minor mode for summary
manglers masquerading as newsreaders.
+@node Thwarting Email Spam
+@section Thwarting Email Spam
+@cindex email spam
+@cindex spam
+@cindex UCE
+@cindex unsolicited commercial email
+
+In these last days of the Usenet, commercial vultures are hanging about
+and grepping through news like crazy to find email addresses they can
+foist off their scams and products to. As a reaction to this, many
+people have started putting nonsense addresses into their @code{From}
+lines. I think this is counterproductive---it makes it difficult for
+people to send you legitimate mail in response to things you write, as
+well as making it difficult to see who wrote what. This rewriting may
+perhaps be a bigger menace than the unsolicited commercial email itself
+in the end.
+
+The biggest problem I have with email spam is that it comes in under
+false pretenses. I press @kbd{g} and Gnus merrily informs me that I
+have 10 new emails. I say ``Golly gee! Happy is me!'' and selects the
+mail group, only to find two pyramid schemes, seven advertisements
+(``New! Miracle tonic for growing full, lustrouos hair on your toes!'')
+and one mail asking me to repent and find some god.
+
+This is annoying.
+
+The way to deal with this is having Gnus split out all spam into a
+@samp{spam} mail group (@pxref{Splitting Mail}).
+
+First, pick one (1) legal mail address that you can be reached at, and
+put it in your @code{From} header of all your news articles. (I've
+chosen @samp{larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no}, but for many addresses on the form
+@samp{larsi+usenet@@ifi.uio.no} will be a better choice. Ask your
+sysadm whether your sendmail installation accepts keywords in the local
+part of the mail address.)
+
+@lisp
+(setq message-default-news-headers
+ "From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no>\n")
+@end lisp
+
+Then put the following split rule in @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
+(@pxref{Fancy Mail Splitting}):
+
+@lisp
+(
+ ...
+ (to "larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no"
+ (| ("subject" "re:.*" "misc")
+ ("references" ".*@@.*" "misc")
+ "spam"))
+ ...
+)
+@end lisp
+
+This says that all mail to this address is suspect, but if it has a
+@code{Subject} that starts with a @samp{Re:} or has a @code{References}
+header, it's probably ok. All the rest goes to the @samp{spam} group.
+(This idea probably comes from Tim Pierce.)
+
+In addition, many mail spammers talk directly to your @code{smtp} server
+and do not include your email address explicitly in the @code{To}
+header. Why they do this is unknown---perhaps it's to thwart this
+twarting scheme? In any case, this is trivial to deal with---you just
+put anything not addressed to you in the @samp{spam} group by ending
+your fancy split rule in this way:
+
+@lisp
+(
+ ...
+ (to "larsi" "misc")
+ "spam")
+@end lisp
+
+In my experience, this will sort virtually everything into the right
+group. You still have to check the @samp{spam} group from time to time to
+check for legitimate mail, though. If you feel like being a good net
+citizen, you can even send off complaints to the proper authorities on
+each unsolicited commercial email---at your leisure.
+
+If you are also a lazy net citizen, you will probably prefer complaining
+automatically with the @file{gnus-junk.el} package, availiable FOR FREE
+at @file{<URL:http://stud2.tuwien.ac.at/~e9426626/gnus-junk.html>}.
+Since most e-mail spam is sent automatically, this may reconcile the
+cosmic balance somewhat.
+
+This works for me. It allows people an easy way to contact me (they can
+just press @kbd{r} in the usual way), and I'm not bothered at all with
+spam. It's a win-win situation. Forging @code{From} headers to point
+to non-existant domains is yucky, in my opinion.
+
+
@node Various Various
@section Various Various
@cindex mode lines
Ulrik Dickow,
Dave Disser,
Joev Dubach,
+Michael Welsh Duggan,
Paul Eggert,
Michael Ernst,
Luc Van Eycken,
Sam Falkner,
Paul Franklin,
+Arne Georg Gleditsch,
David S. Goldberg,
D. Hall,
Magnus Hammerin,
Raja R. Harinath,
Hisashige Kenji, @c Hisashige
Marc Horowitz,
+Gunnar Horrigmo,
+Brad Howes,
François Felix Ingrand,
Ishikawa Ichiro, @c Ishikawa
Lee Iverson,
Rajappa Iyer,
Randell Jesup,
Fred Johansen,
+Kim-Minh Kaplan,
Greg Klanderman,
Karl Kleinpaste,
Peter Skov Knudsen,
Colin Rafferty,
Bart Robinson,
Jason Rumney,
+Dewey M. Sasser,
Loren Schall,
Dan Schmidt,
Ralph Schleicher,
Danny Siu,
Paul D. Smith,
Jeff Sparkes,
+Toby Speight,
Michael Sperber,
Richard Stallman,
Greg Stark,
Teddy,
Chuck Thompson,
Philippe Troin,
+Aaron M. Ucko,
Jan Vroonhof,
Barry A. Warsaw,
Christoph Wedler,
@cindex gnu.emacs.gnus
@cindex ding mailing list
-You can also ask on the ding mailing list---@samp{ding@@ifi.uio.no}.
-Write to @samp{ding-request@@ifi.uio.no} to subscribe.
+You can also ask on the ding mailing list---@samp{ding@@gnus.org}.
+Write to @samp{ding-request@@gnus.org} to subscribe.
@node A Programmers Guide to Gnus
and general method of operations.
@menu
+* Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
* Backend Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
* Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
* Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
@end menu
+@node Gnus Utility Functions
+@subsection Gnus Utility Functions
+@cindex Gnus utility functions
+@cindex utility functions
+@cindex functions
+@cindex internal variables
+
+When writing small functions to be run from hooks (and stuff), it's
+vital to have access to the Gnus internal functions and variables.
+Below is a list of the most common ones.
+
+@table @code
+
+@item gnus-newsgroup-name
+@vindex gnus-newsgroup-name
+This variable holds the name of the current newsgroup.
+
+@item gnus-find-method-for-group
+@findex gnus-find-method-for-group
+A function that returns the select method for @var{group}.
+
+@item gnus-group-real-name
+@findex gnus-group-real-name
+Takes a full (prefixed) Gnus group name, and returns the unprefixed
+name.
+
+@item gnus-group-prefixed-name
+@findex gnus-group-prefixed-name
+Takes an unprefixed group name and a select method, and returns the full
+(prefixed) Gnus group name.
+
+@item gnus-get-info
+@findex gnus-get-info
+Return the group info list for @var{group}.
+
+@item gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
+@findex gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
+Add the current buffer to the list of buffers to be killed on Gnus
+exit.
+
+@item gnus-continuum-version
+@findex gnus-continuum-version
+Take a Gnus version string as a parameter and returns a floating point
+number. Earlier versions will always get a lower number than later
+versions.
+
+@item gnus-group-read-only-p
+@findex gnus-group-read-only-p
+Say whether @var{group} is read-only or not.
+
+@item gnus-news-group-p
+@findex gnus-news-group-p
+Say whether @var{group} came from a news backend.
+
+@item gnus-ephemeral-group-p
+@findex gnus-ephemeral-group-p
+Say whether @var{group} is ephemeral or not.
+
+@item gnus-server-to-method
+@findex gnus-server-to-method
+Return the select method corresponding to @var{server}.
+
+@item gnus-server-equal
+@findex gnus-server-equal
+Say whether two virtual servers are equal.
+
+@item gnus-group-native-p
+@findex gnus-group-native-p
+Say whether @var{group} is native or not.
+
+@item gnus-group-secondary-p
+@findex gnus-group-secondary-p
+Say whether @var{group} is secondary or not.
+
+@item gnus-group-foreign-p
+@findex gnus-group-foreign-p
+Say whether @var{group} is foreign or not.
+
+@item group-group-find-parameter
+@findex group-group-find-parameter
+Return the parameter list of @var{group}. If given a second parameter,
+return the value of that parameter for @var{group}.
+
+@item gnus-group-set-parameter
+@findex gnus-group-set-parameter
+Takes three parameters; @var{group}, @var{parameter} and @var{value}.
+
+@item gnus-narrow-to-body
+@findex gnus-narrow-to-body
+Narrow the current buffer to the body of the article.
+
+@item gnus-check-backend-function
+@findex gnus-check-backend-function
+Takes two parameters, @var{function} and @var{group}. If the backend
+@var{group} comes from supports @var{function}, return non-@code{nil}.
+
+@lisp
+(gnus-check-backend-function "request-scan" "nnml:misc")
+=> t
+@end lisp
+
+@item gnus-read-method
+@findex gnus-read-method
+Prompt the user for a select method.
+
+@end table
+
+
@node Backend Interface
@subsection Backend Interface
files = "files" *[ space <string> ]
exclude-files = "exclude-files" *[ space <string> ]
read-only = "read-only" [ space "nil" / space "t" ]
-adapt = "adapt" [ space "nil" / space "t" / space adapt-rule ]
+adapt = "adapt" [ space "ignore" / space "t" / space adapt-rule ]
adapt-rule = "(" *[ <string> *[ "(" <string> <integer> ")" ] ")"
local = "local" *[ space "(" <string> space <form> ")" ]
eval = "eval" space <form>
("nnml:my.mail" 3 ((1 . 5) 9 (20 . 55))
((tick (15 . 19)) (replied 3 6 (19 . 3)))
(nnml "")
- (auto-expire (to-address "ding@@ifi.uio.no")))
+ (auto-expire (to-address "ding@@gnus.org")))
@end example
The first element is the @dfn{group name}---as Gnus knows the group,
@samp{<string>} consed on to a @samp{range}, but that's a bitch to say
in pseudo-BNF.
+If you have a Gnus info and want to access the elements, Gnus offers a
+series of macros for getting/setting these elements.
+
+@table @code
+@item gnus-info-group
+@itemx gnus-info-set-group
+@findex gnus-info-group
+@findex gnus-info-set-group
+Get/set the group name.
+
+@item gnus-info-rank
+@itemx gnus-info-set-rank
+@findex gnus-info-rank
+@findex gnus-info-set-rank
+Get/set the group rank.
+
+@item gnus-info-level
+@itemx gnus-info-set-level
+@findex gnus-info-level
+@findex gnus-info-set-level
+Get/set the group level.
+
+@item gnus-info-score
+@itemx gnus-info-set-score
+@findex gnus-info-score
+@findex gnus-info-set-score
+Get/set the group score.
+
+@item gnus-info-read
+@itemx gnus-info-set-read
+@findex gnus-info-read
+@findex gnus-info-set-read
+Get/set the ranges of read articles.
+
+@item gnus-info-marks
+@itemx gnus-info-set-marks
+@findex gnus-info-marks
+@findex gnus-info-set-marks
+Get/set the lists of ranges of marked articles.
+
+@item gnus-info-method
+@itemx gnus-info-set-method
+@findex gnus-info-method
+@findex gnus-info-set-method
+Get/set the group select method.
+
+@item gnus-info-params
+@itemx gnus-info-set-params
+@findex gnus-info-params
+@findex gnus-info-set-params
+Get/set the group parameters.
+@end table
+
+All the getter functions take one parameter---the info list. The setter
+functions take two parameters---the info list and the new value.
+
+The last three elements in the group info aren't mandatory, so it may be
+necessary to extend the group info before setting the element. If this
+is necessary, you can just pass on a non-@code{nil} third parameter to
+the three final setter functions to have this happen automatically.
+
@node Emacs/XEmacs Code
@subsection Emacs/XEmacs Code
does this @code{defalias} thing with Gnus equivalents instead. Cleaner
all over.
+In the cases when the XEmacs function interface was obviously
+cleaner, I used it instead. For example @code{gnus-region-active-p}
+is an alias for @code{region-active-p} in XEmacs, whereas in Emacs
+it is a function.
+
Of course, I could have chosen XEmacs as my native platform and done
mapping functions the other way around. But I didn't. The performance
hit these indirections impose on Gnus under XEmacs should be slight.
projects / gnus / blobdiff