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10 * Gnus: (gnus). The newsreader Gnus.
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266 \gnusauthor{by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen}
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275 Copyright \copyright{} 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
276 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
279 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
280 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
281 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
282 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
283 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
284 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
285 License'' in the Emacs manual.
287 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
288 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
289 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
291 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
292 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
293 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
294 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
302 This file documents Gnus, the GNU Emacs newsreader.
304 Copyright (C) 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
306 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
307 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
308 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
309 Invariant Sections being none, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
310 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
311 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
312 License'' in the Emacs manual.
314 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
315 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
316 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
318 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
319 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
320 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
321 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
329 @author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
332 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
333 Copyright @copyright{} 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
335 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
336 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
337 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
338 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
339 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
340 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
341 License'' in the Emacs manual.
343 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
344 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
345 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
347 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
348 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
349 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
350 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
359 @top The Gnus Newsreader
363 You can read news (and mail) from within Emacs by using Gnus. The news
364 can be gotten by any nefarious means you can think of---@sc{nntp}, local
365 spool or your mbox file. All at the same time, if you want to push your
368 This manual corresponds to Oort Gnus v0.01.
379 Gnus is the advanced, self-documenting, customizable, extensible
380 unreal-time newsreader for GNU Emacs.
382 Oops. That sounds oddly familiar, so let's start over again to avoid
383 being accused of plagiarism:
385 Gnus is a message-reading laboratory. It will let you look at just
386 about anything as if it were a newsgroup. You can read mail with it,
387 you can browse directories with it, you can @code{ftp} with it---you
388 can even read news with it!
390 Gnus tries to empower people who read news the same way Emacs empowers
391 people who edit text. Gnus sets no limits to what the user should be
392 allowed to do. Users are encouraged to extend Gnus to make it behave
393 like they want it to behave. A program should not control people;
394 people should be empowered to do what they want by using (or abusing)
400 * Starting Up:: Finding news can be a pain.
401 * The Group Buffer:: Selecting, subscribing and killing groups.
402 * The Summary Buffer:: Reading, saving and posting articles.
403 * The Article Buffer:: Displaying and handling articles.
404 * Composing Messages:: Information on sending mail and news.
405 * Select Methods:: Gnus reads all messages from various select methods.
406 * Scoring:: Assigning values to articles.
407 * Various:: General purpose settings.
408 * The End:: Farewell and goodbye.
409 * Appendices:: Terminology, Emacs intro, FAQ, History, Internals.
410 * Index:: Variable, function and concept index.
411 * Key Index:: Key Index.
414 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
418 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
419 * The First Time:: What does Gnus do the first time you start it?
420 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
421 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one Gnus active at a time.
422 * Fetching a Group:: Starting Gnus just to read a group.
423 * New Groups:: What is Gnus supposed to do with new groups?
424 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
425 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
426 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
427 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
428 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
432 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
433 * Subscription Methods:: What Gnus should do with new groups.
434 * Filtering New Groups:: Making Gnus ignore certain new groups.
438 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
439 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
440 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
441 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
442 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
443 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
444 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
445 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
446 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
447 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
448 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
449 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
450 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
451 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
452 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
453 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
454 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
458 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
459 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
460 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
464 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
465 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
466 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
467 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
468 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
472 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking Gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
473 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and Gnus.
474 * Group Timestamp:: Making Gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
475 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the Gnus files.
479 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
480 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
481 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
482 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
483 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
484 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
485 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
486 * Threading:: How threads are made.
487 * Sorting:: How articles and threads are sorted.
488 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
489 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
490 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
491 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
492 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
493 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
494 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
495 * MIME Commands:: Doing MIMEy things with the articles.
496 * Charsets:: Character set issues.
497 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
498 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
499 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
500 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
501 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
502 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
503 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
504 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer.
505 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
506 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
507 * Security:: Decrypt and Verify.
509 Summary Buffer Format
511 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
512 * To From Newsgroups:: How to not display your own name.
513 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
514 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
518 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
519 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
521 Reply, Followup and Post
523 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
524 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
525 * Summary Message Commands:: Other Message-related commands.
526 * Canceling and Superseding:: ``Whoops, I shouldn't have called him that.''
530 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
531 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
532 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
533 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
534 * Generic Marking Commands:: How to customize the marking.
535 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
539 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
540 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
542 Customizing Threading
544 * Loose Threads:: How Gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
545 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
546 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
547 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over... but you were wrong!
551 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
552 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
553 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
554 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
555 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
556 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
560 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
561 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
562 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
566 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
567 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look nice.
568 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
569 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
570 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
571 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
572 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
573 * Article Miscellania:: Various other stuff.
575 Alternative Approaches
577 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
578 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
580 Various Summary Stuff
582 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
583 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
584 * Summary Generation Commands:: (Re)generating the summary buffer.
585 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
589 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
590 * Using MIME:: Pushing articles through @sc{mime} before reading them.
591 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
592 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
593 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
597 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
598 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
599 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
600 * Archived Messages:: Where Gnus stores the messages you've sent.
601 * Posting Styles:: An easier way to specify who you are.
602 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
603 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
604 * Using GPG:: How to use GPG and MML to sign and encrypt messages
608 * The Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
609 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
610 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
611 * Browsing the Web:: Getting messages from a plethora of Web sources.
612 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
613 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
614 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
618 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
619 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
620 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
621 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
622 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
623 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
624 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
628 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
629 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
633 * Mail in a Newsreader:: Important introductory notes.
634 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
635 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
636 * Mail Sources:: How to tell Gnus where to get mail from.
637 * Mail Backend Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
638 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
639 * Group Mail Splitting:: Use group customize to drive mail splitting.
640 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
641 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
642 * Washing Mail:: Removing cruft from the mail you get.
643 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
644 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail backends for reading other files.
645 * Choosing a Mail Backend:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
649 * Mail Source Specifiers:: How to specify what a mail source is.
650 * Mail Source Customization:: Some variables that influence things.
651 * Fetching Mail:: Using the mail source specifiers.
653 Choosing a Mail Backend
655 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
656 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
657 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
658 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like backend.
659 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
660 * Comparing Mail Backends:: An in-depth looks at pros and cons.
664 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
665 * Slashdot:: Reading the Slashdot comments.
666 * Ultimate:: The Ultimate Bulletin Board systems.
667 * Web Archive:: Reading mailing list archived on web.
671 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
672 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
673 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
674 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{soup} packets ``offline''.
675 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
676 * IMAP:: Using Gnus as a @sc{imap} client.
680 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
684 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
685 * SOUP Groups:: A backend for reading @sc{soup} packets.
686 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
690 * Splitting in IMAP:: Splitting mail with nnimap.
691 * Editing IMAP ACLs:: Limiting/enabling other users access to a mailbox.
692 * Expunging mailboxes:: Equivalent of a "compress mailbox" button.
696 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
697 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
701 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
702 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
703 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
704 * Agent Expiry:: How to make old articles go away.
705 * Agent and IMAP:: How to use the Agent with IMAP.
706 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
707 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
708 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
709 * Batching Agents:: How to fetch news from a @code{cron} job.
710 * Agent Caveats:: What you think it'll do and what it does.
714 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
715 * The Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
716 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
720 * Group Agent Commands::
721 * Summary Agent Commands::
722 * Server Agent Commands::
726 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
727 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
728 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
729 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
730 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
731 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
732 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
733 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
734 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
735 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
736 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
737 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
738 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
739 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
740 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
741 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
745 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
746 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
747 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
748 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
752 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
753 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
754 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
758 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
759 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
760 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
761 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
762 * Windows Configuration:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
763 * Faces and Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
764 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
765 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
766 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
767 * Buttons:: Get tendinitis in ten easy steps!
768 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
769 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
770 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
771 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
772 * XEmacs Enhancements:: There are more pictures and stuff under XEmacs.
773 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
774 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolicited commercial email.
775 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
779 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
780 * Mode Line Formatting:: Some rules about mode line formatting variables.
781 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
782 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
783 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
787 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
788 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
789 * Toolbar:: Click'n'drool.
790 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
794 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
795 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
796 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
797 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
798 * Picon Useless Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
802 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
803 * On Writing Manuals:: Why this is not a beginner's guide.
804 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
805 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
806 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
807 * Gnus Reference Guide:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
808 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
809 * Frequently Asked Questions:: A question-and-answer session.
813 * Gnus Versions:: What Gnus versions have been released.
814 * Other Gnus Versions:: Other Gnus versions that also have been released.
815 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
816 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
817 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
818 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
819 * Gnus Development:: How Gnus is developed.
820 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
821 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
825 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
826 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.2/5.3.
827 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
828 * Quassia Gnus:: Two times two is four, or Gnus 5.6/5.7.
829 * Pterodactyl Gnus:: Pentad also starts with P, AKA Gnus 5.8/5.9.
833 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
834 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
835 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
836 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
840 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
841 * Backend Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
842 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
843 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
844 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
845 * Group Info:: The group info format.
846 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
847 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
848 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
852 * Required Backend Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
853 * Optional Backend Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
854 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
855 * Writing New Backends:: Extending old backends.
856 * Hooking New Backends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
857 * Mail-like Backends:: Some tips on mail backends.
861 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
862 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
866 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
867 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
873 @chapter Starting Gnus
878 If your system administrator has set things up properly, starting Gnus
879 and reading news is extremely easy---you just type @kbd{M-x gnus} in
882 @findex gnus-other-frame
883 @kindex M-x gnus-other-frame
884 If you want to start Gnus in a different frame, you can use the command
885 @kbd{M-x gnus-other-frame} instead.
887 If things do not go smoothly at startup, you have to twiddle some
888 variables in your @file{~/.gnus} file. This file is similar to
889 @file{~/.emacs}, but is read when gnus starts.
891 If you puzzle at any terms used in this manual, please refer to the
892 terminology section (@pxref{Terminology}).
895 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
896 * The First Time:: What does Gnus do the first time you start it?
897 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
898 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one Gnus active at a time.
899 * Fetching a Group:: Starting Gnus just to read a group.
900 * New Groups:: What is Gnus supposed to do with new groups?
901 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
902 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
903 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
904 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
905 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
909 @node Finding the News
910 @section Finding the News
913 @vindex gnus-select-method
915 The @code{gnus-select-method} variable says where Gnus should look for
916 news. This variable should be a list where the first element says
917 @dfn{how} and the second element says @dfn{where}. This method is your
918 native method. All groups not fetched with this method are
921 For instance, if the @samp{news.somewhere.edu} @sc{nntp} server is where
922 you want to get your daily dosage of news from, you'd say:
925 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"))
928 If you want to read directly from the local spool, say:
931 (setq gnus-select-method '(nnspool ""))
934 If you can use a local spool, you probably should, as it will almost
935 certainly be much faster.
937 @vindex gnus-nntpserver-file
939 @cindex @sc{nntp} server
940 If this variable is not set, Gnus will take a look at the
941 @code{NNTPSERVER} environment variable. If that variable isn't set,
942 Gnus will see whether @code{gnus-nntpserver-file}
943 (@file{/etc/nntpserver} by default) has any opinions on the matter. If
944 that fails as well, Gnus will try to use the machine running Emacs as an @sc{nntp} server. That's a long shot, though.
946 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
947 If @code{gnus-nntp-server} is set, this variable will override
948 @code{gnus-select-method}. You should therefore set
949 @code{gnus-nntp-server} to @code{nil}, which is what it is by default.
951 @vindex gnus-secondary-servers
952 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
953 You can also make Gnus prompt you interactively for the name of an
954 @sc{nntp} server. If you give a non-numerical prefix to @code{gnus}
955 (i.e., @kbd{C-u M-x gnus}), Gnus will let you choose between the servers
956 in the @code{gnus-secondary-servers} list (if any). You can also just
957 type in the name of any server you feel like visiting. (Note that this
958 will set @code{gnus-nntp-server}, which means that if you then @kbd{M-x
959 gnus} later in the same Emacs session, Gnus will contact the same
962 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
964 However, if you use one @sc{nntp} server regularly and are just
965 interested in a couple of groups from a different server, you would be
966 better served by using the @kbd{B} command in the group buffer. It will
967 let you have a look at what groups are available, and you can subscribe
968 to any of the groups you want to. This also makes @file{.newsrc}
969 maintenance much tidier. @xref{Foreign Groups}.
971 @vindex gnus-secondary-select-methods
973 A slightly different approach to foreign groups is to set the
974 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods} variable. The select methods
975 listed in this variable are in many ways just as native as the
976 @code{gnus-select-method} server. They will also be queried for active
977 files during startup (if that's required), and new newsgroups that
978 appear on these servers will be subscribed (or not) just as native
981 For instance, if you use the @code{nnmbox} backend to read your mail, you
982 would typically set this variable to
985 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnmbox "")))
990 @section The First Time
991 @cindex first time usage
993 If no startup files exist, Gnus will try to determine what groups should
994 be subscribed by default.
996 @vindex gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups
997 If the variable @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is set, Gnus
998 will subscribe you to just those groups in that list, leaving the rest
999 killed. Your system administrator should have set this variable to
1002 Since she hasn't, Gnus will just subscribe you to a few arbitrarily
1003 picked groups (i.e., @samp{*.newusers}). (@dfn{Arbitrary} is defined
1004 here as @dfn{whatever Lars thinks you should read}.)
1006 You'll also be subscribed to the Gnus documentation group, which should
1007 help you with most common problems.
1009 If @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is @code{t}, Gnus will just
1010 use the normal functions for handling new groups, and not do anything
1014 @node The Server is Down
1015 @section The Server is Down
1016 @cindex server errors
1018 If the default server is down, Gnus will understandably have some
1019 problems starting. However, if you have some mail groups in addition to
1020 the news groups, you may want to start Gnus anyway.
1022 Gnus, being the trusting sort of program, will ask whether to proceed
1023 without a native select method if that server can't be contacted. This
1024 will happen whether the server doesn't actually exist (i.e., you have
1025 given the wrong address) or the server has just momentarily taken ill
1026 for some reason or other. If you decide to continue and have no foreign
1027 groups, you'll find it difficult to actually do anything in the group
1028 buffer. But, hey, that's your problem. Blllrph!
1030 @findex gnus-no-server
1031 @kindex M-x gnus-no-server
1033 If you know that the server is definitely down, or you just want to read
1034 your mail without bothering with the server at all, you can use the
1035 @code{gnus-no-server} command to start Gnus. That might come in handy
1036 if you're in a hurry as well. This command will not attempt to contact
1037 your primary server---instead, it will just activate all groups on level
1038 1 and 2. (You should preferably keep no native groups on those two
1039 levels.) Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
1043 @section Slave Gnusae
1046 You might want to run more than one Emacs with more than one Gnus at the
1047 same time. If you are using different @file{.newsrc} files (e.g., if you
1048 are using the two different Gnusae to read from two different servers),
1049 that is no problem whatsoever. You just do it.
1051 The problem appears when you want to run two Gnusae that use the same
1052 @code{.newsrc} file.
1054 To work around that problem some, we here at the Think-Tank at the Gnus
1055 Towers have come up with a new concept: @dfn{Masters} and
1056 @dfn{slaves}. (We have applied for a patent on this concept, and have
1057 taken out a copyright on those words. If you wish to use those words in
1058 conjunction with each other, you have to send $1 per usage instance to
1059 me. Usage of the patent (@dfn{Master/Slave Relationships In Computer
1060 Applications}) will be much more expensive, of course.)
1062 Anyway, you start one Gnus up the normal way with @kbd{M-x gnus} (or
1063 however you do it). Each subsequent slave Gnusae should be started with
1064 @kbd{M-x gnus-slave}. These slaves won't save normal @file{.newsrc}
1065 files, but instead save @dfn{slave files} that contain information only
1066 on what groups have been read in the slave session. When a master Gnus
1067 starts, it will read (and delete) these slave files, incorporating all
1068 information from them. (The slave files will be read in the sequence
1069 they were created, so the latest changes will have precedence.)
1071 Information from the slave files has, of course, precedence over the
1072 information in the normal (i.e., master) @code{.newsrc} file.
1075 @node Fetching a Group
1076 @section Fetching a Group
1077 @cindex fetching a group
1079 @findex gnus-fetch-group
1080 It is sometimes convenient to be able to just say ``I want to read this
1081 group and I don't care whether Gnus has been started or not''. This is
1082 perhaps more useful for people who write code than for users, but the
1083 command @code{gnus-fetch-group} provides this functionality in any case.
1084 It takes the group name as a parameter.
1090 @cindex subscription
1092 @vindex gnus-check-new-newsgroups
1093 If you are satisfied that you really never want to see any new groups,
1094 you can set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil}. This will
1095 also save you some time at startup. Even if this variable is
1096 @code{nil}, you can always subscribe to the new groups just by pressing
1097 @kbd{U} in the group buffer (@pxref{Group Maintenance}). This variable
1098 is @code{ask-server} by default. If you set this variable to
1099 @code{always}, then Gnus will query the backends for new groups even
1100 when you do the @kbd{g} command (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
1103 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
1104 * Subscription Methods:: What Gnus should do with new groups.
1105 * Filtering New Groups:: Making Gnus ignore certain new groups.
1109 @node Checking New Groups
1110 @subsection Checking New Groups
1112 Gnus normally determines whether a group is new or not by comparing the
1113 list of groups from the active file(s) with the lists of subscribed and
1114 dead groups. This isn't a particularly fast method. If
1115 @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} is @code{ask-server}, Gnus will ask the
1116 server for new groups since the last time. This is both faster and
1117 cheaper. This also means that you can get rid of the list of killed
1118 groups altogether, so you may set @code{gnus-save-killed-list} to
1119 @code{nil}, which will save time both at startup, at exit, and all over.
1120 Saves disk space, too. Why isn't this the default, then?
1121 Unfortunately, not all servers support this command.
1123 I bet I know what you're thinking now: How do I find out whether my
1124 server supports @code{ask-server}? No? Good, because I don't have a
1125 fail-safe answer. I would suggest just setting this variable to
1126 @code{ask-server} and see whether any new groups appear within the next
1127 few days. If any do, then it works. If none do, then it doesn't
1128 work. I could write a function to make Gnus guess whether the server
1129 supports @code{ask-server}, but it would just be a guess. So I won't.
1130 You could @code{telnet} to the server and say @code{HELP} and see
1131 whether it lists @samp{NEWGROUPS} among the commands it understands. If
1132 it does, then it might work. (But there are servers that lists
1133 @samp{NEWGROUPS} without supporting the function properly.)
1135 This variable can also be a list of select methods. If so, Gnus will
1136 issue an @code{ask-server} command to each of the select methods, and
1137 subscribe them (or not) using the normal methods. This might be handy
1138 if you are monitoring a few servers for new groups. A side effect is
1139 that startup will take much longer, so you can meditate while waiting.
1140 Use the mantra ``dingnusdingnusdingnus'' to achieve permanent bliss.
1143 @node Subscription Methods
1144 @subsection Subscription Methods
1146 @vindex gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method
1147 What Gnus does when it encounters a new group is determined by the
1148 @code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} variable.
1150 This variable should contain a function. This function will be called
1151 with the name of the new group as the only parameter.
1153 Some handy pre-fab functions are:
1157 @item gnus-subscribe-zombies
1158 @vindex gnus-subscribe-zombies
1159 Make all new groups zombies. This is the default. You can browse the
1160 zombies later (with @kbd{A z}) and either kill them all off properly
1161 (with @kbd{S z}), or subscribe to them (with @kbd{u}).
1163 @item gnus-subscribe-randomly
1164 @vindex gnus-subscribe-randomly
1165 Subscribe all new groups in arbitrary order. This really means that all
1166 new groups will be added at ``the top'' of the group buffer.
1168 @item gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
1169 @vindex gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
1170 Subscribe all new groups in alphabetical order.
1172 @item gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
1173 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
1174 Subscribe all new groups hierarchically. The difference between this
1175 function and @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} is slight.
1176 @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} will subscribe new groups in a strictly
1177 alphabetical fashion, while this function will enter groups into its
1178 hierarchy. So if you want to have the @samp{rec} hierarchy before the
1179 @samp{comp} hierarchy, this function will not mess that configuration
1180 up. Or something like that.
1182 @item gnus-subscribe-interactively
1183 @vindex gnus-subscribe-interactively
1184 Subscribe new groups interactively. This means that Gnus will ask
1185 you about @strong{all} new groups. The groups you choose to subscribe
1186 to will be subscribed hierarchically.
1188 @item gnus-subscribe-killed
1189 @vindex gnus-subscribe-killed
1190 Kill all new groups.
1192 @item gnus-subscribe-topics
1193 @vindex gnus-subscribe-topics
1194 Put the groups into the topic that has a matching @code{subscribe} topic
1195 parameter (@pxref{Topic Parameters}). For instance, a @code{subscribe}
1196 topic parameter that looks like
1202 will mean that all groups that match that regex will be subscribed under
1205 If no topics match the groups, the groups will be subscribed in the
1210 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive
1211 A closely related variable is
1212 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. (That's quite a
1213 mouthful.) If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will ask you in a
1214 hierarchical fashion whether to subscribe to new groups or not. Gnus
1215 will ask you for each sub-hierarchy whether you want to descend the
1218 One common mistake is to set the variable a few paragraphs above
1219 (@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method}) to
1220 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. This is an error. This
1221 will not work. This is ga-ga. So don't do it.
1224 @node Filtering New Groups
1225 @subsection Filtering New Groups
1227 A nice and portable way to control which new newsgroups should be
1228 subscribed (or ignored) is to put an @dfn{options} line at the start of
1229 the @file{.newsrc} file. Here's an example:
1232 options -n !alt.all !rec.all sci.all
1235 @vindex gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method
1236 This line obviously belongs to a serious-minded intellectual scientific
1237 person (or she may just be plain old boring), because it says that all
1238 groups that have names beginning with @samp{alt} and @samp{rec} should
1239 be ignored, and all groups with names beginning with @samp{sci} should
1240 be subscribed. Gnus will not use the normal subscription method for
1241 subscribing these groups.
1242 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method} is used instead. This
1243 variable defaults to @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically}.
1245 @vindex gnus-options-not-subscribe
1246 @vindex gnus-options-subscribe
1247 If you don't want to mess with your @file{.newsrc} file, you can just
1248 set the two variables @code{gnus-options-subscribe} and
1249 @code{gnus-options-not-subscribe}. These two variables do exactly the
1250 same as the @file{.newsrc} @samp{options -n} trick. Both are regexps,
1251 and if the new group matches the former, it will be unconditionally
1252 subscribed, and if it matches the latter, it will be ignored.
1254 @vindex gnus-auto-subscribed-groups
1255 Yet another variable that meddles here is
1256 @code{gnus-auto-subscribed-groups}. It works exactly like
1257 @code{gnus-options-subscribe}, and is therefore really superfluous, but I
1258 thought it would be nice to have two of these. This variable is more
1259 meant for setting some ground rules, while the other variable is used
1260 more for user fiddling. By default this variable makes all new groups
1261 that come from mail backends (@code{nnml}, @code{nnbabyl},
1262 @code{nnfolder}, @code{nnmbox}, and @code{nnmh}) subscribed. If you
1263 don't like that, just set this variable to @code{nil}.
1265 New groups that match this regexp are subscribed using
1266 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method}.
1269 @node Changing Servers
1270 @section Changing Servers
1271 @cindex changing servers
1273 Sometimes it is necessary to move from one @sc{nntp} server to another.
1274 This happens very rarely, but perhaps you change jobs, or one server is
1275 very flaky and you want to use another.
1277 Changing the server is pretty easy, right? You just change
1278 @code{gnus-select-method} to point to the new server?
1282 Article numbers are not (in any way) kept synchronized between different
1283 @sc{nntp} servers, and the only way Gnus keeps track of what articles
1284 you have read is by keeping track of article numbers. So when you
1285 change @code{gnus-select-method}, your @file{.newsrc} file becomes
1288 Gnus provides a few functions to attempt to translate a @file{.newsrc}
1289 file from one server to another. They all have one thing in
1290 common---they take a looong time to run. You don't want to use these
1291 functions more than absolutely necessary.
1293 @kindex M-x gnus-change-server
1294 @findex gnus-change-server
1295 If you have access to both servers, Gnus can request the headers for all
1296 the articles you have read and compare @code{Message-ID}s and map the
1297 article numbers of the read articles and article marks. The @kbd{M-x
1298 gnus-change-server} command will do this for all your native groups. It
1299 will prompt for the method you want to move to.
1301 @kindex M-x gnus-group-move-group-to-server
1302 @findex gnus-group-move-group-to-server
1303 You can also move individual groups with the @kbd{M-x
1304 gnus-group-move-group-to-server} command. This is useful if you want to
1305 move a (foreign) group from one server to another.
1307 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1308 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1309 If you don't have access to both the old and new server, all your marks
1310 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use the @kbd{M-x
1311 gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups} command to clear out all data
1312 that you have on your native groups. Use with caution.
1314 After changing servers, you @strong{must} move the cache hierarchy away,
1315 since the cached articles will have wrong article numbers, which will
1316 affect which articles Gnus thinks are read.
1320 @section Startup Files
1321 @cindex startup files
1326 Now, you all know about the @file{.newsrc} file. All subscription
1327 information is traditionally stored in this file.
1329 Things got a bit more complicated with @sc{gnus}. In addition to
1330 keeping the @file{.newsrc} file updated, it also used a file called
1331 @file{.newsrc.el} for storing all the information that didn't fit into
1332 the @file{.newsrc} file. (Actually, it also duplicated everything in
1333 the @file{.newsrc} file.) @sc{gnus} would read whichever one of these
1334 files was the most recently saved, which enabled people to swap between
1335 @sc{gnus} and other newsreaders.
1337 That was kinda silly, so Gnus went one better: In addition to the
1338 @file{.newsrc} and @file{.newsrc.el} files, Gnus also has a file called
1339 @file{.newsrc.eld}. It will read whichever of these files that are most
1340 recent, but it will never write a @file{.newsrc.el} file. You should
1341 never delete the @file{.newsrc.eld} file---it contains much information
1342 not stored in the @file{.newsrc} file.
1344 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-file
1345 @vindex gnus-read-newsrc-file
1346 You can turn off writing the @file{.newsrc} file by setting
1347 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-file} to @code{nil}, which means you can delete
1348 the file and save some space, as well as exiting from Gnus faster.
1349 However, this will make it impossible to use other newsreaders than
1350 Gnus. But hey, who would want to, right? Similarly, setting
1351 @code{gnus-read-newsrc-file} to @code{nil} makes Gnus ignore the
1352 @file{.newsrc} file and any @file{.newsrc-SERVER} files, which is
1353 convenient if you have a tendency to use Netscape once in a while.
1355 @vindex gnus-save-killed-list
1356 If @code{gnus-save-killed-list} (default @code{t}) is @code{nil}, Gnus
1357 will not save the list of killed groups to the startup file. This will
1358 save both time (when starting and quitting) and space (on disk). It
1359 will also mean that Gnus has no record of what groups are new or old,
1360 so the automatic new groups subscription methods become meaningless.
1361 You should always set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil} or
1362 @code{ask-server} if you set this variable to @code{nil} (@pxref{New
1363 Groups}). This variable can also be a regular expression. If that's
1364 the case, remove all groups that do not match this regexp before
1365 saving. This can be useful in certain obscure situations that involve
1366 several servers where not all servers support @code{ask-server}.
1368 @vindex gnus-startup-file
1369 The @code{gnus-startup-file} variable says where the startup files are.
1370 The default value is @file{~/.newsrc}, with the Gnus (El Dingo) startup
1371 file being whatever that one is, with a @samp{.eld} appended.
1373 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-hook
1374 @vindex gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook
1375 @vindex gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook
1376 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-hook} is called before saving any of the newsrc
1377 files, while @code{gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook} is called just before
1378 saving the @file{.newsrc.eld} file, and
1379 @code{gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook} is called just before saving the
1380 @file{.newsrc} file. The latter two are commonly used to turn version
1381 control on or off. Version control is on by default when saving the
1382 startup files. If you want to turn backup creation off, say something like:
1385 (defun turn-off-backup ()
1386 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
1388 (add-hook 'gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
1389 (add-hook 'gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
1392 @vindex gnus-init-file
1393 When Gnus starts, it will read the @code{gnus-site-init-file}
1394 (@file{.../site-lisp/gnus} by default) and @code{gnus-init-file}
1395 (@file{~/.gnus} by default) files. These are normal Emacs Lisp files
1396 and can be used to avoid cluttering your @file{~/.emacs} and
1397 @file{site-init} files with Gnus stuff. Gnus will also check for files
1398 with the same names as these, but with @file{.elc} and @file{.el}
1399 suffixes. In other words, if you have set @code{gnus-init-file} to
1400 @file{~/.gnus}, it will look for @file{~/.gnus.elc}, @file{~/.gnus.el},
1401 and finally @file{~/.gnus} (in this order).
1407 @cindex dribble file
1410 Whenever you do something that changes the Gnus data (reading articles,
1411 catching up, killing/subscribing groups), the change is added to a
1412 special @dfn{dribble buffer}. This buffer is auto-saved the normal
1413 Emacs way. If your Emacs should crash before you have saved the
1414 @file{.newsrc} files, all changes you have made can be recovered from
1417 If Gnus detects this file at startup, it will ask the user whether to
1418 read it. The auto save file is deleted whenever the real startup file is
1421 @vindex gnus-use-dribble-file
1422 If @code{gnus-use-dribble-file} is @code{nil}, Gnus won't create and
1423 maintain a dribble buffer. The default is @code{t}.
1425 @vindex gnus-dribble-directory
1426 Gnus will put the dribble file(s) in @code{gnus-dribble-directory}. If
1427 this variable is @code{nil}, which it is by default, Gnus will dribble
1428 into the directory where the @file{.newsrc} file is located. (This is
1429 normally the user's home directory.) The dribble file will get the same
1430 file permissions as the @code{.newsrc} file.
1432 @vindex gnus-always-read-dribble-file
1433 If @code{gnus-always-read-dribble-file} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will
1434 read the dribble file on startup without querying the user.
1437 @node The Active File
1438 @section The Active File
1440 @cindex ignored groups
1442 When Gnus starts, or indeed whenever it tries to determine whether new
1443 articles have arrived, it reads the active file. This is a very large
1444 file that lists all the active groups and articles on the server.
1446 @vindex gnus-ignored-newsgroups
1447 Before examining the active file, Gnus deletes all lines that match the
1448 regexp @code{gnus-ignored-newsgroups}. This is done primarily to reject
1449 any groups with bogus names, but you can use this variable to make Gnus
1450 ignore hierarchies you aren't ever interested in. However, this is not
1451 recommended. In fact, it's highly discouraged. Instead, @pxref{New
1452 Groups} for an overview of other variables that can be used instead.
1455 @c @code{nil} by default, and will slow down active file handling somewhat
1456 @c if you set it to anything else.
1458 @vindex gnus-read-active-file
1460 The active file can be rather Huge, so if you have a slow network, you
1461 can set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{nil} to prevent Gnus from
1462 reading the active file. This variable is @code{some} by default.
1464 Gnus will try to make do by getting information just on the groups that
1465 you actually subscribe to.
1467 Note that if you subscribe to lots and lots of groups, setting this
1468 variable to @code{nil} will probably make Gnus slower, not faster. At
1469 present, having this variable @code{nil} will slow Gnus down
1470 considerably, unless you read news over a 2400 baud modem.
1472 This variable can also have the value @code{some}. Gnus will then
1473 attempt to read active info only on the subscribed groups. On some
1474 servers this is quite fast (on sparkling, brand new INN servers that
1475 support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command), on others this isn't fast
1476 at all. In any case, @code{some} should be faster than @code{nil}, and
1477 is certainly faster than @code{t} over slow lines.
1479 Some news servers (old versions of Leafnode and old versions of INN, for
1480 instance) do not support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group}. For these
1481 servers, @code{nil} is probably the most efficient value for this
1484 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will ask for group info in total
1485 lock-step, which isn't very fast. If it is @code{some} and you use an
1486 @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will pump out commands as fast as it can, and
1487 read all the replies in one swoop. This will normally result in better
1488 performance, but if the server does not support the aforementioned
1489 @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command, this isn't very nice to the server.
1491 If you think that starting up Gnus takes too long, try all the three
1492 different values for this variable and see what works best for you.
1494 In any case, if you use @code{some} or @code{nil}, you should definitely
1495 kill all groups that you aren't interested in to speed things up.
1497 Note that this variable also affects active file retrieval from
1498 secondary select methods.
1501 @node Startup Variables
1502 @section Startup Variables
1506 @item gnus-load-hook
1507 @vindex gnus-load-hook
1508 A hook run while Gnus is being loaded. Note that this hook will
1509 normally be run just once in each Emacs session, no matter how many
1510 times you start Gnus.
1512 @item gnus-before-startup-hook
1513 @vindex gnus-before-startup-hook
1514 A hook run after starting up Gnus successfully.
1516 @item gnus-startup-hook
1517 @vindex gnus-startup-hook
1518 A hook run as the very last thing after starting up Gnus
1520 @item gnus-started-hook
1521 @vindex gnus-started-hook
1522 A hook that is run as the very last thing after starting up Gnus
1525 @item gnus-setup-news-hook
1526 @vindex gnus-setup-news-hook
1527 A hook that is run after reading the @file{.newsrc} file(s), but before
1528 generating the group buffer.
1530 @item gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1531 @vindex gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1532 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will check for and delete all bogus groups at
1533 startup. A @dfn{bogus group} is a group that you have in your
1534 @file{.newsrc} file, but doesn't exist on the news server. Checking for
1535 bogus groups can take quite a while, so to save time and resources it's
1536 best to leave this option off, and do the checking for bogus groups once
1537 in a while from the group buffer instead (@pxref{Group Maintenance}).
1539 @item gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1540 @vindex gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1541 If non-@code{nil}, the startup message won't be displayed. That way,
1542 your boss might not notice as easily that you are reading news instead
1543 of doing your job. Note that this variable is used before
1544 @file{.gnus.el} is loaded, so it should be set in @code{.emacs} instead.
1546 @item gnus-no-groups-message
1547 @vindex gnus-no-groups-message
1548 Message displayed by Gnus when no groups are available.
1550 @item gnus-play-startup-jingle
1551 @vindex gnus-play-startup-jingle
1552 If non-@code{nil}, play the Gnus jingle at startup.
1554 @item gnus-startup-jingle
1555 @vindex gnus-startup-jingle
1556 Jingle to be played if the above variable is non-@code{nil}. The
1557 default is @samp{Tuxedomoon.Jingle4.au}.
1562 @node The Group Buffer
1563 @chapter The Group Buffer
1564 @cindex group buffer
1566 The @dfn{group buffer} lists all (or parts) of the available groups. It
1567 is the first buffer shown when Gnus starts, and will never be killed as
1568 long as Gnus is active.
1572 \gnusfigure{The Group Buffer}{320}{
1573 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=tmp/group.ps,height=9cm}}
1574 \put(120,37){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Buffer name}}
1575 \put(120,38){\vector(1,2){10}}
1576 \put(40,60){\makebox(0,0)[r]{Mode line}}
1577 \put(40,58){\vector(1,0){30}}
1578 \put(200,28){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Native select method}}
1579 \put(200,26){\vector(-1,2){15}}
1585 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
1586 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
1587 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
1588 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
1589 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
1590 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
1591 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
1592 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
1593 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
1594 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
1595 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
1596 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
1597 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
1598 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
1599 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
1600 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
1601 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
1605 @node Group Buffer Format
1606 @section Group Buffer Format
1609 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
1610 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
1611 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
1615 @node Group Line Specification
1616 @subsection Group Line Specification
1617 @cindex group buffer format
1619 The default format of the group buffer is nice and dull, but you can
1620 make it as exciting and ugly as you feel like.
1622 Here's a couple of example group lines:
1625 25: news.announce.newusers
1626 * 0: alt.fan.andrea-dworkin
1631 You can see that there are 25 unread articles in
1632 @samp{news.announce.newusers}. There are no unread articles, but some
1633 ticked articles, in @samp{alt.fan.andrea-dworkin} (see that little
1634 asterisk at the beginning of the line?).
1636 @vindex gnus-group-line-format
1637 You can change that format to whatever you want by fiddling with the
1638 @code{gnus-group-line-format} variable. This variable works along the
1639 lines of a @code{format} specification, which is pretty much the same as
1640 a @code{printf} specifications, for those of you who use (feh!) C.
1641 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
1643 @samp{%M%S%5y: %(%g%)\n} is the value that produced those lines above.
1645 There should always be a colon on the line; the cursor always moves to
1646 the colon after performing an operation. Nothing else is required---not
1647 even the group name. All displayed text is just window dressing, and is
1648 never examined by Gnus. Gnus stores all real information it needs using
1651 (Note that if you make a really strange, wonderful, spreadsheet-like
1652 layout, everybody will believe you are hard at work with the accounting
1653 instead of wasting time reading news.)
1655 Here's a list of all available format characters:
1660 An asterisk if the group only has marked articles.
1663 Whether the group is subscribed.
1666 Level of subscribedness.
1669 Number of unread articles.
1672 Number of dormant articles.
1675 Number of ticked articles.
1678 Number of read articles.
1681 Estimated total number of articles. (This is really @var{max-number}
1682 minus @var{min-number} plus 1.)
1685 Number of unread, unticked, non-dormant articles.
1688 Number of ticked and dormant articles.
1697 Newsgroup description.
1700 @samp{m} if moderated.
1703 @samp{(m)} if moderated.
1712 A string that looks like @samp{<%s:%n>} if a foreign select method is
1716 Indentation based on the level of the topic (@pxref{Group Topics}).
1719 @vindex gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels
1720 Short (collapsed) group name. The @code{gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels}
1721 variable says how many levels to leave at the end of the group name.
1722 The default is 1---this will mean that group names like
1723 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} will be shortened to @samp{g.e.gnus}.
1726 @vindex gnus-new-mail-mark
1728 @samp{%} (@code{gnus-new-mail-mark}) if there has arrived new mail to
1732 @samp{#} (@code{gnus-process-mark}) if the group is process marked.
1735 A string that says when you last read the group (@pxref{Group
1739 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
1740 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
1741 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
1742 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed a single dummy
1743 parameter as argument. The function should return a string, which will
1744 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
1749 All the ``number-of'' specs will be filled with an asterisk (@samp{*})
1750 if no info is available---for instance, if it is a non-activated foreign
1751 group, or a bogus native group.
1754 @node Group Modeline Specification
1755 @subsection Group Modeline Specification
1756 @cindex group modeline
1758 @vindex gnus-group-mode-line-format
1759 The mode line can be changed by setting
1760 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
1761 doesn't understand that many format specifiers:
1765 The native news server.
1767 The native select method.
1771 @node Group Highlighting
1772 @subsection Group Highlighting
1773 @cindex highlighting
1774 @cindex group highlighting
1776 @vindex gnus-group-highlight
1777 Highlighting in the group buffer is controlled by the
1778 @code{gnus-group-highlight} variable. This is an alist with elements
1779 that look like @code{(@var{form} . @var{face})}. If @var{form} evaluates to
1780 something non-@code{nil}, the @var{face} will be used on the line.
1782 Here's an example value for this variable that might look nice if the
1786 (cond (window-system
1787 (setq custom-background-mode 'light)
1788 (defface my-group-face-1
1789 '((t (:foreground "Red" :bold t))) "First group face")
1790 (defface my-group-face-2
1791 '((t (:foreground "DarkSeaGreen4" :bold t))) "Second group face")
1792 (defface my-group-face-3
1793 '((t (:foreground "Green4" :bold t))) "Third group face")
1794 (defface my-group-face-4
1795 '((t (:foreground "SteelBlue" :bold t))) "Fourth group face")
1796 (defface my-group-face-5
1797 '((t (:foreground "Blue" :bold t))) "Fifth group face")))
1799 (setq gnus-group-highlight
1800 '(((> unread 200) . my-group-face-1)
1801 ((and (< level 3) (zerop unread)) . my-group-face-2)
1802 ((< level 3) . my-group-face-3)
1803 ((zerop unread) . my-group-face-4)
1804 (t . my-group-face-5)))
1807 Also @pxref{Faces and Fonts}.
1809 Variables that are dynamically bound when the forms are evaluated
1816 The number of unread articles in the group.
1820 Whether the group is a mail group.
1822 The level of the group.
1824 The score of the group.
1826 The number of ticked articles in the group.
1828 The total number of articles in the group. Or rather, MAX-NUMBER minus
1829 MIN-NUMBER plus one.
1831 When using the topic minor mode, this variable is bound to the current
1832 topic being inserted.
1835 When the forms are @code{eval}ed, point is at the beginning of the line
1836 of the group in question, so you can use many of the normal Gnus
1837 functions for snarfing info on the group.
1839 @vindex gnus-group-update-hook
1840 @findex gnus-group-highlight-line
1841 @code{gnus-group-update-hook} is called when a group line is changed.
1842 It will not be called when @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}. This hook
1843 calls @code{gnus-group-highlight-line} by default.
1846 @node Group Maneuvering
1847 @section Group Maneuvering
1848 @cindex group movement
1850 All movement commands understand the numeric prefix and will behave as
1851 expected, hopefully.
1857 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
1858 Go to the next group that has unread articles
1859 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group}).
1865 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
1866 Go to the previous group that has unread articles
1867 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group}).
1871 @findex gnus-group-next-group
1872 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
1876 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
1877 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
1881 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level
1882 Go to the next unread group on the same (or lower) level
1883 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level}).
1887 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level
1888 Go to the previous unread group on the same (or lower) level
1889 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level}).
1892 Three commands for jumping to groups:
1898 @findex gnus-group-jump-to-group
1899 Jump to a group (and make it visible if it isn't already)
1900 (@code{gnus-group-jump-to-group}). Killed groups can be jumped to, just
1905 @findex gnus-group-best-unread-group
1906 Jump to the unread group with the lowest level
1907 (@code{gnus-group-best-unread-group}).
1911 @findex gnus-group-first-unread-group
1912 Jump to the first group with unread articles
1913 (@code{gnus-group-first-unread-group}).
1916 @vindex gnus-group-goto-unread
1917 If @code{gnus-group-goto-unread} is @code{nil}, all the movement
1918 commands will move to the next group, not the next unread group. Even
1919 the commands that say they move to the next unread group. The default
1923 @node Selecting a Group
1924 @section Selecting a Group
1925 @cindex group selection
1930 @kindex SPACE (Group)
1931 @findex gnus-group-read-group
1932 Select the current group, switch to the summary buffer and display the
1933 first unread article (@code{gnus-group-read-group}). If there are no
1934 unread articles in the group, or if you give a non-numerical prefix to
1935 this command, Gnus will offer to fetch all the old articles in this
1936 group from the server. If you give a numerical prefix @var{N}, @var{N}
1937 determines the number of articles Gnus will fetch. If @var{N} is
1938 positive, Gnus fetches the @var{N} newest articles, if @var{N} is
1939 negative, Gnus fetches the @code{abs(@var{N})} oldest articles.
1941 Thus, @kbd{SPC} enters the group normally, @kbd{C-u SPC} offers old
1942 articles, @kbd{C-u 4 2 SPC} fetches the 42 newest articles, and @kbd{C-u
1943 - 4 2 SPC} fetches the 42 oldest ones.
1945 When you are in the group (in the Summary buffer), you can type
1946 @kbd{M-g} to fetch new articles, or @kbd{C-u M-g} to also show the old
1951 @findex gnus-group-select-group
1952 Select the current group and switch to the summary buffer
1953 (@code{gnus-group-select-group}). Takes the same arguments as
1954 @code{gnus-group-read-group}---the only difference is that this command
1955 does not display the first unread article automatically upon group
1959 @kindex M-RET (Group)
1960 @findex gnus-group-quick-select-group
1961 This does the same as the command above, but tries to do it with the
1962 minimum amount of fuzz (@code{gnus-group-quick-select-group}). No
1963 scoring/killing will be performed, there will be no highlights and no
1964 expunging. This might be useful if you're in a real hurry and have to
1965 enter some humongous group. If you give a 0 prefix to this command
1966 (i.e., @kbd{0 M-RET}), Gnus won't even generate the summary buffer,
1967 which is useful if you want to toggle threading before generating the
1968 summary buffer (@pxref{Summary Generation Commands}).
1971 @kindex M-SPACE (Group)
1972 @findex gnus-group-visible-select-group
1973 This is yet one more command that does the same as the @kbd{RET}
1974 command, but this one does it without expunging and hiding dormants
1975 (@code{gnus-group-visible-select-group}).
1978 @kindex M-C-RET (Group)
1979 @findex gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally
1980 Finally, this command selects the current group ephemerally without
1981 doing any processing of its contents
1982 (@code{gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally}). Even threading has been
1983 turned off. Everything you do in the group after selecting it in this
1984 manner will have no permanent effects.
1988 @vindex gnus-large-newsgroup
1989 The @code{gnus-large-newsgroup} variable says what Gnus should consider
1990 to be a big group. This is 200 by default. If the group has more
1991 (unread and/or ticked) articles than this, Gnus will query the user
1992 before entering the group. The user can then specify how many articles
1993 should be fetched from the server. If the user specifies a negative
1994 number (@code{-n}), the @code{n} oldest articles will be fetched. If it
1995 is positive, the @code{n} articles that have arrived most recently will
1998 @vindex gnus-select-group-hook
1999 @vindex gnus-auto-select-first
2000 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} control whether any articles are selected
2001 automatically when entering a group with the @kbd{SPACE} command.
2006 Don't select any articles when entering the group. Just display the
2007 full summary buffer.
2010 Select the first unread article when entering the group.
2013 Select the highest scored article in the group when entering the
2018 This variable can also be a function. In that case, that function will
2019 be called to place point on a subject line, and/or select some article.
2020 Useful functions include:
2023 @item gnus-summary-first-unread-subject
2024 Place point on the subject line of the first unread article, but
2025 don't select the article.
2027 @item gnus-summary-first-unread-article
2028 Select the first unread article.
2030 @item gnus-summary-best-unread-article
2031 Select the highest-scored unread article.
2035 If you want to prevent automatic selection in some group (say, in a
2036 binary group with Huge articles) you can set this variable to @code{nil}
2037 in @code{gnus-select-group-hook}, which is called when a group is
2041 @node Subscription Commands
2042 @section Subscription Commands
2043 @cindex subscription
2051 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
2052 @c @icon{gnus-group-unsubscribe}
2053 Toggle subscription to the current group
2054 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group}).
2060 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-group
2061 Prompt for a group to subscribe, and then subscribe it. If it was
2062 subscribed already, unsubscribe it instead
2063 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-group}).
2069 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
2070 @c @icon{gnus-group-kill-group}
2071 Kill the current group (@code{gnus-group-kill-group}).
2077 @findex gnus-group-yank-group
2078 Yank the last killed group (@code{gnus-group-yank-group}).
2081 @kindex C-x C-t (Group)
2082 @findex gnus-group-transpose-groups
2083 Transpose two groups (@code{gnus-group-transpose-groups}). This isn't
2084 really a subscription command, but you can use it instead of a
2085 kill-and-yank sequence sometimes.
2091 @findex gnus-group-kill-region
2092 Kill all groups in the region (@code{gnus-group-kill-region}).
2096 @findex gnus-group-kill-all-zombies
2097 Kill all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-kill-all-zombies}).
2100 @kindex S C-k (Group)
2101 @findex gnus-group-kill-level
2102 Kill all groups on a certain level (@code{gnus-group-kill-level}).
2103 These groups can't be yanked back after killing, so this command should
2104 be used with some caution. The only time where this command comes in
2105 really handy is when you have a @file{.newsrc} with lots of unsubscribed
2106 groups that you want to get rid off. @kbd{S C-k} on level 7 will
2107 kill off all unsubscribed groups that do not have message numbers in the
2108 @file{.newsrc} file.
2112 Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
2122 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current
2123 @vindex gnus-group-catchup-group-hook
2124 @c @icon{gnus-group-catchup-current}
2125 Mark all unticked articles in this group as read
2126 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current}).
2127 @code{gnus-group-catchup-group-hook} is called when catching up a group from
2132 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current-all
2133 Mark all articles in this group, even the ticked ones, as read
2134 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current-all}).
2138 @findex gnus-group-clear-data
2139 Clear the data from the current group---nix out marks and the list of
2140 read articles (@code{gnus-group-clear-data}).
2142 @item M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2143 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2144 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2145 If you have switched from one @sc{nntp} server to another, all your marks
2146 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use this command to
2147 clear out all data that you have on your native groups. Use with
2154 @section Group Levels
2158 All groups have a level of @dfn{subscribedness}. For instance, if a
2159 group is on level 2, it is more subscribed than a group on level 5. You
2160 can ask Gnus to just list groups on a given level or lower
2161 (@pxref{Listing Groups}), or to just check for new articles in groups on
2162 a given level or lower (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
2164 Remember: The higher the level of the group, the less important it is.
2170 @findex gnus-group-set-current-level
2171 Set the level of the current group. If a numeric prefix is given, the
2172 next @var{n} groups will have their levels set. The user will be
2173 prompted for a level.
2176 @vindex gnus-level-killed
2177 @vindex gnus-level-zombie
2178 @vindex gnus-level-unsubscribed
2179 @vindex gnus-level-subscribed
2180 Gnus considers groups from levels 1 to
2181 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (inclusive) (default 5) to be subscribed,
2182 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (exclusive) and
2183 @code{gnus-level-unsubscribed} (inclusive) (default 7) to be
2184 unsubscribed, @code{gnus-level-zombie} to be zombies (walking dead)
2185 (default 8) and @code{gnus-level-killed} to be killed (completely dead)
2186 (default 9). Gnus treats subscribed and unsubscribed groups exactly the
2187 same, but zombie and killed groups have no information on what articles
2188 you have read, etc, stored. This distinction between dead and living
2189 groups isn't done because it is nice or clever, it is done purely for
2190 reasons of efficiency.
2192 It is recommended that you keep all your mail groups (if any) on quite
2193 low levels (e.g. 1 or 2).
2195 Maybe the following description of the default behavior of Gnus helps to
2196 understand what these levels are all about. By default, Gnus shows you
2197 subscribed nonempty groups, but by hitting @kbd{L} you can have it show
2198 empty subscribed groups and unsubscribed groups, too. Type @kbd{l} to
2199 go back to showing nonempty subscribed groups again. Thus, unsubscribed
2200 groups are hidden, in a way.
2202 Zombie and killed groups are similar to unsubscribed groups in that they
2203 are hidden by default. But they are different from subscribed and
2204 unsubscribed groups in that Gnus doesn't ask the news server for
2205 information (number of messages, number of unread messages) on zombie
2206 and killed groups. Normally, you use @kbd{C-k} to kill the groups you
2207 aren't interested in. If most groups are killed, Gnus is faster.
2209 Why does Gnus distinguish between zombie and killed groups? Well, when
2210 a new group arrives on the server, Gnus by default makes it a zombie
2211 group. This means that you are normally not bothered with new groups,
2212 but you can type @kbd{A z} to get a list of all new groups. Subscribe
2213 the ones you like and kill the ones you don't want. (@kbd{A k} shows a
2214 list of killed groups.)
2216 If you want to play with the level variables, you should show some care.
2217 Set them once, and don't touch them ever again. Better yet, don't touch
2218 them at all unless you know exactly what you're doing.
2220 @vindex gnus-level-default-unsubscribed
2221 @vindex gnus-level-default-subscribed
2222 Two closely related variables are @code{gnus-level-default-subscribed}
2223 (default 3) and @code{gnus-level-default-unsubscribed} (default 6),
2224 which are the levels that new groups will be put on if they are
2225 (un)subscribed. These two variables should, of course, be inside the
2226 relevant valid ranges.
2228 @vindex gnus-keep-same-level
2229 If @code{gnus-keep-same-level} is non-@code{nil}, some movement commands
2230 will only move to groups of the same level (or lower). In
2231 particular, going from the last article in one group to the next group
2232 will go to the next group of the same level (or lower). This might be
2233 handy if you want to read the most important groups before you read the
2236 If this variable is @code{best}, Gnus will make the next newsgroup the
2237 one with the best level.
2239 @vindex gnus-group-default-list-level
2240 All groups with a level less than or equal to
2241 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level} will be listed in the group buffer
2244 @vindex gnus-group-list-inactive-groups
2245 If @code{gnus-group-list-inactive-groups} is non-@code{nil}, non-active
2246 groups will be listed along with the unread groups. This variable is
2247 @code{t} by default. If it is @code{nil}, inactive groups won't be
2250 @vindex gnus-group-use-permanent-levels
2251 If @code{gnus-group-use-permanent-levels} is non-@code{nil}, once you
2252 give a level prefix to @kbd{g} or @kbd{l}, all subsequent commands will
2253 use this level as the ``work'' level.
2255 @vindex gnus-activate-level
2256 Gnus will normally just activate (i. e., query the server about) groups
2257 on level @code{gnus-activate-level} or less. If you don't want to
2258 activate unsubscribed groups, for instance, you might set this variable
2259 to 5. The default is 6.
2263 @section Group Score
2268 You would normally keep important groups on high levels, but that scheme
2269 is somewhat restrictive. Don't you wish you could have Gnus sort the
2270 group buffer according to how often you read groups, perhaps? Within
2273 This is what @dfn{group score} is for. You can have Gnus assign a score
2274 to each group through the mechanism described below. You can then sort
2275 the group buffer based on this score. Alternatively, you can sort on
2276 score and then level. (Taken together, the level and the score is
2277 called the @dfn{rank} of the group. A group that is on level 4 and has
2278 a score of 1 has a higher rank than a group on level 5 that has a score
2279 of 300. (The level is the most significant part and the score is the
2280 least significant part.))
2282 @findex gnus-summary-bubble-group
2283 If you want groups you read often to get higher scores than groups you
2284 read seldom you can add the @code{gnus-summary-bubble-group} function to
2285 the @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} hook. This will result (after
2286 sorting) in a bubbling sort of action. If you want to see that in
2287 action after each summary exit, you can add
2288 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank} or
2289 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score} to the same hook, but that will
2290 slow things down somewhat.
2293 @node Marking Groups
2294 @section Marking Groups
2295 @cindex marking groups
2297 If you want to perform some command on several groups, and they appear
2298 subsequently in the group buffer, you would normally just give a
2299 numerical prefix to the command. Most group commands will then do your
2300 bidding on those groups.
2302 However, if the groups are not in sequential order, you can still
2303 perform a command on several groups. You simply mark the groups first
2304 with the process mark and then execute the command.
2312 @findex gnus-group-mark-group
2313 Set the mark on the current group (@code{gnus-group-mark-group}).
2319 @findex gnus-group-unmark-group
2320 Remove the mark from the current group
2321 (@code{gnus-group-unmark-group}).
2325 @findex gnus-group-unmark-all-groups
2326 Remove the mark from all groups (@code{gnus-group-unmark-all-groups}).
2330 @findex gnus-group-mark-region
2331 Mark all groups between point and mark (@code{gnus-group-mark-region}).
2335 @findex gnus-group-mark-buffer
2336 Mark all groups in the buffer (@code{gnus-group-mark-buffer}).
2340 @findex gnus-group-mark-regexp
2341 Mark all groups that match some regular expression
2342 (@code{gnus-group-mark-regexp}).
2345 Also @pxref{Process/Prefix}.
2347 @findex gnus-group-universal-argument
2348 If you want to execute some command on all groups that have been marked
2349 with the process mark, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
2350 (@code{gnus-group-universal-argument}) command. It will prompt you for
2351 the command to be executed.
2354 @node Foreign Groups
2355 @section Foreign Groups
2356 @cindex foreign groups
2358 Below are some group mode commands for making and editing general foreign
2359 groups, as well as commands to ease the creation of a few
2360 special-purpose groups. All these commands insert the newly created
2361 groups under point---@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} is not
2368 @findex gnus-group-make-group
2369 @cindex making groups
2370 Make a new group (@code{gnus-group-make-group}). Gnus will prompt you
2371 for a name, a method and possibly an @dfn{address}. For an easier way
2372 to subscribe to @sc{nntp} groups, @pxref{Browse Foreign Server}.
2376 @findex gnus-group-rename-group
2377 @cindex renaming groups
2378 Rename the current group to something else
2379 (@code{gnus-group-rename-group}). This is valid only on some
2380 groups---mail groups mostly. This command might very well be quite slow
2386 @findex gnus-group-customize
2387 Customize the group parameters (@code{gnus-group-customize}).
2391 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-method
2392 @cindex renaming groups
2393 Enter a buffer where you can edit the select method of the current
2394 group (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-method}).
2398 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-parameters
2399 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group parameters
2400 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-parameters}).
2404 @findex gnus-group-edit-group
2405 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group info
2406 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group}).
2410 @findex gnus-group-make-directory-group
2412 Make a directory group (@pxref{Directory Groups}). You will be prompted
2413 for a directory name (@code{gnus-group-make-directory-group}).
2418 @findex gnus-group-make-help-group
2419 Make the Gnus help group (@code{gnus-group-make-help-group}).
2423 @cindex (ding) archive
2424 @cindex archive group
2425 @findex gnus-group-make-archive-group
2426 @vindex gnus-group-archive-directory
2427 @vindex gnus-group-recent-archive-directory
2428 Make a Gnus archive group (@code{gnus-group-make-archive-group}). By
2429 default a group pointing to the most recent articles will be created
2430 (@code{gnus-group-recent-archive-directory}), but given a prefix, a full
2431 group will be created from @code{gnus-group-archive-directory}.
2435 @findex gnus-group-make-kiboze-group
2437 Make a kiboze group. You will be prompted for a name, for a regexp to
2438 match groups to be ``included'' in the kiboze group, and a series of
2439 strings to match on headers (@code{gnus-group-make-kiboze-group}).
2440 @xref{Kibozed Groups}.
2444 @findex gnus-group-enter-directory
2446 Read an arbitrary directory as if it were a newsgroup with the
2447 @code{nneething} backend (@code{gnus-group-enter-directory}).
2448 @xref{Anything Groups}.
2452 @findex gnus-group-make-doc-group
2453 @cindex ClariNet Briefs
2455 Make a group based on some file or other
2456 (@code{gnus-group-make-doc-group}). If you give a prefix to this
2457 command, you will be prompted for a file name and a file type.
2458 Currently supported types are @code{babyl}, @code{mbox}, @code{digest},
2459 @code{mmdf}, @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{clari-briefs},
2460 @code{rfc934}, @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{nsmail} and @code{forward}.
2461 If you run this command without a prefix, Gnus will guess at the file
2462 type. @xref{Document Groups}.
2466 @vindex gnus-useful-groups
2467 @findex gnus-group-make-useful-group
2468 Create one of the groups mentioned in @code{gnus-useful-groups}
2469 (@code{gnus-group-make-useful-group}).
2473 @findex gnus-group-make-web-group
2478 Make an ephemeral group based on a web search
2479 (@code{gnus-group-make-web-group}). If you give a prefix to this
2480 command, make a solid group instead. You will be prompted for the
2481 search engine type and the search string. Valid search engine types
2482 include @code{dejanews}, @code{altavista} and @code{reference}.
2483 @xref{Web Searches}.
2485 If you use the @code{dejanews} search engine, you can limit the search
2486 to a particular group by using a match string like
2487 @samp{~g alt.sysadmin.recovery shaving}.
2490 @kindex G DEL (Group)
2491 @findex gnus-group-delete-group
2492 This function will delete the current group
2493 (@code{gnus-group-delete-group}). If given a prefix, this function will
2494 actually delete all the articles in the group, and forcibly remove the
2495 group itself from the face of the Earth. Use a prefix only if you are
2496 absolutely sure of what you are doing. This command can't be used on
2497 read-only groups (like @code{nntp} group), though.
2501 @findex gnus-group-make-empty-virtual
2502 Make a new, fresh, empty @code{nnvirtual} group
2503 (@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}). @xref{Virtual Groups}.
2507 @findex gnus-group-add-to-virtual
2508 Add the current group to an @code{nnvirtual} group
2509 (@code{gnus-group-add-to-virtual}). Uses the process/prefix convention.
2512 @xref{Select Methods}, for more information on the various select
2515 @vindex gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups
2516 If @code{gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups} is a positive number,
2517 Gnus will check all foreign groups with this level or lower at startup.
2518 This might take quite a while, especially if you subscribe to lots of
2519 groups from different @sc{nntp} servers. Also @pxref{Group Levels};
2520 @code{gnus-activate-level} also affects activation of foreign
2524 @node Group Parameters
2525 @section Group Parameters
2526 @cindex group parameters
2528 The group parameters store information local to a particular group.
2529 Here's an example group parameter list:
2532 ((to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")
2536 We see that each element consists of a "dotted pair"---the thing before
2537 the dot is the key, while the thing after the dot is the value. All the
2538 parameters have this form @emph{except} local variable specs, which are
2539 not dotted pairs, but proper lists.
2541 Some parameters have correspondant customizable variables, each of which
2542 is an alist of regexps and values.
2544 The following group parameters can be used:
2549 Address used by when doing followups and new posts.
2552 (to-address . "some@@where.com")
2555 This is primarily useful in mail groups that represent closed mailing
2556 lists---mailing lists where it's expected that everybody that writes to
2557 the mailing list is subscribed to it. Since using this parameter
2558 ensures that the mail only goes to the mailing list itself, it means
2559 that members won't receive two copies of your followups.
2561 Using @code{to-address} will actually work whether the group is foreign
2562 or not. Let's say there's a group on the server that is called
2563 @samp{fa.4ad-l}. This is a real newsgroup, but the server has gotten
2564 the articles from a mail-to-news gateway. Posting directly to this
2565 group is therefore impossible---you have to send mail to the mailing
2566 list address instead.
2568 See also @code{gnus-parameter-to-address-alist}.
2572 Address used when doing @kbd{a} in that group.
2575 (to-list . "some@@where.com")
2578 It is totally ignored
2579 when doing a followup---except that if it is present in a news group,
2580 you'll get mail group semantics when doing @kbd{f}.
2582 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you have neither a
2583 @code{to-list} group parameter nor a @code{to-address} group parameter,
2584 then a @code{to-list} group parameter will be added automatically upon
2585 sending the message if @code{gnus-add-to-list} is set to @code{t}.
2586 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
2588 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you don't have a
2589 @code{to-list} group parameter, one will be added automatically upon
2590 sending the message.
2592 See also @code{gnus-parameter-to-list-alist}.
2596 If the group parameter list has the element @code{(visible . t)},
2597 that group will always be visible in the Group buffer, regardless
2598 of whether it has any unread articles.
2600 @item broken-reply-to
2601 @cindex broken-reply-to
2602 Elements like @code{(broken-reply-to . t)} signals that @code{Reply-To}
2603 headers in this group are to be ignored. This can be useful if you're
2604 reading a mailing list group where the listserv has inserted
2605 @code{Reply-To} headers that point back to the listserv itself. This is
2606 broken behavior. So there!
2610 Elements like @code{(to-group . "some.group.name")} means that all
2611 posts in that group will be sent to @code{some.group.name}.
2615 If you have @code{(newsgroup . t)} in the group parameter list, Gnus
2616 will treat all responses as if they were responses to news articles.
2617 This can be useful if you have a mail group that's really a mirror of a
2622 If @code{(gcc-self . t)} is present in the group parameter list, newly
2623 composed messages will be @code{Gcc}'d to the current group. If
2624 @code{(gcc-self . none)} is present, no @code{Gcc:} header will be
2625 generated, if @code{(gcc-self . "string")} is present, this string will
2626 be inserted literally as a @code{gcc} header. This parameter takes
2627 precedence over any default @code{Gcc} rules as described later
2628 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
2632 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(auto-expire
2633 . t)}, all articles read will be marked as expirable. For an
2634 alternative approach, @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
2636 See also @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups}.
2639 @cindex total-expire
2640 If the group parameter has an element that looks like
2641 @code{(total-expire . t)}, all read articles will be put through the
2642 expiry process, even if they are not marked as expirable. Use with
2643 caution. Unread, ticked and dormant articles are not eligible for
2646 See also @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups}.
2650 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
2651 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(expiry-wait
2652 . 10)}, this value will override any @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} and
2653 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} when expiring expirable messages.
2654 The value can either be a number of days (not necessarily an integer) or
2655 the symbols @code{never} or @code{immediate}.
2658 @cindex score file group parameter
2659 Elements that look like @code{(score-file . "file")} will make
2660 @file{file} into the current score file for the group in question. All
2661 interactive score entries will be put into this file.
2664 @cindex adapt file group parameter
2665 Elements that look like @code{(adapt-file . "file")} will make
2666 @file{file} into the current adaptive file for the group in question.
2667 All adaptive score entries will be put into this file.
2670 When unsubscribing from a mailing list you should never send the
2671 unsubscription notice to the mailing list itself. Instead, you'd send
2672 messages to the administrative address. This parameter allows you to
2673 put the admin address somewhere convenient.
2676 Elements that look like @code{(display . MODE)} say which articles to
2677 display on entering the group. Valid values are:
2681 Display all articles, both read and unread.
2684 Display the default visible articles, which normally includes unread and
2689 Elements that look like @code{(comment . "This is a comment")}
2690 are arbitrary comments on the group. They are currently ignored by
2691 Gnus, but provide a place for you to store information on particular
2695 Elements that look like @code{(charset . iso-8859-1)} will make
2696 @code{iso-8859-1} the default charset; that is, the charset that will be
2697 used for all articles that do not specify a charset.
2699 See also @code{gnus-group-charset-alist}.
2701 @item ignored-charsets
2702 Elements that look like @code{(ignored-charsets x-known iso-8859-1)}
2703 will make @code{iso-8859-1} and @code{x-unknown} ignored; that is, the
2704 default charset will be used for decoding articles.
2706 See also @code{gnus-group-ignored-charsets-alist}.
2709 You can store additional posting style information for this group only
2710 here (@pxref{Posting Styles}). The format is that of an entry in the
2711 @code{gnus-posting-styles} alist, except that there's no regexp matching
2712 the group name (of course). Style elements in this group parameter will
2713 take precedence over the ones found in @code{gnus-posting-styles}.
2715 For instance, if you want a funky name and signature in this group only,
2716 instead of hacking @code{gnus-posting-styles}, you could put something
2717 like this in the group parameters:
2722 (signature "Funky Signature"))
2726 An item like @code{(banner . "regex")} causes any part of an article
2727 that matches the regular expression "regex" to be stripped. Instead of
2728 "regex", you can also use the symbol @code{signature} which strips the
2729 last signature or any of the elements of the alist
2730 @code{gnus-article-banner-alist}.
2732 @item (@var{variable} @var{form})
2733 You can use the group parameters to set variables local to the group you
2734 are entering. If you want to turn threading off in @samp{news.answers},
2735 you could put @code{(gnus-show-threads nil)} in the group parameters of
2736 that group. @code{gnus-show-threads} will be made into a local variable
2737 in the summary buffer you enter, and the form @code{nil} will be
2738 @code{eval}ed there.
2740 This can also be used as a group-specific hook function, if you'd like.
2741 If you want to hear a beep when you enter a group, you could put
2742 something like @code{(dummy-variable (ding))} in the parameters of that
2743 group. @code{dummy-variable} will be set to the result of the
2744 @code{(ding)} form, but who cares?
2748 Use the @kbd{G p} or the @kbd{G c} command to edit group parameters of a
2749 group. (@kbd{G p} presents you with a Lisp-based interface, @kbd{G c}
2750 presents you with a Customize-like interface. The latter helps avoid
2751 silly Lisp errors.) You might also be interested in reading about topic
2752 parameters (@pxref{Topic Parameters}).
2755 @node Listing Groups
2756 @section Listing Groups
2757 @cindex group listing
2759 These commands all list various slices of the groups available.
2767 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
2768 List all groups that have unread articles
2769 (@code{gnus-group-list-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used, this
2770 command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default, it
2771 only lists groups of level five (i. e.,
2772 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level}) or lower (i.e., just subscribed
2779 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
2780 List all groups, whether they have unread articles or not
2781 (@code{gnus-group-list-all-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used,
2782 this command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default,
2783 it lists groups of level seven or lower (i.e., just subscribed and
2784 unsubscribed groups).
2788 @findex gnus-group-list-level
2789 List all unread groups on a specific level
2790 (@code{gnus-group-list-level}). If given a prefix, also list the groups
2791 with no unread articles.
2795 @findex gnus-group-list-killed
2796 List all killed groups (@code{gnus-group-list-killed}). If given a
2797 prefix argument, really list all groups that are available, but aren't
2798 currently (un)subscribed. This could entail reading the active file
2803 @findex gnus-group-list-zombies
2804 List all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-list-zombies}).
2808 @findex gnus-group-list-matching
2809 List all unread, subscribed groups with names that match a regexp
2810 (@code{gnus-group-list-matching}).
2814 @findex gnus-group-list-all-matching
2815 List groups that match a regexp (@code{gnus-group-list-all-matching}).
2819 @findex gnus-group-list-active
2820 List absolutely all groups in the active file(s) of the
2821 server(s) you are connected to (@code{gnus-group-list-active}). This
2822 might very well take quite a while. It might actually be a better idea
2823 to do a @kbd{A M} to list all matching, and just give @samp{.} as the
2824 thing to match on. Also note that this command may list groups that
2825 don't exist (yet)---these will be listed as if they were killed groups.
2826 Take the output with some grains of salt.
2830 @findex gnus-group-apropos
2831 List all groups that have names that match a regexp
2832 (@code{gnus-group-apropos}).
2836 @findex gnus-group-description-apropos
2837 List all groups that have names or descriptions that match a regexp
2838 (@code{gnus-group-description-apropos}).
2842 @findex gnus-group-list-cached
2843 List all groups with cached articles (@code{gnus-group-list-cached}).
2847 @findex gnus-group-list-dormant
2848 List all groups with dormant articles (@code{gnus-group-list-dormant}).
2852 @findex gnus-group-list-limit
2853 List groups limited within the current selection
2854 (@code{gnus-group-list-limit}).
2858 @findex gnus-group-list-flush
2859 Flush groups from the current selection (@code{gnus-group-list-flush}).
2863 @findex gnus-group-list-plus
2864 List groups plus the current selection (@code{gnus-group-list-plus}).
2868 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2869 @cindex visible group parameter
2870 Groups that match the @code{gnus-permanently-visible-groups} regexp will
2871 always be shown, whether they have unread articles or not. You can also
2872 add the @code{visible} element to the group parameters in question to
2873 get the same effect.
2875 @vindex gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles
2876 Groups that have just ticked articles in it are normally listed in the
2877 group buffer. If @code{gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles} is
2878 @code{nil}, these groups will be treated just like totally empty
2879 groups. It is @code{t} by default.
2882 @node Sorting Groups
2883 @section Sorting Groups
2884 @cindex sorting groups
2886 @kindex C-c C-s (Group)
2887 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups
2888 @vindex gnus-group-sort-function
2889 The @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups}) command sorts the
2890 group buffer according to the function(s) given by the
2891 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} variable. Available sorting functions
2896 @item gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
2897 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
2898 Sort the group names alphabetically. This is the default.
2900 @item gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
2901 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
2902 Sort the group alphabetically on the real (unprefixed) group names.
2904 @item gnus-group-sort-by-level
2905 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-level
2906 Sort by group level.
2908 @item gnus-group-sort-by-score
2909 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-score
2910 Sort by group score. @xref{Group Score}.
2912 @item gnus-group-sort-by-rank
2913 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-rank
2914 Sort by group score and then the group level. The level and the score
2915 are, when taken together, the group's @dfn{rank}. @xref{Group Score}.
2917 @item gnus-group-sort-by-unread
2918 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-unread
2919 Sort by number of unread articles.
2921 @item gnus-group-sort-by-method
2922 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-method
2923 Sort alphabetically on the select method.
2925 @item gnus-group-sort-by-server
2926 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-server
2927 Sort alphabetically on the Gnus server name.
2932 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} can also be a list of sorting
2933 functions. In that case, the most significant sort key function must be
2937 There are also a number of commands for sorting directly according to
2938 some sorting criteria:
2942 @kindex G S a (Group)
2943 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet
2944 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by group name
2945 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
2948 @kindex G S u (Group)
2949 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread
2950 Sort the group buffer by the number of unread articles
2951 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread}).
2954 @kindex G S l (Group)
2955 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level
2956 Sort the group buffer by group level
2957 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level}).
2960 @kindex G S v (Group)
2961 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score
2962 Sort the group buffer by group score
2963 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
2966 @kindex G S r (Group)
2967 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank
2968 Sort the group buffer by group rank
2969 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
2972 @kindex G S m (Group)
2973 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method
2974 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by backend name
2975 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method}).
2979 All the commands below obey the process/prefix convention
2980 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2982 When given a symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}), all these
2983 commands will sort in reverse order.
2985 You can also sort a subset of the groups:
2989 @kindex G P a (Group)
2990 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet
2991 Sort the groups alphabetically by group name
2992 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet}).
2995 @kindex G P u (Group)
2996 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread
2997 Sort the groups by the number of unread articles
2998 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread}).
3001 @kindex G P l (Group)
3002 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level
3003 Sort the groups by group level
3004 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level}).
3007 @kindex G P v (Group)
3008 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score
3009 Sort the groups by group score
3010 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3013 @kindex G P r (Group)
3014 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank
3015 Sort the groups by group rank
3016 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3019 @kindex G P m (Group)
3020 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method
3021 Sort the groups alphabetically by backend name
3022 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method}).
3028 @node Group Maintenance
3029 @section Group Maintenance
3030 @cindex bogus groups
3035 @findex gnus-group-check-bogus-groups
3036 Find bogus groups and delete them
3037 (@code{gnus-group-check-bogus-groups}).
3041 @findex gnus-group-find-new-groups
3042 Find new groups and process them (@code{gnus-group-find-new-groups}).
3043 With 1 @kbd{C-u}, use the @code{ask-server} method to query the server
3044 for new groups. With 2 @kbd{C-u}'s, use most complete method possible
3045 to query the server for new groups, and subscribe the new groups as
3049 @kindex C-c C-x (Group)
3050 @findex gnus-group-expire-articles
3051 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
3052 process (if any) (@code{gnus-group-expire-articles}).
3055 @kindex C-c M-C-x (Group)
3056 @findex gnus-group-expire-all-groups
3057 Run all articles in all groups through the expiry process
3058 (@code{gnus-group-expire-all-groups}).
3063 @node Browse Foreign Server
3064 @section Browse Foreign Server
3065 @cindex foreign servers
3066 @cindex browsing servers
3071 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
3072 You will be queried for a select method and a server name. Gnus will
3073 then attempt to contact this server and let you browse the groups there
3074 (@code{gnus-group-browse-foreign-server}).
3077 @findex gnus-browse-mode
3078 A new buffer with a list of available groups will appear. This buffer
3079 will use the @code{gnus-browse-mode}. This buffer looks a bit (well,
3080 a lot) like a normal group buffer.
3082 Here's a list of keystrokes available in the browse mode:
3087 @findex gnus-group-next-group
3088 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
3092 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
3093 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
3096 @kindex SPACE (Browse)
3097 @findex gnus-browse-read-group
3098 Enter the current group and display the first article
3099 (@code{gnus-browse-read-group}).
3102 @kindex RET (Browse)
3103 @findex gnus-browse-select-group
3104 Enter the current group (@code{gnus-browse-select-group}).
3108 @findex gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group
3109 Unsubscribe to the current group, or, as will be the case here,
3110 subscribe to it (@code{gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group}).
3116 @findex gnus-browse-exit
3117 Exit browse mode (@code{gnus-browse-exit}).
3121 @findex gnus-browse-describe-briefly
3122 Describe browse mode briefly (well, there's not much to describe, is
3123 there) (@code{gnus-browse-describe-briefly}).
3128 @section Exiting Gnus
3129 @cindex exiting Gnus
3131 Yes, Gnus is ex(c)iting.
3136 @findex gnus-group-suspend
3137 Suspend Gnus (@code{gnus-group-suspend}). This doesn't really exit Gnus,
3138 but it kills all buffers except the Group buffer. I'm not sure why this
3139 is a gain, but then who am I to judge?
3143 @findex gnus-group-exit
3144 @c @icon{gnus-group-exit}
3145 Quit Gnus (@code{gnus-group-exit}).
3149 @findex gnus-group-quit
3150 Quit Gnus without saving the @file{.newsrc} files (@code{gnus-group-quit}).
3151 The dribble file will be saved, though (@pxref{Auto Save}).
3154 @vindex gnus-exit-gnus-hook
3155 @vindex gnus-suspend-gnus-hook
3156 @code{gnus-suspend-gnus-hook} is called when you suspend Gnus and
3157 @code{gnus-exit-gnus-hook} is called when you quit Gnus, while
3158 @code{gnus-after-exiting-gnus-hook} is called as the final item when
3163 If you wish to completely unload Gnus and all its adherents, you can use
3164 the @code{gnus-unload} command. This command is also very handy when
3165 trying to customize meta-variables.
3170 Miss Lisa Cannifax, while sitting in English class, felt her feet go
3171 numbly heavy and herself fall into a hazy trance as the boy sitting
3172 behind her drew repeated lines with his pencil across the back of her
3178 @section Group Topics
3181 If you read lots and lots of groups, it might be convenient to group
3182 them hierarchically according to topics. You put your Emacs groups over
3183 here, your sex groups over there, and the rest (what, two groups or so?)
3184 you put in some misc section that you never bother with anyway. You can
3185 even group the Emacs sex groups as a sub-topic to either the Emacs
3186 groups or the sex groups---or both! Go wild!
3190 \gnusfigure{Group Topics}{400}{
3191 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=tmp/group-topic.ps,height=9cm}}
3202 2: alt.religion.emacs
3205 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3207 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3208 13: comp.sources.unix
3211 @findex gnus-topic-mode
3213 To get this @emph{fab} functionality you simply turn on (ooh!) the
3214 @code{gnus-topic} minor mode---type @kbd{t} in the group buffer. (This
3215 is a toggling command.)
3217 Go ahead, just try it. I'll still be here when you get back. La de
3218 dum... Nice tune, that... la la la... What, you're back? Yes, and now
3219 press @kbd{l}. There. All your groups are now listed under
3220 @samp{misc}. Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Hot and
3223 If you want this permanently enabled, you should add that minor mode to
3224 the hook for the group mode:
3227 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
3231 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
3232 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
3233 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
3234 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
3235 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
3239 @node Topic Variables
3240 @subsection Topic Variables
3241 @cindex topic variables
3243 Now, if you select a topic, it will fold/unfold that topic, which is
3244 really neat, I think.
3246 @vindex gnus-topic-line-format
3247 The topic lines themselves are created according to the
3248 @code{gnus-topic-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
3261 Number of groups in the topic.
3263 Number of unread articles in the topic.
3265 Number of unread articles in the topic and all its subtopics.
3268 @vindex gnus-topic-indent-level
3269 Each sub-topic (and the groups in the sub-topics) will be indented with
3270 @code{gnus-topic-indent-level} times the topic level number of spaces.
3273 @vindex gnus-topic-mode-hook
3274 @code{gnus-topic-mode-hook} is called in topic minor mode buffers.
3276 @vindex gnus-topic-display-empty-topics
3277 The @code{gnus-topic-display-empty-topics} says whether to display even
3278 topics that have no unread articles in them. The default is @code{t}.
3281 @node Topic Commands
3282 @subsection Topic Commands
3283 @cindex topic commands
3285 When the topic minor mode is turned on, a new @kbd{T} submap will be
3286 available. In addition, a few of the standard keys change their
3287 definitions slightly.
3293 @findex gnus-topic-create-topic
3294 Prompt for a new topic name and create it
3295 (@code{gnus-topic-create-topic}).
3299 @findex gnus-topic-move-group
3300 Move the current group to some other topic
3301 (@code{gnus-topic-move-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
3302 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3306 @findex gnus-topic-jump-to-topic
3307 Go to a topic (@code{gnus-topic-jump-to-topic}).
3311 @findex gnus-topic-copy-group
3312 Copy the current group to some other topic
3313 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
3314 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3318 @findex gnus-topic-hide-topic
3319 Hide the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-hide-topic}). If given
3320 a prefix, hide the topic permanently.
3324 @findex gnus-topic-show-topic
3325 Show the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-show-topic}). If given
3326 a prefix, show the topic permanently.
3330 @findex gnus-topic-remove-group
3331 Remove a group from the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-remove-group}).
3332 This command is mainly useful if you have the same group in several
3333 topics and wish to remove it from one of the topics. You may also
3334 remove a group from all topics, but in that case, Gnus will add it to
3335 the root topic the next time you start Gnus. In fact, all new groups
3336 (which, naturally, don't belong to any topic) will show up in the root
3339 This command uses the process/prefix convention
3340 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3344 @findex gnus-topic-move-matching
3345 Move all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
3346 (@code{gnus-topic-move-matching}).
3350 @findex gnus-topic-copy-matching
3351 Copy all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
3352 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-matching}).
3356 @findex gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics
3357 Toggle hiding empty topics
3358 (@code{gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics}).
3362 @findex gnus-topic-mark-topic
3363 Mark all groups in the current topic with the process mark
3364 (@code{gnus-topic-mark-topic}).
3367 @kindex T M-# (Topic)
3368 @findex gnus-topic-unmark-topic
3369 Remove the process mark from all groups in the current topic
3370 (@code{gnus-topic-unmark-topic}).
3374 @kindex T TAB (Topic)
3376 @findex gnus-topic-indent
3377 ``Indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
3378 previous topic (@code{gnus-topic-indent}). If given a prefix,
3379 ``un-indent'' the topic instead.
3382 @kindex M-TAB (Topic)
3383 @findex gnus-topic-unindent
3384 ``Un-indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
3385 parent of its current parent (@code{gnus-topic-unindent}).
3389 @findex gnus-topic-select-group
3391 Either select a group or fold a topic (@code{gnus-topic-select-group}).
3392 When you perform this command on a group, you'll enter the group, as
3393 usual. When done on a topic line, the topic will be folded (if it was
3394 visible) or unfolded (if it was folded already). So it's basically a
3395 toggling command on topics. In addition, if you give a numerical
3396 prefix, group on that level (and lower) will be displayed.
3399 @kindex C-c C-x (Topic)
3400 @findex gnus-topic-expire-articles
3401 Run all expirable articles in the current group or topic through the expiry
3402 process (if any) (@code{gnus-topic-expire-articles}).
3406 @findex gnus-topic-kill-group
3407 Kill a group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-kill-group}). All groups in the
3408 topic will be removed along with the topic.
3412 @findex gnus-topic-yank-group
3413 Yank the previously killed group or topic
3414 (@code{gnus-topic-yank-group}). Note that all topics will be yanked
3419 @findex gnus-topic-rename
3420 Rename a topic (@code{gnus-topic-rename}).
3423 @kindex T DEL (Topic)
3424 @findex gnus-topic-delete
3425 Delete an empty topic (@code{gnus-topic-delete}).
3429 @findex gnus-topic-list-active
3430 List all groups that Gnus knows about in a topics-ified way
3431 (@code{gnus-topic-list-active}).
3435 @findex gnus-topic-edit-parameters
3436 @cindex group parameters
3437 @cindex topic parameters
3439 Edit the topic parameters (@code{gnus-topic-edit-parameters}).
3440 @xref{Topic Parameters}.
3446 @subsection Topic Sorting
3447 @cindex topic sorting
3449 You can sort the groups in each topic individually with the following
3455 @kindex T S a (Topic)
3456 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet
3457 Sort the current topic alphabetically by group name
3458 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
3461 @kindex T S u (Topic)
3462 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread
3463 Sort the current topic by the number of unread articles
3464 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread}).
3467 @kindex T S l (Topic)
3468 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level
3469 Sort the current topic by group level
3470 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level}).
3473 @kindex T S v (Topic)
3474 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score
3475 Sort the current topic by group score
3476 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3479 @kindex T S r (Topic)
3480 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank
3481 Sort the current topic by group rank
3482 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3485 @kindex T S m (Topic)
3486 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method
3487 Sort the current topic alphabetically by backend name
3488 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method}).
3492 @xref{Sorting Groups}, for more information about group sorting.
3495 @node Topic Topology
3496 @subsection Topic Topology
3497 @cindex topic topology
3500 So, let's have a look at an example group buffer:
3506 2: alt.religion.emacs
3509 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3511 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3512 13: comp.sources.unix
3515 So, here we have one top-level topic (@samp{Gnus}), two topics under
3516 that, and one sub-topic under one of the sub-topics. (There is always
3517 just one (1) top-level topic). This topology can be expressed as
3522 (("Emacs -- I wuw it!" visible)
3523 (("Naughty Emacs" visible)))
3527 @vindex gnus-topic-topology
3528 This is in fact how the variable @code{gnus-topic-topology} would look
3529 for the display above. That variable is saved in the @file{.newsrc.eld}
3530 file, and shouldn't be messed with manually---unless you really want
3531 to. Since this variable is read from the @file{.newsrc.eld} file,
3532 setting it in any other startup files will have no effect.
3534 This topology shows what topics are sub-topics of what topics (right),
3535 and which topics are visible. Two settings are currently
3536 allowed---@code{visible} and @code{invisible}.
3539 @node Topic Parameters
3540 @subsection Topic Parameters
3541 @cindex topic parameters
3543 All groups in a topic will inherit group parameters from the parent (and
3544 ancestor) topic parameters. All valid group parameters are valid topic
3545 parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
3547 In addition, the following parameters are only valid as topic
3552 When subscribing new groups by topic (@pxref{Subscription Methods}), the
3553 @code{subscribe} topic parameter says what groups go in what topic. Its
3554 value should be a regexp to match the groups that should go in that
3559 Group parameters (of course) override topic parameters, and topic
3560 parameters in sub-topics override topic parameters in super-topics. You
3561 know. Normal inheritance rules. (@dfn{Rules} is here a noun, not a
3562 verb, although you may feel free to disagree with me here.)
3568 2: alt.religion.emacs
3572 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3574 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3575 13: comp.sources.unix
3579 The @samp{Emacs} topic has the topic parameter @code{(score-file
3580 . "emacs.SCORE")}; the @samp{Relief} topic has the topic parameter
3581 @code{(score-file . "relief.SCORE")}; and the @samp{Misc} topic has the
3582 topic parameter @code{(score-file . "emacs.SCORE")}. In addition,
3583 @* @samp{alt.religion.emacs} has the group parameter @code{(score-file
3584 . "religion.SCORE")}.
3586 Now, when you enter @samp{alt.sex.emacs} in the @samp{Relief} topic, you
3587 will get the @file{relief.SCORE} home score file. If you enter the same
3588 group in the @samp{Emacs} topic, you'll get the @file{emacs.SCORE} home
3589 score file. If you enter the group @samp{alt.religion.emacs}, you'll
3590 get the @file{religion.SCORE} home score file.
3592 This seems rather simple and self-evident, doesn't it? Well, yes. But
3593 there are some problems, especially with the @code{total-expiry}
3594 parameter. Say you have a mail group in two topics; one with
3595 @code{total-expiry} and one without. What happens when you do @kbd{M-x
3596 gnus-expire-all-expirable-groups}? Gnus has no way of telling which one
3597 of these topics you mean to expire articles from, so anything may
3598 happen. In fact, I hereby declare that it is @dfn{undefined} what
3599 happens. You just have to be careful if you do stuff like that.
3602 @node Misc Group Stuff
3603 @section Misc Group Stuff
3606 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking Gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
3607 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and Gnus.
3608 * Group Timestamp:: Making Gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
3609 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the Gnus files.
3616 @findex gnus-group-enter-server-mode
3617 Enter the server buffer (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}).
3618 @xref{The Server Buffer}.
3622 @findex gnus-group-post-news
3623 Post an article to a group (@code{gnus-group-post-news}). If given a
3624 prefix, the current group name will be used as the default.
3628 @findex gnus-group-mail
3629 Mail a message somewhere (@code{gnus-group-mail}).
3633 Variables for the group buffer:
3637 @item gnus-group-mode-hook
3638 @vindex gnus-group-mode-hook
3639 is called after the group buffer has been
3642 @item gnus-group-prepare-hook
3643 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
3644 is called after the group buffer is
3645 generated. It may be used to modify the buffer in some strange,
3648 @item gnus-group-prepared-hook
3649 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
3650 is called as the very last thing after the group buffer has been
3651 generated. It may be used to move point around, for instance.
3653 @item gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3654 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3655 Groups matching this regexp will always be listed in the group buffer,
3656 whether they are empty or not.
3658 @item gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
3659 @vindex gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
3660 An alist of method and the charset for group names. It is used to show
3661 non-ASCII group names.
3665 (setq gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
3666 '(((nntp "news.com.cn") . cn-gb-2312)))
3669 @item gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
3670 @vindex gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
3671 An alist of regexp of group name and the charset for group names.
3672 It is used to show non-ASCII group names.
3676 (setq gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
3677 '(("\\.com\\.cn:" . cn-gb-2312)))
3682 @node Scanning New Messages
3683 @subsection Scanning New Messages
3684 @cindex new messages
3685 @cindex scanning new news
3691 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news
3692 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news}
3693 Check the server(s) for new articles. If the numerical prefix is used,
3694 this command will check only groups of level @var{arg} and lower
3695 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news}). If given a non-numerical prefix, this
3696 command will force a total re-reading of the active file(s) from the
3701 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group
3702 @vindex gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating
3703 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}
3704 Check whether new articles have arrived in the current group
3705 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}).
3706 @code{gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating} says whether this command is
3707 to move point to the next group or not. It is @code{t} by default.
3709 @findex gnus-activate-all-groups
3710 @cindex activating groups
3712 @kindex C-c M-g (Group)
3713 Activate absolutely all groups (@code{gnus-activate-all-groups}).
3718 @findex gnus-group-restart
3719 Restart Gnus (@code{gnus-group-restart}). This saves the @file{.newsrc}
3720 file(s), closes the connection to all servers, clears up all run-time
3721 Gnus variables, and then starts Gnus all over again.
3725 @vindex gnus-get-new-news-hook
3726 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is run just before checking for new news.
3728 @vindex gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook
3729 @code{gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook} is run after checking for new
3733 @node Group Information
3734 @subsection Group Information
3735 @cindex group information
3736 @cindex information on groups
3743 @findex gnus-group-fetch-faq
3744 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
3747 Try to fetch the FAQ for the current group
3748 (@code{gnus-group-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the FAQ from
3749 @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory on a
3750 remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories. In
3751 that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
3752 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} (or @code{efs}) will be used
3753 for fetching the file.
3755 If fetching from the first site is unsuccessful, Gnus will attempt to go
3756 through @code{gnus-group-faq-directory} and try to open them one by one.
3760 @c @icon{gnus-group-describe-group}
3762 @kindex C-c C-d (Group)
3763 @cindex describing groups
3764 @cindex group description
3765 @findex gnus-group-describe-group
3766 Describe the current group (@code{gnus-group-describe-group}). If given
3767 a prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description from the server.
3771 @findex gnus-group-describe-all-groups
3772 Describe all groups (@code{gnus-group-describe-all-groups}). If given a
3773 prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description file from the server.
3780 @findex gnus-version
3781 Display current Gnus version numbers (@code{gnus-version}).
3785 @findex gnus-group-describe-briefly
3786 Give a very short help message (@code{gnus-group-describe-briefly}).
3789 @kindex C-c C-i (Group)
3792 @findex gnus-info-find-node
3793 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
3797 @node Group Timestamp
3798 @subsection Group Timestamp
3800 @cindex group timestamps
3802 It can be convenient to let Gnus keep track of when you last read a
3803 group. To set the ball rolling, you should add
3804 @code{gnus-group-set-timestamp} to @code{gnus-select-group-hook}:
3807 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook 'gnus-group-set-timestamp)
3810 After doing this, each time you enter a group, it'll be recorded.
3812 This information can be displayed in various ways---the easiest is to
3813 use the @samp{%d} spec in the group line format:
3816 (setq gnus-group-line-format
3817 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %d\n")
3820 This will result in lines looking like:
3823 * 0: mail.ding 19961002T012943
3824 0: custom 19961002T012713
3827 As you can see, the date is displayed in compact ISO 8601 format. This
3828 may be a bit too much, so to just display the date, you could say
3832 (setq gnus-group-line-format
3833 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %6,6~(cut 2)d\n")
3838 @subsection File Commands
3839 @cindex file commands
3845 @findex gnus-group-read-init-file
3846 @vindex gnus-init-file
3847 @cindex reading init file
3848 Re-read the init file (@code{gnus-init-file}, which defaults to
3849 @file{~/.gnus}) (@code{gnus-group-read-init-file}).
3853 @findex gnus-group-save-newsrc
3854 @cindex saving .newsrc
3855 Save the @file{.newsrc.eld} file (and @file{.newsrc} if wanted)
3856 (@code{gnus-group-save-newsrc}). If given a prefix, force saving the
3857 file(s) whether Gnus thinks it is necessary or not.
3860 @c @kindex Z (Group)
3861 @c @findex gnus-group-clear-dribble
3862 @c Clear the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-group-clear-dribble}).
3867 @node The Summary Buffer
3868 @chapter The Summary Buffer
3869 @cindex summary buffer
3871 A line for each article is displayed in the summary buffer. You can
3872 move around, read articles, post articles and reply to articles.
3874 The most common way to a summary buffer is to select a group from the
3875 group buffer (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
3877 You can have as many summary buffers open as you wish.
3880 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
3881 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
3882 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
3883 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
3884 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
3885 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
3886 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
3887 * Threading:: How threads are made.
3888 * Sorting:: How articles and threads are sorted.
3889 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
3890 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
3891 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
3892 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
3893 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
3894 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
3895 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
3896 * MIME Commands:: Doing MIMEy things with the articles.
3897 * Charsets:: Character set issues.
3898 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
3899 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
3900 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
3901 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
3902 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
3903 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
3904 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
3905 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer,
3906 or reselecting the current group.
3907 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
3908 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
3909 * Security:: Decrypt and Verify.
3913 @node Summary Buffer Format
3914 @section Summary Buffer Format
3915 @cindex summary buffer format
3919 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{180}{
3920 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary.ps,width=7.5cm}}
3921 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-article.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
3927 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
3928 * To From Newsgroups:: How to not display your own name.
3929 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
3930 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
3933 @findex mail-extract-address-components
3934 @findex gnus-extract-address-components
3935 @vindex gnus-extract-address-components
3936 Gnus will use the value of the @code{gnus-extract-address-components}
3937 variable as a function for getting the name and address parts of a
3938 @code{From} header. Two pre-defined functions exist:
3939 @code{gnus-extract-address-components}, which is the default, quite
3940 fast, and too simplistic solution; and
3941 @code{mail-extract-address-components}, which works very nicely, but is
3942 slower. The default function will return the wrong answer in 5% of the
3943 cases. If this is unacceptable to you, use the other function instead:
3946 (setq gnus-extract-address-components
3947 'mail-extract-address-components)
3950 @vindex gnus-summary-same-subject
3951 @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} is a string indicating that the current
3952 article has the same subject as the previous. This string will be used
3953 with those specs that require it. The default is @code{""}.
3956 @node Summary Buffer Lines
3957 @subsection Summary Buffer Lines
3959 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
3960 You can change the format of the lines in the summary buffer by changing
3961 the @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable. It works along the same
3962 lines as a normal @code{format} string, with some extensions
3963 (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
3965 The default string is @samp{%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%) %s\n}.
3967 The following format specification characters are understood:
3973 Subject string. List identifiers stripped,
3974 @code{gnus-list-identifies}. @xref{Article Hiding}.
3976 Subject if the article is the root of the thread or the previous article
3977 had a different subject, @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} otherwise.
3978 (@code{gnus-summary-same-subject} defaults to @code{""}.)
3980 Full @code{From} header.
3982 The name (from the @code{From} header).
3984 The name, code @code{To} header or the @code{Newsgroups} header
3985 (@pxref{To From Newsgroups}).
3987 The name (from the @code{From} header). This differs from the @code{n}
3988 spec in that it uses the function designated by the
3989 @code{gnus-extract-address-components} variable, which is slower, but
3990 may be more thorough.
3992 The address (from the @code{From} header). This works the same way as
3995 Number of lines in the article.
3997 Number of characters in the article. This specifier is not supported in some
3998 methods (like nnfolder).
4000 Indentation based on thread level (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
4002 Nothing if the article is a root and lots of spaces if it isn't (it
4003 pushes everything after it off the screen).
4005 Opening bracket, which is normally @samp{[}, but can also be @samp{<}
4006 for adopted articles (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
4008 Closing bracket, which is normally @samp{]}, but can also be @samp{>}
4009 for adopted articles.
4011 One space for each thread level.
4013 Twenty minus thread level spaces.
4018 This misleadingly named specifier is the @dfn{secondary mark}. This
4019 mark will say whether the article has been replied to, has been cached,
4023 Score as a number (@pxref{Scoring}).
4025 @vindex gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz
4026 Zcore, @samp{+} if above the default level and @samp{-} if below the
4027 default level. If the difference between
4028 @code{gnus-summary-default-score} and the score is less than
4029 @code{gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz}, this spec will not be used.
4037 The @code{Date} in @code{DD-MMM} format.
4039 The @code{Date} in @var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS} format.
4045 Number of articles in the current sub-thread. Using this spec will slow
4046 down summary buffer generation somewhat.
4048 An @samp{=} (@code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark}) will be displayed if the
4049 article has any children.
4055 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
4056 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
4057 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
4058 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed the current header as
4059 argument. The function should return a string, which will be inserted
4060 into the summary just like information from any other summary specifier.
4063 The @samp{%U} (status), @samp{%R} (replied) and @samp{%z} (zcore) specs
4064 have to be handled with care. For reasons of efficiency, Gnus will
4065 compute what column these characters will end up in, and ``hard-code''
4066 that. This means that it is invalid to have these specs after a
4067 variable-length spec. Well, you might not be arrested, but your summary
4068 buffer will look strange, which is bad enough.
4070 The smart choice is to have these specs as far to the left as possible.
4071 (Isn't that the case with everything, though? But I digress.)
4073 This restriction may disappear in later versions of Gnus.
4076 @node To From Newsgroups
4077 @subsection To From Newsgroups
4081 In some groups (particularly in archive groups), the @code{From} header
4082 isn't very interesting, since all the articles there are written by
4083 you. To display the information in the @code{To} or @code{Newsgroups}
4084 headers instead, you need to decide three things: What information to
4085 gather; where to display it; and when to display it.
4089 @vindex gnus-extra-headers
4090 The reading of extra header information is controlled by the
4091 @code{gnus-extra-headers}. This is a list of header symbols. For
4095 (setq gnus-extra-headers
4096 '(To Newsgroups X-Newsreader))
4099 This will result in Gnus trying to obtain these three headers, and
4100 storing it in header structures for later easy retrieval.
4103 @findex gnus-extra-header
4104 The value of these extra headers can be accessed via the
4105 @code{gnus-extra-header} function. Here's a format line spec that will
4106 access the @code{X-Newsreader} header:
4109 "%~(form (gnus-extra-header 'X-Newsreader))@@"
4113 @vindex gnus-ignored-from-addresses
4114 The @code{gnus-ignored-from-addresses} variable says when the @samp{%f}
4115 summary line spec returns the @code{To}, @code{Newsreader} or
4116 @code{From} header. If this regexp matches the contents of the
4117 @code{From} header, the value of the @code{To} or @code{Newsreader}
4118 headers are used instead.
4122 @vindex nnmail-extra-headers
4123 A related variable is @code{nnmail-extra-headers}, which controls when
4124 to include extra headers when generating overview (@sc{nov}) files. If
4125 you have old overview files, you should regenerate them after changing
4128 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
4129 You also have to instruct Gnus to display the data by changing the
4130 @code{%n} spec to the @code{%f} spec in the
4131 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable.
4133 In summary, you'd typically put something like the following in
4137 (setq gnus-extra-headers
4139 (setq nnmail-extra-headers gnus-extra-headers)
4140 (setq gnus-summary-line-format
4141 "%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20f%]%) %s\n")
4142 (setq gnus-ignored-from-addresses
4146 Now, this is mostly useful for mail groups, where you have control over
4147 the @sc{nov} files that are created. However, if you can persuade your
4154 to the end of her @file{overview.fmt} file, then you can use that just
4155 as you would the extra headers from the mail groups.
4158 @node Summary Buffer Mode Line
4159 @subsection Summary Buffer Mode Line
4161 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-line-format
4162 You can also change the format of the summary mode bar (@pxref{Mode Line
4163 Formatting}). Set @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} to whatever you
4164 like. The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b [%A] %Z}.
4166 Here are the elements you can play with:
4172 Unprefixed group name.
4174 Current article number.
4176 Current article score.
4180 Number of unread articles in this group.
4182 Number of unread articles in this group that aren't displayed in the
4185 A string with the number of unread and unselected articles represented
4186 either as @samp{<%U(+%e) more>} if there are both unread and unselected
4187 articles, and just as @samp{<%U more>} if there are just unread articles
4188 and no unselected ones.
4190 Shortish group name. For instance, @samp{rec.arts.anime} will be
4191 shortened to @samp{r.a.anime}.
4193 Subject of the current article.
4195 User-defined spec (@pxref{User-Defined Specs}).
4197 Name of the current score file (@pxref{Scoring}).
4199 Number of dormant articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
4201 Number of ticked articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
4203 Number of articles that have been marked as read in this session.
4205 Number of articles expunged by the score files.
4209 @node Summary Highlighting
4210 @subsection Summary Highlighting
4214 @item gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
4215 @vindex gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
4216 This hook is run after selecting an article. It is meant to be used for
4217 highlighting the article in some way. It is not run if
4218 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
4220 @item gnus-summary-update-hook
4221 @vindex gnus-summary-update-hook
4222 This hook is called when a summary line is changed. It is not run if
4223 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
4225 @item gnus-summary-selected-face
4226 @vindex gnus-summary-selected-face
4227 This is the face (or @dfn{font} as some people call it) used to
4228 highlight the current article in the summary buffer.
4230 @item gnus-summary-highlight
4231 @vindex gnus-summary-highlight
4232 Summary lines are highlighted according to this variable, which is a
4233 list where the elements are of the format @code{(@var{form}
4234 . @var{face})}. If you would, for instance, like ticked articles to be
4235 italic and high-scored articles to be bold, you could set this variable
4238 (((eq mark gnus-ticked-mark) . italic)
4239 ((> score default) . bold))
4241 As you may have guessed, if @var{form} returns a non-@code{nil} value,
4242 @var{face} will be applied to the line.
4246 @node Summary Maneuvering
4247 @section Summary Maneuvering
4248 @cindex summary movement
4250 All the straight movement commands understand the numeric prefix and
4251 behave pretty much as you'd expect.
4253 None of these commands select articles.
4258 @kindex M-n (Summary)
4259 @kindex G M-n (Summary)
4260 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-subject
4261 Go to the next summary line of an unread article
4262 (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-subject}).
4266 @kindex M-p (Summary)
4267 @kindex G M-p (Summary)
4268 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject
4269 Go to the previous summary line of an unread article
4270 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject}).
4273 @kindex G g (Summary)
4274 @findex gnus-summary-goto-subject
4275 Ask for an article number and then go to the summary line of that article
4276 without displaying the article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-subject}).
4279 If Gnus asks you to press a key to confirm going to the next group, you
4280 can use the @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} keys to move around the group
4281 buffer, searching for the next group to read without actually returning
4282 to the group buffer.
4284 Variables related to summary movement:
4288 @vindex gnus-auto-select-next
4289 @item gnus-auto-select-next
4290 If you issue one of the movement commands (like @kbd{n}) and there are
4291 no more unread articles after the current one, Gnus will offer to go to
4292 the next group. If this variable is @code{t} and the next group is
4293 empty, Gnus will exit summary mode and return to the group buffer. If
4294 this variable is neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, Gnus will select the
4295 next group, no matter whether it has any unread articles or not. As a
4296 special case, if this variable is @code{quietly}, Gnus will select the
4297 next group without asking for confirmation. If this variable is
4298 @code{almost-quietly}, the same will happen only if you are located on
4299 the last article in the group. Finally, if this variable is
4300 @code{slightly-quietly}, the @kbd{Z n} command will go to the next group
4301 without confirmation. Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
4303 @item gnus-auto-select-same
4304 @vindex gnus-auto-select-same
4305 If non-@code{nil}, all the movement commands will try to go to the next
4306 article with the same subject as the current. (@dfn{Same} here might
4307 mean @dfn{roughly equal}. See @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}
4308 for details (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).) If there are no more
4309 articles with the same subject, go to the first unread article.
4311 This variable is not particularly useful if you use a threaded display.
4313 @item gnus-summary-check-current
4314 @vindex gnus-summary-check-current
4315 If non-@code{nil}, all the ``unread'' movement commands will not proceed
4316 to the next (or previous) article if the current article is unread.
4317 Instead, they will choose the current article.
4319 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
4320 @vindex gnus-auto-center-summary
4321 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will keep the point in the summary buffer
4322 centered at all times. This makes things quite tidy, but if you have a
4323 slow network connection, or simply do not like this un-Emacsism, you can
4324 set this variable to @code{nil} to get the normal Emacs scrolling
4325 action. This will also inhibit horizontal re-centering of the summary
4326 buffer, which might make it more inconvenient to read extremely long
4329 This variable can also be a number. In that case, center the window at
4330 the given number of lines from the top.
4335 @node Choosing Articles
4336 @section Choosing Articles
4337 @cindex selecting articles
4340 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
4341 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
4345 @node Choosing Commands
4346 @subsection Choosing Commands
4348 None of the following movement commands understand the numeric prefix,
4349 and they all select and display an article.
4351 If you want to fetch new articles or redisplay the group, see
4352 @ref{Exiting the Summary Buffer}.
4356 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
4357 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
4358 Select the current article, or, if that one's read already, the next
4359 unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
4364 @kindex G n (Summary)
4365 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
4366 @c @icon{gnus-summary-next-unread}
4367 Go to next unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-article}).
4372 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
4373 @c @icon{gnus-summary-prev-unread}
4374 Go to previous unread article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-article}).
4379 @kindex G N (Summary)
4380 @findex gnus-summary-next-article
4381 Go to the next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-article}).
4386 @kindex G P (Summary)
4387 @findex gnus-summary-prev-article
4388 Go to the previous article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-article}).
4391 @kindex G C-n (Summary)
4392 @findex gnus-summary-next-same-subject
4393 Go to the next article with the same subject
4394 (@code{gnus-summary-next-same-subject}).
4397 @kindex G C-p (Summary)
4398 @findex gnus-summary-prev-same-subject
4399 Go to the previous article with the same subject
4400 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-same-subject}).
4404 @kindex G f (Summary)
4406 @findex gnus-summary-first-unread-article
4407 Go to the first unread article
4408 (@code{gnus-summary-first-unread-article}).
4412 @kindex G b (Summary)
4414 @findex gnus-summary-best-unread-article
4415 Go to the article with the highest score
4416 (@code{gnus-summary-best-unread-article}).
4421 @kindex G l (Summary)
4422 @findex gnus-summary-goto-last-article
4423 Go to the previous article read (@code{gnus-summary-goto-last-article}).
4426 @kindex G o (Summary)
4427 @findex gnus-summary-pop-article
4429 @cindex article history
4430 Pop an article off the summary history and go to this article
4431 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-article}). This command differs from the
4432 command above in that you can pop as many previous articles off the
4433 history as you like, while @kbd{l} toggles the two last read articles.
4434 For a somewhat related issue (if you use these commands a lot),
4435 @pxref{Article Backlog}.
4440 @kindex G j (Summary)
4441 @findex gnus-summary-goto-article
4442 Ask for an article number or @code{Message-ID}, and then go to that
4443 article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-article}).
4448 @node Choosing Variables
4449 @subsection Choosing Variables
4451 Some variables relevant for moving and selecting articles:
4454 @item gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
4455 @vindex gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
4456 All the movement commands will try to go to the previous (or next)
4457 article, even if that article isn't displayed in the Summary buffer if
4458 this variable is non-@code{nil}. Gnus will then fetch the article from
4459 the server and display it in the article buffer.
4461 @item gnus-select-article-hook
4462 @vindex gnus-select-article-hook
4463 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. By default it
4464 exposes any threads hidden under the selected article.
4466 @item gnus-mark-article-hook
4467 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
4468 @findex gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read
4469 @findex gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read
4470 @findex gnus-unread-mark
4471 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. It is intended to
4472 be used for marking articles as read. The default value is
4473 @code{gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read}, and will change the
4474 mark of almost any article you read to @code{gnus-unread-mark}. The
4475 only articles not affected by this function are ticked, dormant, and
4476 expirable articles. If you'd instead like to just have unread articles
4477 marked as read, you can use @code{gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read}
4478 instead. It will leave marks like @code{gnus-low-score-mark},
4479 @code{gnus-del-mark} (and so on) alone.
4484 @node Paging the Article
4485 @section Scrolling the Article
4486 @cindex article scrolling
4491 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
4492 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
4493 Pressing @kbd{SPACE} will scroll the current article forward one page,
4494 or, if you have come to the end of the current article, will choose the
4495 next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
4498 @kindex DEL (Summary)
4499 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
4500 Scroll the current article back one page (@code{gnus-summary-prev-page}).
4503 @kindex RET (Summary)
4504 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-up
4505 Scroll the current article one line forward
4506 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-up}).
4509 @kindex M-RET (Summary)
4510 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-down
4511 Scroll the current article one line backward
4512 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-down}).
4516 @kindex A g (Summary)
4518 @findex gnus-summary-show-article
4519 @vindex gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist
4520 (Re)fetch the current article (@code{gnus-summary-show-article}). If
4521 given a prefix, fetch the current article, but don't run any of the
4522 article treatment functions. This will give you a ``raw'' article, just
4523 the way it came from the server.
4525 If given a numerical prefix, you can do semi-manual charset stuff.
4526 @kbd{C-u 0 g cn-gb-2312 RET} will decode the message as if it were
4527 encoded in the @code{cn-gb-2312} charset. If you have
4530 (setq gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist
4535 then you can say @kbd{C-u 1 g} to get the same effect.
4540 @kindex A < (Summary)
4541 @findex gnus-summary-beginning-of-article
4542 Scroll to the beginning of the article
4543 (@code{gnus-summary-beginning-of-article}).
4548 @kindex A > (Summary)
4549 @findex gnus-summary-end-of-article
4550 Scroll to the end of the article (@code{gnus-summary-end-of-article}).
4554 @kindex A s (Summary)
4556 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
4557 Perform an isearch in the article buffer
4558 (@code{gnus-summary-isearch-article}).
4562 @findex gnus-summary-select-article-buffer
4563 Select the article buffer (@code{gnus-summary-select-article-buffer}).
4568 @node Reply Followup and Post
4569 @section Reply, Followup and Post
4572 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
4573 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
4574 * Summary Message Commands:: Other Message-related commands.
4575 * Canceling and Superseding:: ``Whoops, I shouldn't have called him that.''
4579 @node Summary Mail Commands
4580 @subsection Summary Mail Commands
4582 @cindex composing mail
4584 Commands for composing a mail message:
4590 @kindex S r (Summary)
4592 @findex gnus-summary-reply
4593 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-reply}
4594 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply}
4595 Mail a reply to the author of the current article
4596 (@code{gnus-summary-reply}).
4601 @kindex S R (Summary)
4602 @findex gnus-summary-reply-with-original
4603 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}
4604 Mail a reply to the author of the current article and include the
4605 original message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This
4606 command uses the process/prefix convention.
4609 @kindex S w (Summary)
4610 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply
4611 Mail a wide reply to the author of the current article
4612 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{wide reply} is a reply that
4613 goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
4614 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers.
4617 @kindex S W (Summary)
4618 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original
4619 Mail a wide reply to the current article and include the original
4620 message (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original}). This command uses
4621 the process/prefix convention.
4624 @kindex S v (Summary)
4625 @findex gnus-summary-very-wide-reply
4626 Mail a very wide reply to the author of the current article
4627 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{very wide reply} is a reply
4628 that goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
4629 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers in all the process/prefixed
4630 articles. This command uses the process/prefix convention.
4633 @kindex S W (Summary)
4634 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original
4635 Mail a very wide reply to the current article and include the original
4636 message (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original}). This command uses
4637 the process/prefix convention.
4641 @kindex S o m (Summary)
4642 @kindex C-c C-f (Summary)
4643 @findex gnus-summary-mail-forward
4644 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-forward}
4645 Forward the current article to some other person
4646 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-forward}). If no prefix is given, the message
4647 is forwarded according to the value of (@code{message-forward-as-mime})
4648 and (@code{message-forward-show-mml}); if the prefix is 1, decode the
4649 message and forward directly inline; if the prefix is 2, forward message
4650 as an rfc822 MIME section; if the prefix is 3, decode message and
4651 forward as an rfc822 MIME section; if the prefix is 4, forward message
4652 directly inline; otherwise, the message is forwarded as no prefix given
4653 but use the flipped value of (@code{message-forward-as-mime}). By
4654 default, the message is decoded and forwarded as an rfc822 MIME section.
4659 @kindex S m (Summary)
4660 @findex gnus-summary-mail-other-window
4661 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-originate}
4662 Send a mail to some other person
4663 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}).
4666 @kindex S D b (Summary)
4667 @findex gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail
4668 @cindex bouncing mail
4669 If you have sent a mail, but the mail was bounced back to you for some
4670 reason (wrong address, transient failure), you can use this command to
4671 resend that bounced mail (@code{gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail}). You
4672 will be popped into a mail buffer where you can edit the headers before
4673 sending the mail off again. If you give a prefix to this command, and
4674 the bounced mail is a reply to some other mail, Gnus will try to fetch
4675 that mail and display it for easy perusal of its headers. This might
4676 very well fail, though.
4679 @kindex S D r (Summary)
4680 @findex gnus-summary-resend-message
4681 Not to be confused with the previous command,
4682 @code{gnus-summary-resend-message} will prompt you for an address to
4683 send the current message off to, and then send it to that place. The
4684 headers of the message won't be altered---but lots of headers that say
4685 @code{Resent-To}, @code{Resent-From} and so on will be added. This
4686 means that you actually send a mail to someone that has a @code{To}
4687 header that (probably) points to yourself. This will confuse people.
4688 So, natcherly you'll only do that if you're really eVIl.
4690 This command is mainly used if you have several accounts and want to
4691 ship a mail to a different account of yours. (If you're both
4692 @code{root} and @code{postmaster} and get a mail for @code{postmaster}
4693 to the @code{root} account, you may want to resend it to
4694 @code{postmaster}. Ordnung muß sein!
4696 This command understands the process/prefix convention
4697 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
4700 @kindex S O m (Summary)
4701 @findex gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward
4702 Digest the current series (@pxref{Decoding Articles}) and forward the
4703 result using mail (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command
4704 uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
4707 @kindex S M-c (Summary)
4708 @findex gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint
4709 @cindex crossposting
4710 @cindex excessive crossposting
4711 Send a complaint about excessive crossposting to the author of the
4712 current article (@code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint}).
4714 @findex gnus-crosspost-complaint
4715 This command is provided as a way to fight back against the current
4716 crossposting pandemic that's sweeping Usenet. It will compose a reply
4717 using the @code{gnus-crosspost-complaint} variable as a preamble. This
4718 command understands the process/prefix convention
4719 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) and will prompt you before sending each mail.
4723 Also @pxref{(message)Header Commands} for more information.
4726 @node Summary Post Commands
4727 @subsection Summary Post Commands
4729 @cindex composing news
4731 Commands for posting a news article:
4737 @kindex S p (Summary)
4738 @findex gnus-summary-post-news
4739 @c @icon{gnus-summary-post-news}
4740 Post an article to the current group
4741 (@code{gnus-summary-post-news}).
4746 @kindex S f (Summary)
4747 @findex gnus-summary-followup
4748 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup}
4749 Post a followup to the current article (@code{gnus-summary-followup}).
4753 @kindex S F (Summary)
4755 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}
4756 @findex gnus-summary-followup-with-original
4757 Post a followup to the current article and include the original message
4758 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}). This command uses the
4759 process/prefix convention.
4762 @kindex S n (Summary)
4763 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail
4764 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
4765 message through mail (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail}).
4768 @kindex S N (Summary)
4769 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original
4770 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
4771 message through mail and include the original message
4772 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original}). This command uses
4773 the process/prefix convention.
4776 @kindex S o p (Summary)
4777 @findex gnus-summary-post-forward
4778 Forward the current article to a newsgroup
4779 (@code{gnus-summary-post-forward}).
4780 If no prefix is given, the message is forwarded according to the value
4781 of (@code{message-forward-as-mime}) and
4782 (@code{message-forward-show-mml}); if the prefix is 1, decode the
4783 message and forward directly inline; if the prefix is 2, forward message
4784 as an rfc822 MIME section; if the prefix is 3, decode message and
4785 forward as an rfc822 MIME section; if the prefix is 4, forward message
4786 directly inline; otherwise, the message is forwarded as no prefix given
4787 but use the flipped value of (@code{message-forward-as-mime}). By
4788 default, the message is decoded and forwarded as an rfc822 MIME section.
4791 @kindex S O p (Summary)
4792 @findex gnus-uu-digest-post-forward
4794 @cindex making digests
4795 Digest the current series and forward the result to a newsgroup
4796 (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command uses the
4797 process/prefix convention.
4800 @kindex S u (Summary)
4801 @findex gnus-uu-post-news
4802 @c @icon{gnus-uu-post-news}
4803 Uuencode a file, split it into parts, and post it as a series
4804 (@code{gnus-uu-post-news}). (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
4807 Also @pxref{(message)Header Commands} for more information.
4810 @node Summary Message Commands
4811 @subsection Summary Message Commands
4815 @kindex S y (Summary)
4816 @findex gnus-summary-yank-message
4817 Yank the current article into an already existing Message composition
4818 buffer (@code{gnus-summary-yank-message}). This command prompts for
4819 what message buffer you want to yank into, and understands the
4820 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
4825 @node Canceling and Superseding
4826 @subsection Canceling Articles
4827 @cindex canceling articles
4828 @cindex superseding articles
4830 Have you ever written something, and then decided that you really,
4831 really, really wish you hadn't posted that?
4833 Well, you can't cancel mail, but you can cancel posts.
4835 @findex gnus-summary-cancel-article
4837 @c @icon{gnus-summary-cancel-article}
4838 Find the article you wish to cancel (you can only cancel your own
4839 articles, so don't try any funny stuff). Then press @kbd{C} or @kbd{S
4840 c} (@code{gnus-summary-cancel-article}). Your article will be
4841 canceled---machines all over the world will be deleting your article.
4842 This command uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
4844 Be aware, however, that not all sites honor cancels, so your article may
4845 live on here and there, while most sites will delete the article in
4848 Gnus will use the ``current'' select method when canceling. If you
4849 want to use the standard posting method, use the @samp{a} symbolic
4850 prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}).
4852 If you discover that you have made some mistakes and want to do some
4853 corrections, you can post a @dfn{superseding} article that will replace
4854 your original article.
4856 @findex gnus-summary-supersede-article
4858 Go to the original article and press @kbd{S s}
4859 (@code{gnus-summary-supersede-article}). You will be put in a buffer
4860 where you can edit the article all you want before sending it off the
4863 The same goes for superseding as for canceling, only more so: Some
4864 sites do not honor superseding. On those sites, it will appear that you
4865 have posted almost the same article twice.
4867 If you have just posted the article, and change your mind right away,
4868 there is a trick you can use to cancel/supersede the article without
4869 waiting for the article to appear on your site first. You simply return
4870 to the post buffer (which is called @code{*sent ...*}). There you will
4871 find the article you just posted, with all the headers intact. Change
4872 the @code{Message-ID} header to a @code{Cancel} or @code{Supersedes}
4873 header by substituting one of those words for the word
4874 @code{Message-ID}. Then just press @kbd{C-c C-c} to send the article as
4875 you would do normally. The previous article will be
4876 canceled/superseded.
4878 Just remember, kids: There is no 'c' in 'supersede'.
4881 @node Marking Articles
4882 @section Marking Articles
4883 @cindex article marking
4884 @cindex article ticking
4887 There are several marks you can set on an article.
4889 You have marks that decide the @dfn{readedness} (whoo, neato-keano
4890 neologism ohoy!) of the article. Alphabetic marks generally mean
4891 @dfn{read}, while non-alphabetic characters generally mean @dfn{unread}.
4893 In addition, you also have marks that do not affect readedness.
4896 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
4897 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
4898 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
4902 There's a plethora of commands for manipulating these marks:
4906 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
4907 * Generic Marking Commands:: How to customize the marking.
4908 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
4912 @node Unread Articles
4913 @subsection Unread Articles
4915 The following marks mark articles as (kinda) unread, in one form or
4920 @vindex gnus-ticked-mark
4921 Marked as ticked (@code{gnus-ticked-mark}).
4923 @dfn{Ticked articles} are articles that will remain visible always. If
4924 you see an article that you find interesting, or you want to put off
4925 reading it, or replying to it, until sometime later, you'd typically
4926 tick it. However, articles can be expired (from news servers by the
4927 news server software, Gnus itself never expires ticked messages), so if
4928 you want to keep an article forever, you'll have to make it persistent
4929 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
4932 @vindex gnus-dormant-mark
4933 Marked as dormant (@code{gnus-dormant-mark}).
4935 @dfn{Dormant articles} will only appear in the summary buffer if there
4936 are followups to it. If you want to see them even if they don't have
4937 followups, you can use the @kbd{/ D} command (@pxref{Limiting}).
4940 @vindex gnus-unread-mark
4941 Marked as unread (@code{gnus-unread-mark}).
4943 @dfn{Unread articles} are articles that haven't been read at all yet.
4948 @subsection Read Articles
4949 @cindex expirable mark
4951 All the following marks mark articles as read.
4956 @vindex gnus-del-mark
4957 These are articles that the user has marked as read with the @kbd{d}
4958 command manually, more or less (@code{gnus-del-mark}).
4961 @vindex gnus-read-mark
4962 Articles that have actually been read (@code{gnus-read-mark}).
4965 @vindex gnus-ancient-mark
4966 Articles that were marked as read in previous sessions and are now
4967 @dfn{old} (@code{gnus-ancient-mark}).
4970 @vindex gnus-killed-mark
4971 Marked as killed (@code{gnus-killed-mark}).
4974 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mark
4975 Marked as killed by kill files (@code{gnus-kill-file-mark}).
4978 @vindex gnus-low-score-mark
4979 Marked as read by having too low a score (@code{gnus-low-score-mark}).
4982 @vindex gnus-catchup-mark
4983 Marked as read by a catchup (@code{gnus-catchup-mark}).
4986 @vindex gnus-canceled-mark
4987 Canceled article (@code{gnus-canceled-mark})
4990 @vindex gnus-souped-mark
4991 @sc{soup}ed article (@code{gnus-souped-mark}). @xref{SOUP}.
4994 @vindex gnus-sparse-mark
4995 Sparsely reffed article (@code{gnus-sparse-mark}). @xref{Customizing
4999 @vindex gnus-duplicate-mark
5000 Article marked as read by duplicate suppression
5001 (@code{gnus-duplicated-mark}). @xref{Duplicate Suppression}.
5005 All these marks just mean that the article is marked as read, really.
5006 They are interpreted differently when doing adaptive scoring, though.
5008 One more special mark, though:
5012 @vindex gnus-expirable-mark
5013 Marked as expirable (@code{gnus-expirable-mark}).
5015 Marking articles as @dfn{expirable} (or have them marked as such
5016 automatically) doesn't make much sense in normal groups---a user doesn't
5017 control expiring of news articles, but in mail groups, for instance,
5018 articles marked as @dfn{expirable} can be deleted by Gnus at
5024 @subsection Other Marks
5025 @cindex process mark
5028 There are some marks that have nothing to do with whether the article is
5034 You can set a bookmark in the current article. Say you are reading a
5035 long thesis on cats' urinary tracts, and have to go home for dinner
5036 before you've finished reading the thesis. You can then set a bookmark
5037 in the article, and Gnus will jump to this bookmark the next time it
5038 encounters the article. @xref{Setting Marks}.
5041 @vindex gnus-replied-mark
5042 All articles that you have replied to or made a followup to (i.e., have
5043 answered) will be marked with an @samp{A} in the second column
5044 (@code{gnus-replied-mark}).
5047 @vindex gnus-cached-mark
5048 Articles stored in the article cache will be marked with an @samp{*} in
5049 the second column (@code{gnus-cached-mark}). @xref{Article Caching}.
5052 @vindex gnus-saved-mark
5053 Articles ``saved'' (in some manner or other; not necessarily
5054 religiously) are marked with an @samp{S} in the second column
5055 (@code{gnus-saved-mark}).
5058 @vindex gnus-not-empty-thread-mark
5059 @vindex gnus-empty-thread-mark
5060 If the @samp{%e} spec is used, the presence of threads or not will be
5061 marked with @code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark} and
5062 @code{gnus-empty-thread-mark} in the third column, respectively.
5065 @vindex gnus-process-mark
5066 Finally we have the @dfn{process mark} (@code{gnus-process-mark}). A
5067 variety of commands react to the presence of the process mark. For
5068 instance, @kbd{X u} (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}) will uudecode and view
5069 all articles that have been marked with the process mark. Articles
5070 marked with the process mark have a @samp{#} in the second column.
5074 You might have noticed that most of these ``non-readedness'' marks
5075 appear in the second column by default. So if you have a cached, saved,
5076 replied article that you have process-marked, what will that look like?
5078 Nothing much. The precedence rules go as follows: process -> cache ->
5079 replied -> saved. So if the article is in the cache and is replied,
5080 you'll only see the cache mark and not the replied mark.
5084 @subsection Setting Marks
5085 @cindex setting marks
5087 All the marking commands understand the numeric prefix.
5092 @kindex M c (Summary)
5093 @kindex M-u (Summary)
5094 @findex gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward
5095 @cindex mark as unread
5096 Clear all readedness-marks from the current article
5097 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward}). In other words, mark the
5103 @kindex M t (Summary)
5104 @findex gnus-summary-tick-article-forward
5105 Tick the current article (@code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}).
5106 @xref{Article Caching}.
5111 @kindex M ? (Summary)
5112 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant
5113 Mark the current article as dormant
5114 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant}). @xref{Article Caching}.
5118 @kindex M d (Summary)
5120 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward
5121 Mark the current article as read
5122 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward}).
5126 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward
5127 Mark the current article as read and move point to the previous line
5128 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward}).
5133 @kindex M k (Summary)
5134 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select
5135 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read,
5136 and then select the next unread article
5137 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select}).
5141 @kindex M K (Summary)
5142 @kindex C-k (Summary)
5143 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject
5144 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read
5145 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject}).
5148 @kindex M C (Summary)
5149 @findex gnus-summary-catchup
5150 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup}
5151 Mark all unread articles as read (@code{gnus-summary-catchup}).
5154 @kindex M C-c (Summary)
5155 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all
5156 Mark all articles in the group as read---even the ticked and dormant
5157 articles (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all}).
5160 @kindex M H (Summary)
5161 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-to-here
5162 Catchup the current group to point
5163 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-to-here}).
5166 @kindex C-w (Summary)
5167 @findex gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read
5168 Mark all articles between point and mark as read
5169 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read}).
5172 @kindex M V k (Summary)
5173 @findex gnus-summary-kill-below
5174 Kill all articles with scores below the default score (or below the
5175 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-kill-below}).
5179 @kindex M e (Summary)
5181 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable
5182 Mark the current article as expirable
5183 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable}).
5186 @kindex M b (Summary)
5187 @findex gnus-summary-set-bookmark
5188 Set a bookmark in the current article
5189 (@code{gnus-summary-set-bookmark}).
5192 @kindex M B (Summary)
5193 @findex gnus-summary-remove-bookmark
5194 Remove the bookmark from the current article
5195 (@code{gnus-summary-remove-bookmark}).
5198 @kindex M V c (Summary)
5199 @findex gnus-summary-clear-above
5200 Clear all marks from articles with scores over the default score (or
5201 over the numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
5204 @kindex M V u (Summary)
5205 @findex gnus-summary-tick-above
5206 Tick all articles with scores over the default score (or over the
5207 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-tick-above}).
5210 @kindex M V m (Summary)
5211 @findex gnus-summary-mark-above
5212 Prompt for a mark, and mark all articles with scores over the default
5213 score (or over the numeric prefix) with this mark
5214 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
5217 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
5218 The @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} variable controls what action should
5219 be taken after setting a mark. If non-@code{nil}, point will move to
5220 the next/previous unread article. If @code{nil}, point will just move
5221 one line up or down. As a special case, if this variable is
5222 @code{never}, all the marking commands as well as other commands (like
5223 @kbd{SPACE}) will move to the next article, whether it is unread or not.
5224 The default is @code{t}.
5227 @node Generic Marking Commands
5228 @subsection Generic Marking Commands
5230 Some people would like the command that ticks an article (@kbd{!}) go to
5231 the next article. Others would like it to go to the next unread
5232 article. Yet others would like it to stay on the current article. And
5233 even though I haven't heard of anybody wanting it to go to the
5234 previous (unread) article, I'm sure there are people that want that as
5237 Multiply these five behaviors with five different marking commands, and
5238 you get a potentially complex set of variable to control what each
5241 To sidestep that mess, Gnus provides commands that do all these
5242 different things. They can be found on the @kbd{M M} map in the summary
5243 buffer. Type @kbd{M M C-h} to see them all---there are too many of them
5244 to list in this manual.
5246 While you can use these commands directly, most users would prefer
5247 altering the summary mode keymap. For instance, if you would like the
5248 @kbd{!} command to go to the next article instead of the next unread
5249 article, you could say something like:
5252 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'my-alter-summary-map)
5253 (defun my-alter-summary-map ()
5254 (local-set-key "!" 'gnus-summary-put-mark-as-ticked-next))
5260 (defun my-alter-summary-map ()
5261 (local-set-key "!" "MM!n"))
5265 @node Setting Process Marks
5266 @subsection Setting Process Marks
5267 @cindex setting process marks
5274 @kindex M P p (Summary)
5275 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
5276 Mark the current article with the process mark
5277 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}).
5278 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
5282 @kindex M P u (Summary)
5283 @kindex M-# (Summary)
5284 Remove the process mark, if any, from the current article
5285 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
5288 @kindex M P U (Summary)
5289 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
5290 Remove the process mark from all articles
5291 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
5294 @kindex M P i (Summary)
5295 @findex gnus-uu-invert-processable
5296 Invert the list of process marked articles
5297 (@code{gnus-uu-invert-processable}).
5300 @kindex M P R (Summary)
5301 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
5302 Mark articles that have a @code{Subject} header that matches a regular
5303 expression (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
5306 @kindex M P G (Summary)
5307 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp
5308 Unmark articles that have a @code{Subject} header that matches a regular
5309 expression (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp}).
5312 @kindex M P r (Summary)
5313 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
5314 Mark articles in region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
5317 @kindex M P t (Summary)
5318 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
5319 Mark all articles in the current (sub)thread
5320 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
5323 @kindex M P T (Summary)
5324 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
5325 Unmark all articles in the current (sub)thread
5326 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
5329 @kindex M P v (Summary)
5330 @findex gnus-uu-mark-over
5331 Mark all articles that have a score above the prefix argument
5332 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-over}).
5335 @kindex M P s (Summary)
5336 @findex gnus-uu-mark-series
5337 Mark all articles in the current series (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
5340 @kindex M P S (Summary)
5341 @findex gnus-uu-mark-sparse
5342 Mark all series that have already had some articles marked
5343 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-sparse}).
5346 @kindex M P a (Summary)
5347 @findex gnus-uu-mark-all
5348 Mark all articles in series order (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
5351 @kindex M P b (Summary)
5352 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
5353 Mark all articles in the buffer in the order they appear
5354 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
5357 @kindex M P k (Summary)
5358 @findex gnus-summary-kill-process-mark
5359 Push the current process mark set onto the stack and unmark all articles
5360 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-process-mark}).
5363 @kindex M P y (Summary)
5364 @findex gnus-summary-yank-process-mark
5365 Pop the previous process mark set from the stack and restore it
5366 (@code{gnus-summary-yank-process-mark}).
5369 @kindex M P w (Summary)
5370 @findex gnus-summary-save-process-mark
5371 Push the current process mark set onto the stack
5372 (@code{gnus-summary-save-process-mark}).
5376 Also see the @kbd{&} command in @pxref{Searching for Articles} for how to
5377 set process marks based on article body contents.
5384 It can be convenient to limit the summary buffer to just show some
5385 subset of the articles currently in the group. The effect most limit
5386 commands have is to remove a few (or many) articles from the summary
5389 All limiting commands work on subsets of the articles already fetched
5390 from the servers. None of these commands query the server for
5391 additional articles.
5397 @kindex / / (Summary)
5398 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-subject
5399 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some subject
5400 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-subject}).
5403 @kindex / a (Summary)
5404 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-author
5405 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some author
5406 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-author}).
5409 @kindex / x (Summary)
5410 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-extra
5411 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match one of the ``extra''
5412 headers (@pxref{To From Newsgroups})
5413 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-extra}).
5417 @kindex / u (Summary)
5419 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-unread
5420 Limit the summary buffer to articles not marked as read
5421 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-unread}). If given a prefix, limit the
5422 buffer to articles strictly unread. This means that ticked and
5423 dormant articles will also be excluded.
5426 @kindex / m (Summary)
5427 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-marks
5428 Ask for a mark and then limit to all articles that have been marked
5429 with that mark (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}).
5432 @kindex / t (Summary)
5433 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-age
5434 Ask for a number and then limit the summary buffer to articles older than (or equal to) that number of days
5435 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-age}). If given a prefix, limit to
5436 articles younger than that number of days.
5439 @kindex / n (Summary)
5440 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-articles
5441 Limit the summary buffer to the current article
5442 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-articles}). Uses the process/prefix
5443 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5446 @kindex / w (Summary)
5447 @findex gnus-summary-pop-limit
5448 Pop the previous limit off the stack and restore it
5449 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-limit}). If given a prefix, pop all limits off
5453 @kindex / v (Summary)
5454 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-score
5455 Limit the summary buffer to articles that have a score at or above some
5456 score (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-score}).
5460 @kindex M S (Summary)
5461 @kindex / E (Summary)
5462 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged
5463 Include all expunged articles in the limit
5464 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged}).
5467 @kindex / D (Summary)
5468 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant
5469 Include all dormant articles in the limit
5470 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant}).
5473 @kindex / * (Summary)
5474 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-cached
5475 Include all cached articles in the limit
5476 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-cached}).
5479 @kindex / d (Summary)
5480 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant
5481 Exclude all dormant articles from the limit
5482 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant}).
5485 @kindex / M (Summary)
5486 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-marks
5487 Exclude all marked articles (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-marks}).
5490 @kindex / T (Summary)
5491 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-thread
5492 Include all the articles in the current thread in the limit.
5495 @kindex / c (Summary)
5496 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant
5497 Exclude all dormant articles that have no children from the limit
5498 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant}).
5501 @kindex / C (Summary)
5502 @findex gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read
5503 Mark all excluded unread articles as read
5504 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read}). If given a prefix,
5505 also mark excluded ticked and dormant articles as read.
5513 @cindex article threading
5515 Gnus threads articles by default. @dfn{To thread} is to put responses
5516 to articles directly after the articles they respond to---in a
5517 hierarchical fashion.
5519 Threading is done by looking at the @code{References} headers of the
5520 articles. In a perfect world, this would be enough to build pretty
5521 trees, but unfortunately, the @code{References} header is often broken
5522 or simply missing. Weird news propagation exacerbates the problem,
5523 so one has to employ other heuristics to get pleasing results. A
5524 plethora of approaches exists, as detailed in horrible detail in
5525 @pxref{Customizing Threading}.
5527 First, a quick overview of the concepts:
5531 The top-most article in a thread; the first article in the thread.
5534 A tree-like article structure.
5537 A small(er) section of this tree-like structure.
5540 Threads often lose their roots due to article expiry, or due to the root
5541 already having been read in a previous session, and not displayed in the
5542 summary buffer. We then typically have many sub-threads that really
5543 belong to one thread, but are without connecting roots. These are
5544 called loose threads.
5546 @item thread gathering
5547 An attempt to gather loose threads into bigger threads.
5549 @item sparse threads
5550 A thread where the missing articles have been ``guessed'' at, and are
5551 displayed as empty lines in the summary buffer.
5557 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
5558 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
5562 @node Customizing Threading
5563 @subsection Customizing Threading
5564 @cindex customizing threading
5567 * Loose Threads:: How Gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
5568 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
5569 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
5570 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over... but you were wrong!
5575 @subsubsection Loose Threads
5578 @cindex loose threads
5581 @item gnus-summary-make-false-root
5582 @vindex gnus-summary-make-false-root
5583 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will gather all loose subtrees into one big tree
5584 and create a dummy root at the top. (Wait a minute. Root at the top?
5585 Yup.) Loose subtrees occur when the real root has expired, or you've
5586 read or killed the root in a previous session.
5588 When there is no real root of a thread, Gnus will have to fudge
5589 something. This variable says what fudging method Gnus should use.
5590 There are four possible values:
5594 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{390}{
5595 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-adopt.ps,width=7.5cm}}
5596 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-empty.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
5597 \put(0,400){\makebox(0,0)[tl]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-none.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
5598 \put(445,400){\makebox(0,0)[tr]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-dummy.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
5603 @cindex adopting articles
5608 Gnus will make the first of the orphaned articles the parent. This
5609 parent will adopt all the other articles. The adopted articles will be
5610 marked as such by pointy brackets (@samp{<>}) instead of the standard
5611 square brackets (@samp{[]}). This is the default method.
5614 @vindex gnus-summary-dummy-line-format
5615 Gnus will create a dummy summary line that will pretend to be the
5616 parent. This dummy line does not correspond to any real article, so
5617 selecting it will just select the first real article after the dummy
5618 article. @code{gnus-summary-dummy-line-format} is used to specify the
5619 format of the dummy roots. It accepts only one format spec: @samp{S},
5620 which is the subject of the article. @xref{Formatting Variables}.
5623 Gnus won't actually make any article the parent, but simply leave the
5624 subject field of all orphans except the first empty. (Actually, it will
5625 use @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} as the subject (@pxref{Summary
5629 Don't make any article parent at all. Just gather the threads and
5630 display them after one another.
5633 Don't gather loose threads.
5636 @item gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
5637 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
5638 Loose threads are gathered by comparing subjects of articles. If this
5639 variable is @code{nil}, Gnus requires an exact match between the
5640 subjects of the loose threads before gathering them into one big
5641 super-thread. This might be too strict a requirement, what with the
5642 presence of stupid newsreaders that chop off long subject lines. If
5643 you think so, set this variable to, say, 20 to require that only the
5644 first 20 characters of the subjects have to match. If you set this
5645 variable to a really low number, you'll find that Gnus will gather
5646 everything in sight into one thread, which isn't very helpful.
5648 @cindex fuzzy article gathering
5649 If you set this variable to the special value @code{fuzzy}, Gnus will
5650 use a fuzzy string comparison algorithm on the subjects (@pxref{Fuzzy
5653 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
5654 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
5655 This can either be a regular expression or list of regular expressions
5656 that match strings that will be removed from subjects if fuzzy subject
5657 simplification is used.
5659 @item gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
5660 @vindex gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
5661 If you set @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit} to something as low
5662 as 10, you might consider setting this variable to something sensible:
5664 @c Written by Michael Ernst <mernst@cs.rice.edu>
5666 (setq gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
5672 "wanted" "followup" "summary\\( of\\)?"
5673 "help" "query" "problem" "question"
5674 "answer" "reference" "announce"
5675 "How can I" "How to" "Comparison of"
5680 (mapconcat 'identity
5681 '("for" "for reference" "with" "about")
5683 "\\)?\\]?:?[ \t]*"))
5686 All words that match this regexp will be removed before comparing two
5689 @item gnus-simplify-subject-functions
5690 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-functions
5691 If non-@code{nil}, this variable overrides
5692 @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}. This variable should be a
5693 list of functions to apply to the @code{Subject} string iteratively to
5694 arrive at the simplified version of the string.
5696 Useful functions to put in this list include:
5699 @item gnus-simplify-subject-re
5700 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-re
5701 Strip the leading @samp{Re:}.
5703 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
5704 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
5707 @item gnus-simplify-whitespace
5708 @findex gnus-simplify-whitespace
5709 Remove excessive whitespace.
5712 You may also write your own functions, of course.
5715 @item gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
5716 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
5717 Since loose thread gathering is done on subjects only, that might lead
5718 to many false hits, especially with certain common subjects like
5719 @samp{} and @samp{(none)}. To make the situation slightly better,
5720 you can use the regexp @code{gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject} to say
5721 what subjects should be excluded from the gathering process.@*
5722 The default is @samp{^ *$\\|^(none)$}.
5724 @item gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
5725 @vindex gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
5726 Gnus gathers threads by looking at @code{Subject} headers. This means
5727 that totally unrelated articles may end up in the same ``thread'', which
5728 is confusing. An alternate approach is to look at all the
5729 @code{Message-ID}s in all the @code{References} headers to find matches.
5730 This will ensure that no gathered threads ever include unrelated
5731 articles, but it also means that people who have posted with broken
5732 newsreaders won't be gathered properly. The choice is yours---plague or
5736 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
5737 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
5738 This function is the default gathering function and looks at
5739 @code{Subject}s exclusively.
5741 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-references
5742 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-references
5743 This function looks at @code{References} headers exclusively.
5746 If you want to test gathering by @code{References}, you could say
5750 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
5751 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
5757 @node Filling In Threads
5758 @subsubsection Filling In Threads
5761 @item gnus-fetch-old-headers
5762 @vindex gnus-fetch-old-headers
5763 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will attempt to build old threads by fetching
5764 more old headers---headers to articles marked as read. If you
5765 would like to display as few summary lines as possible, but still
5766 connect as many loose threads as possible, you should set this variable
5767 to @code{some} or a number. If you set it to a number, no more than
5768 that number of extra old headers will be fetched. In either case,
5769 fetching old headers only works if the backend you are using carries
5770 overview files---this would normally be @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and
5771 @code{nnml}. Also remember that if the root of the thread has been
5772 expired by the server, there's not much Gnus can do about that.
5774 This variable can also be set to @code{invisible}. This won't have any
5775 visible effects, but is useful if you use the @kbd{A T} command a lot
5776 (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
5778 @item gnus-build-sparse-threads
5779 @vindex gnus-build-sparse-threads
5780 Fetching old headers can be slow. A low-rent similar effect can be
5781 gotten by setting this variable to @code{some}. Gnus will then look at
5782 the complete @code{References} headers of all articles and try to string
5783 together articles that belong in the same thread. This will leave
5784 @dfn{gaps} in the threading display where Gnus guesses that an article
5785 is missing from the thread. (These gaps appear like normal summary
5786 lines. If you select a gap, Gnus will try to fetch the article in
5787 question.) If this variable is @code{t}, Gnus will display all these
5788 ``gaps'' without regard for whether they are useful for completing the
5789 thread or not. Finally, if this variable is @code{more}, Gnus won't cut
5790 off sparse leaf nodes that don't lead anywhere. This variable is
5791 @code{nil} by default.
5796 @node More Threading
5797 @subsubsection More Threading
5800 @item gnus-show-threads
5801 @vindex gnus-show-threads
5802 If this variable is @code{nil}, no threading will be done, and all of
5803 the rest of the variables here will have no effect. Turning threading
5804 off will speed group selection up a bit, but it is sure to make reading
5805 slower and more awkward.
5807 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
5808 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-subtree
5809 If non-@code{nil}, all threads will be hidden when the summary buffer is
5812 @item gnus-thread-expunge-below
5813 @vindex gnus-thread-expunge-below
5814 All threads that have a total score (as defined by
5815 @code{gnus-thread-score-function}) less than this number will be
5816 expunged. This variable is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
5817 threads are expunged.
5819 @item gnus-thread-hide-killed
5820 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-killed
5821 if you kill a thread and this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subtree
5824 @item gnus-thread-ignore-subject
5825 @vindex gnus-thread-ignore-subject
5826 Sometimes somebody changes the subject in the middle of a thread. If
5827 this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subject change is ignored. If it
5828 is @code{nil}, which is the default, a change in the subject will result
5831 @item gnus-thread-indent-level
5832 @vindex gnus-thread-indent-level
5833 This is a number that says how much each sub-thread should be indented.
5836 @item gnus-sort-gathered-threads-function
5837 @vindex gnus-sort-gathered-threads-function
5838 Sometimes, particularly with mailing lists, the order in which mails
5839 arrive locally is not necessarily the same as the order in which they
5840 arrived on the mailing list. Consequently, when sorting sub-threads
5841 using the default @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number}, responses can end
5842 up appearing before the article to which they are responding to.
5843 Setting this variable to an alternate value
5844 (e.g. @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}), in a group's parameters or in an
5845 appropriate hook (e.g. @code{gnus-summary-generate-hook}) can produce a
5846 more logical sub-thread ordering in such instances.
5851 @node Low-Level Threading
5852 @subsubsection Low-Level Threading
5856 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
5857 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
5858 Hook run before parsing any headers.
5860 @item gnus-alter-header-function
5861 @vindex gnus-alter-header-function
5862 If non-@code{nil}, this function will be called to allow alteration of
5863 article header structures. The function is called with one parameter,
5864 the article header vector, which it may alter in any way. For instance,
5865 if you have a mail-to-news gateway which alters the @code{Message-ID}s
5866 in systematic ways (by adding prefixes and such), you can use this
5867 variable to un-scramble the @code{Message-ID}s so that they are more
5868 meaningful. Here's one example:
5871 (setq gnus-alter-header-function 'my-alter-message-id)
5873 (defun my-alter-message-id (header)
5874 (let ((id (mail-header-id header)))
5876 "\\(<[^<>@@]*\\)\\.?cygnus\\..*@@\\([^<>@@]*>\\)" id)
5878 (concat (match-string 1 id) "@@" (match-string 2 id))
5885 @node Thread Commands
5886 @subsection Thread Commands
5887 @cindex thread commands
5893 @kindex T k (Summary)
5894 @kindex M-C-k (Summary)
5895 @findex gnus-summary-kill-thread
5896 Mark all articles in the current (sub-)thread as read
5897 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}). If the prefix argument is positive,
5898 remove all marks instead. If the prefix argument is negative, tick
5903 @kindex T l (Summary)
5904 @kindex M-C-l (Summary)
5905 @findex gnus-summary-lower-thread
5906 Lower the score of the current (sub-)thread
5907 (@code{gnus-summary-lower-thread}).
5910 @kindex T i (Summary)
5911 @findex gnus-summary-raise-thread
5912 Increase the score of the current (sub-)thread
5913 (@code{gnus-summary-raise-thread}).
5916 @kindex T # (Summary)
5917 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
5918 Set the process mark on the current (sub-)thread
5919 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
5922 @kindex T M-# (Summary)
5923 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
5924 Remove the process mark from the current (sub-)thread
5925 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
5928 @kindex T T (Summary)
5929 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-threads
5930 Toggle threading (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-threads}).
5933 @kindex T s (Summary)
5934 @findex gnus-summary-show-thread
5935 Expose the (sub-)thread hidden under the current article, if any
5936 (@code{gnus-summary-show-thread}).
5939 @kindex T h (Summary)
5940 @findex gnus-summary-hide-thread
5941 Hide the current (sub-)thread (@code{gnus-summary-hide-thread}).
5944 @kindex T S (Summary)
5945 @findex gnus-summary-show-all-threads
5946 Expose all hidden threads (@code{gnus-summary-show-all-threads}).
5949 @kindex T H (Summary)
5950 @findex gnus-summary-hide-all-threads
5951 Hide all threads (@code{gnus-summary-hide-all-threads}).
5954 @kindex T t (Summary)
5955 @findex gnus-summary-rethread-current
5956 Re-thread the current article's thread
5957 (@code{gnus-summary-rethread-current}). This works even when the
5958 summary buffer is otherwise unthreaded.
5961 @kindex T ^ (Summary)
5962 @findex gnus-summary-reparent-thread
5963 Make the current article the child of the marked (or previous) article
5964 (@code{gnus-summary-reparent-thread}).
5968 The following commands are thread movement commands. They all
5969 understand the numeric prefix.
5974 @kindex T n (Summary)
5976 @kindex M-C-n (Summary)
5978 @kindex M-down (Summary)
5979 @findex gnus-summary-next-thread
5980 Go to the next thread (@code{gnus-summary-next-thread}).
5983 @kindex T p (Summary)
5985 @kindex M-C-p (Summary)
5987 @kindex M-up (Summary)
5988 @findex gnus-summary-prev-thread
5989 Go to the previous thread (@code{gnus-summary-prev-thread}).
5992 @kindex T d (Summary)
5993 @findex gnus-summary-down-thread
5994 Descend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-down-thread}).
5997 @kindex T u (Summary)
5998 @findex gnus-summary-up-thread
5999 Ascend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-up-thread}).
6002 @kindex T o (Summary)
6003 @findex gnus-summary-top-thread
6004 Go to the top of the thread (@code{gnus-summary-top-thread}).
6007 @vindex gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject
6008 If you ignore subject while threading, you'll naturally end up with
6009 threads that have several different subjects in them. If you then issue
6010 a command like `T k' (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}) you might not
6011 wish to kill the entire thread, but just those parts of the thread that
6012 have the same subject as the current article. If you like this idea,
6013 you can fiddle with @code{gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject}. If it
6014 is non-@code{nil} (which it is by default), subjects will be ignored
6015 when doing thread commands. If this variable is @code{nil}, articles in
6016 the same thread with different subjects will not be included in the
6017 operation in question. If this variable is @code{fuzzy}, only articles
6018 that have subjects fuzzily equal will be included (@pxref{Fuzzy
6025 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score
6026 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-date
6027 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-score
6028 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
6029 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-author
6030 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-number
6031 @vindex gnus-thread-sort-functions
6032 If you are using a threaded summary display, you can sort the threads by
6033 setting @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, which can be either a single
6034 function, a list of functions, or a list containing functions and
6035 @code{(not some-function)} elements.
6037 By default, sorting is done on article numbers. Ready-made sorting
6038 predicate functions include @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number},
6039 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-subject},
6040 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-score}, and
6041 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score}.
6043 Each function takes two threads and returns non-@code{nil} if the first
6044 thread should be sorted before the other. Note that sorting really is
6045 normally done by looking only at the roots of each thread.
6047 If you use more than one function, the primary sort key should be the
6048 last function in the list. You should probably always include
6049 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number} in the list of sorting
6050 functions---preferably first. This will ensure that threads that are
6051 equal with respect to the other sort criteria will be displayed in
6052 ascending article order.
6054 If you would like to sort by reverse score, then by subject, and finally
6055 by number, you could do something like:
6058 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
6059 '(gnus-thread-sort-by-number
6060 gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
6061 (not gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score)))
6064 The threads that have highest score will be displayed first in the
6065 summary buffer. When threads have the same score, they will be sorted
6066 alphabetically. The threads that have the same score and the same
6067 subject will be sorted by number, which is (normally) the sequence in
6068 which the articles arrived.
6070 If you want to sort by score and then reverse arrival order, you could
6074 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
6076 (not (gnus-thread-sort-by-number t1 t2)))
6077 gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
6080 @vindex gnus-thread-score-function
6081 The function in the @code{gnus-thread-score-function} variable (default
6082 @code{+}) is used for calculating the total score of a thread. Useful
6083 functions might be @code{max}, @code{min}, or squared means, or whatever
6086 @findex gnus-article-sort-functions
6087 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-date
6088 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-score
6089 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-subject
6090 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-author
6091 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-number
6092 If you are using an unthreaded display for some strange reason or other,
6093 you have to fiddle with the @code{gnus-article-sort-functions} variable.
6094 It is very similar to the @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, except that
6095 it uses slightly different functions for article comparison. Available
6096 sorting predicate functions are @code{gnus-article-sort-by-number},
6097 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-article-sort-by-subject},
6098 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-date}, and @code{gnus-article-sort-by-score}.
6100 If you want to sort an unthreaded summary display by subject, you could
6104 (setq gnus-article-sort-functions
6105 '(gnus-article-sort-by-number
6106 gnus-article-sort-by-subject))
6111 @node Asynchronous Fetching
6112 @section Asynchronous Article Fetching
6113 @cindex asynchronous article fetching
6114 @cindex article pre-fetch
6117 If you read your news from an @sc{nntp} server that's far away, the
6118 network latencies may make reading articles a chore. You have to wait
6119 for a while after pressing @kbd{n} to go to the next article before the
6120 article appears. Why can't Gnus just go ahead and fetch the article
6121 while you are reading the previous one? Why not, indeed.
6123 First, some caveats. There are some pitfalls to using asynchronous
6124 article fetching, especially the way Gnus does it.
6126 Let's say you are reading article 1, which is short, and article 2 is
6127 quite long, and you are not interested in reading that. Gnus does not
6128 know this, so it goes ahead and fetches article 2. You decide to read
6129 article 3, but since Gnus is in the process of fetching article 2, the
6130 connection is blocked.
6132 To avoid these situations, Gnus will open two (count 'em two)
6133 connections to the server. Some people may think this isn't a very nice
6134 thing to do, but I don't see any real alternatives. Setting up that
6135 extra connection takes some time, so Gnus startup will be slower.
6137 Gnus will fetch more articles than you will read. This will mean that
6138 the link between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server will become more
6139 loaded than if you didn't use article pre-fetch. The server itself will
6140 also become more loaded---both with the extra article requests, and the
6143 Ok, so now you know that you shouldn't really use this thing... unless
6146 @vindex gnus-asynchronous
6147 Here's how: Set @code{gnus-asynchronous} to @code{t}. The rest should
6148 happen automatically.
6150 @vindex gnus-use-article-prefetch
6151 You can control how many articles are to be pre-fetched by setting
6152 @code{gnus-use-article-prefetch}. This is 30 by default, which means
6153 that when you read an article in the group, the backend will pre-fetch
6154 the next 30 articles. If this variable is @code{t}, the backend will
6155 pre-fetch all the articles it can without bound. If it is
6156 @code{nil}, no pre-fetching will be done.
6158 @vindex gnus-async-prefetch-article-p
6159 @findex gnus-async-read-p
6160 There are probably some articles that you don't want to pre-fetch---read
6161 articles, for instance. The @code{gnus-async-prefetch-article-p} variable controls whether an article is to be pre-fetched. This function should
6162 return non-@code{nil} when the article in question is to be
6163 pre-fetched. The default is @code{gnus-async-read-p}, which returns
6164 @code{nil} on read articles. The function is called with an article
6165 data structure as the only parameter.
6167 If, for instance, you wish to pre-fetch only unread articles shorter than 100 lines, you could say something like:
6170 (defun my-async-short-unread-p (data)
6171 "Return non-nil for short, unread articles."
6172 (and (gnus-data-unread-p data)
6173 (< (mail-header-lines (gnus-data-header data))
6176 (setq gnus-async-prefetch-article-p 'my-async-short-unread-p)
6179 These functions will be called many, many times, so they should
6180 preferably be short and sweet to avoid slowing down Gnus too much.
6181 It's probably a good idea to byte-compile things like this.
6183 @vindex gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy
6184 Articles have to be removed from the asynch buffer sooner or later. The
6185 @code{gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy} says when to remove
6186 articles. This is a list that may contain the following elements:
6190 Remove articles when they are read.
6193 Remove articles when exiting the group.
6196 The default value is @code{(read exit)}.
6198 @c @vindex gnus-use-header-prefetch
6199 @c If @code{gnus-use-header-prefetch} is non-@code{nil}, prefetch articles
6200 @c from the next group.
6203 @node Article Caching
6204 @section Article Caching
6205 @cindex article caching
6208 If you have an @emph{extremely} slow @sc{nntp} connection, you may
6209 consider turning article caching on. Each article will then be stored
6210 locally under your home directory. As you may surmise, this could
6211 potentially use @emph{huge} amounts of disk space, as well as eat up all
6212 your inodes so fast it will make your head swim. In vodka.
6214 Used carefully, though, it could be just an easier way to save articles.
6216 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
6217 @vindex gnus-cache-directory
6218 @vindex gnus-use-cache
6219 To turn caching on, set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{t}. By default,
6220 all articles ticked or marked as dormant will then be copied
6221 over to your local cache (@code{gnus-cache-directory}). Whether this
6222 cache is flat or hierarchical is controlled by the
6223 @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable, as usual.
6225 When re-selecting a ticked or dormant article, it will be fetched from the
6226 cache instead of from the server. As articles in your cache will never
6227 expire, this might serve as a method of saving articles while still
6228 keeping them where they belong. Just mark all articles you want to save
6229 as dormant, and don't worry.
6231 When an article is marked as read, is it removed from the cache.
6233 @vindex gnus-cache-remove-articles
6234 @vindex gnus-cache-enter-articles
6235 The entering/removal of articles from the cache is controlled by the
6236 @code{gnus-cache-enter-articles} and @code{gnus-cache-remove-articles}
6237 variables. Both are lists of symbols. The first is @code{(ticked
6238 dormant)} by default, meaning that ticked and dormant articles will be
6239 put in the cache. The latter is @code{(read)} by default, meaning that
6240 articles marked as read are removed from the cache. Possibly
6241 symbols in these two lists are @code{ticked}, @code{dormant},
6242 @code{unread} and @code{read}.
6244 @findex gnus-jog-cache
6245 So where does the massive article-fetching and storing come into the
6246 picture? The @code{gnus-jog-cache} command will go through all
6247 subscribed newsgroups, request all unread articles, score them, and
6248 store them in the cache. You should only ever, ever ever ever, use this
6249 command if 1) your connection to the @sc{nntp} server is really, really,
6250 really slow and 2) you have a really, really, really huge disk.
6251 Seriously. One way to cut down on the number of articles downloaded is
6252 to score unwanted articles down and have them marked as read. They will
6253 not then be downloaded by this command.
6255 @vindex gnus-uncacheable-groups
6256 @vindex gnus-cacheable-groups
6257 It is likely that you do not want caching on all groups. For instance,
6258 if your @code{nnml} mail is located under your home directory, it makes no
6259 sense to cache it somewhere else under your home directory. Unless you
6260 feel that it's neat to use twice as much space.
6262 To limit the caching, you could set @code{gnus-cacheable-groups} to a
6263 regexp of groups to cache, @samp{^nntp} for instance, or set the
6264 @code{gnus-uncacheable-groups} regexp to @samp{^nnml}, for instance.
6265 Both variables are @code{nil} by default. If a group matches both
6266 variables, the group is not cached.
6268 @findex gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases
6269 @findex gnus-cache-generate-active
6270 @vindex gnus-cache-active-file
6271 The cache stores information on what articles it contains in its active
6272 file (@code{gnus-cache-active-file}). If this file (or any other parts
6273 of the cache) becomes all messed up for some reason or other, Gnus
6274 offers two functions that will try to set things right. @kbd{M-x
6275 gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases} will (re)build all the @sc{nov}
6276 files, and @kbd{gnus-cache-generate-active} will (re)generate the active
6280 @node Persistent Articles
6281 @section Persistent Articles
6282 @cindex persistent articles
6284 Closely related to article caching, we have @dfn{persistent articles}.
6285 In fact, it's just a different way of looking at caching, and much more
6286 useful in my opinion.
6288 Say you're reading a newsgroup, and you happen on to some valuable gem
6289 that you want to keep and treasure forever. You'd normally just save it
6290 (using one of the many saving commands) in some file. The problem with
6291 that is that it's just, well, yucky. Ideally you'd prefer just having
6292 the article remain in the group where you found it forever; untouched by
6293 the expiry going on at the news server.
6295 This is what a @dfn{persistent article} is---an article that just won't
6296 be deleted. It's implemented using the normal cache functions, but
6297 you use two explicit commands for managing persistent articles:
6303 @findex gnus-cache-enter-article
6304 Make the current article persistent (@code{gnus-cache-enter-article}).
6307 @kindex M-* (Summary)
6308 @findex gnus-cache-remove-article
6309 Remove the current article from the persistent articles
6310 (@code{gnus-cache-remove-article}). This will normally delete the
6314 Both these commands understand the process/prefix convention.
6316 To avoid having all ticked articles (and stuff) entered into the cache,
6317 you should set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{passive} if you're just
6318 interested in persistent articles:
6321 (setq gnus-use-cache 'passive)
6325 @node Article Backlog
6326 @section Article Backlog
6328 @cindex article backlog
6330 If you have a slow connection, but the idea of using caching seems
6331 unappealing to you (and it is, really), you can help the situation some
6332 by switching on the @dfn{backlog}. This is where Gnus will buffer
6333 already read articles so that it doesn't have to re-fetch articles
6334 you've already read. This only helps if you are in the habit of
6335 re-selecting articles you've recently read, of course. If you never do
6336 that, turning the backlog on will slow Gnus down a little bit, and
6337 increase memory usage some.
6339 @vindex gnus-keep-backlog
6340 If you set @code{gnus-keep-backlog} to a number @var{n}, Gnus will store
6341 at most @var{n} old articles in a buffer for later re-fetching. If this
6342 variable is non-@code{nil} and is not a number, Gnus will store
6343 @emph{all} read articles, which means that your Emacs will grow without
6344 bound before exploding and taking your machine down with you. I put
6345 that in there just to keep y'all on your toes.
6347 This variable is @code{nil} by default.
6350 @node Saving Articles
6351 @section Saving Articles
6352 @cindex saving articles
6354 Gnus can save articles in a number of ways. Below is the documentation
6355 for saving articles in a fairly straight-forward fashion (i.e., little
6356 processing of the article is done before it is saved). For a different
6357 approach (uudecoding, unsharing) you should use @code{gnus-uu}
6358 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
6360 @vindex gnus-save-all-headers
6361 If @code{gnus-save-all-headers} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will not delete
6362 unwanted headers before saving the article.
6364 @vindex gnus-saved-headers
6365 If the preceding variable is @code{nil}, all headers that match the
6366 @code{gnus-saved-headers} regexp will be kept, while the rest will be
6367 deleted before saving.
6373 @kindex O o (Summary)
6375 @findex gnus-summary-save-article
6376 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article}
6377 Save the current article using the default article saver
6378 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article}).
6381 @kindex O m (Summary)
6382 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-mail
6383 Save the current article in mail format
6384 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-mail}).
6387 @kindex O r (Summary)
6388 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-rmail
6389 Save the current article in rmail format
6390 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-rmail}).
6393 @kindex O f (Summary)
6394 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-file
6395 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article-file}
6396 Save the current article in plain file format
6397 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-file}).
6400 @kindex O F (Summary)
6401 @findex gnus-summary-write-article-file
6402 Write the current article in plain file format, overwriting any previous
6403 file contents (@code{gnus-summary-write-article-file}).
6406 @kindex O b (Summary)
6407 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-body-file
6408 Save the current article body in plain file format
6409 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-body-file}).
6412 @kindex O h (Summary)
6413 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-folder
6414 Save the current article in mh folder format
6415 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-folder}).
6418 @kindex O v (Summary)
6419 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-vm
6420 Save the current article in a VM folder
6421 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-vm}).
6424 @kindex O p (Summary)
6425 @findex gnus-summary-pipe-output
6426 Save the current article in a pipe. Uhm, like, what I mean is---Pipe
6427 the current article to a process (@code{gnus-summary-pipe-output}).
6430 @vindex gnus-prompt-before-saving
6431 All these commands use the process/prefix convention
6432 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). If you save bunches of articles using these
6433 functions, you might get tired of being prompted for files to save each
6434 and every article in. The prompting action is controlled by
6435 the @code{gnus-prompt-before-saving} variable, which is @code{always} by
6436 default, giving you that excessive prompting action you know and
6437 loathe. If you set this variable to @code{t} instead, you'll be prompted
6438 just once for each series of articles you save. If you like to really
6439 have Gnus do all your thinking for you, you can even set this variable
6440 to @code{nil}, which means that you will never be prompted for files to
6441 save articles in. Gnus will simply save all the articles in the default
6445 @vindex gnus-default-article-saver
6446 You can customize the @code{gnus-default-article-saver} variable to make
6447 Gnus do what you want it to. You can use any of the six ready-made
6448 functions below, or you can create your own.
6452 @item gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
6453 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
6454 @vindex gnus-rmail-save-name
6455 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
6456 This is the default format, @dfn{babyl}. Uses the function in the
6457 @code{gnus-rmail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6458 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
6460 @item gnus-summary-save-in-mail
6461 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-mail
6462 @vindex gnus-mail-save-name
6463 Save in a Unix mail (mbox) file. Uses the function in the
6464 @code{gnus-mail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6465 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
6467 @item gnus-summary-save-in-file
6468 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-file
6469 @vindex gnus-file-save-name
6470 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
6471 Append the article straight to an ordinary file. Uses the function in
6472 the @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6473 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
6475 @item gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
6476 @findex gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
6477 Append the article body to an ordinary file. Uses the function in the
6478 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6479 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
6481 @item gnus-summary-save-in-folder
6482 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-folder
6483 @findex gnus-folder-save-name
6484 @findex gnus-Folder-save-name
6485 @vindex gnus-folder-save-name
6488 Save the article to an MH folder using @code{rcvstore} from the MH
6489 library. Uses the function in the @code{gnus-folder-save-name} variable
6490 to get a file name to save the article in. The default is
6491 @code{gnus-folder-save-name}, but you can also use
6492 @code{gnus-Folder-save-name}, which creates capitalized names.
6494 @item gnus-summary-save-in-vm
6495 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-vm
6496 Save the article in a VM folder. You have to have the VM mail
6497 reader to use this setting.
6500 @vindex gnus-article-save-directory
6501 All of these functions, except for the last one, will save the article
6502 in the @code{gnus-article-save-directory}, which is initialized from the
6503 @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable. This is @file{~/News/} by
6506 As you can see above, the functions use different functions to find a
6507 suitable name of a file to save the article in. Below is a list of
6508 available functions that generate names:
6512 @item gnus-Numeric-save-name
6513 @findex gnus-Numeric-save-name
6514 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
6516 @item gnus-numeric-save-name
6517 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
6518 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
6520 @item gnus-Plain-save-name
6521 @findex gnus-Plain-save-name
6522 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin}.
6524 @item gnus-plain-save-name
6525 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
6526 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.
6528 @item gnus-sender-save-name
6529 @findex gnus-sender-save-name
6530 File names like @file{~/News/larsi}.
6533 @vindex gnus-split-methods
6534 You can have Gnus suggest where to save articles by plonking a regexp into
6535 the @code{gnus-split-methods} alist. For instance, if you would like to
6536 save articles related to Gnus in the file @file{gnus-stuff}, and articles
6537 related to VM in @code{vm-stuff}, you could set this variable to something
6541 (("^Subject:.*gnus\\|^Newsgroups:.*gnus" "gnus-stuff")
6542 ("^Subject:.*vm\\|^Xref:.*vm" "vm-stuff")
6543 (my-choosing-function "../other-dir/my-stuff")
6544 ((equal gnus-newsgroup-name "mail.misc") "mail-stuff"))
6547 We see that this is a list where each element is a list that has two
6548 elements---the @dfn{match} and the @dfn{file}. The match can either be
6549 a string (in which case it is used as a regexp to match on the article
6550 head); it can be a symbol (which will be called as a function with the
6551 group name as a parameter); or it can be a list (which will be
6552 @code{eval}ed). If any of these actions have a non-@code{nil} result,
6553 the @dfn{file} will be used as a default prompt. In addition, the
6554 result of the operation itself will be used if the function or form
6555 called returns a string or a list of strings.
6557 You basically end up with a list of file names that might be used when
6558 saving the current article. (All ``matches'' will be used.) You will
6559 then be prompted for what you really want to use as a name, with file
6560 name completion over the results from applying this variable.
6562 This variable is @code{((gnus-article-archive-name))} by default, which
6563 means that Gnus will look at the articles it saves for an
6564 @code{Archive-name} line and use that as a suggestion for the file
6567 Here's an example function to clean up file names somewhat. If you have
6568 lots of mail groups called things like
6569 @samp{nnml:mail.whatever}, you may want to chop off the beginning of
6570 these group names before creating the file name to save to. The
6571 following will do just that:
6574 (defun my-save-name (group)
6575 (when (string-match "^nnml:mail." group)
6576 (substring group (match-end 0))))
6578 (setq gnus-split-methods
6579 '((gnus-article-archive-name)
6584 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
6585 Finally, you have the @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable. If it is
6586 @code{nil}, all the preceding functions will replace all periods
6587 (@samp{.}) in the group names with slashes (@samp{/})---which means that
6588 the functions will generate hierarchies of directories instead of having
6589 all the files in the top level directory
6590 (@file{~/News/alt/andrea-dworkin} instead of
6591 @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.) This variable is @code{t} by default
6592 on most systems. However, for historical reasons, this is @code{nil} on
6593 Xenix and usg-unix-v machines by default.
6595 This function also affects kill and score file names. If this variable
6596 is a list, and the list contains the element @code{not-score}, long file
6597 names will not be used for score files, if it contains the element
6598 @code{not-save}, long file names will not be used for saving, and if it
6599 contains the element @code{not-kill}, long file names will not be used
6602 If you'd like to save articles in a hierarchy that looks something like
6606 (setq gnus-use-long-file-name '(not-save)) ; to get a hierarchy
6607 (setq gnus-default-article-saver 'gnus-summary-save-in-file) ; no encoding
6610 Then just save with @kbd{o}. You'd then read this hierarchy with
6611 ephemeral @code{nneething} groups---@kbd{G D} in the group buffer, and
6612 the top level directory as the argument (@file{~/News/}). Then just walk
6613 around to the groups/directories with @code{nneething}.
6616 @node Decoding Articles
6617 @section Decoding Articles
6618 @cindex decoding articles
6620 Sometime users post articles (or series of articles) that have been
6621 encoded in some way or other. Gnus can decode them for you.
6624 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
6625 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
6626 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
6627 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
6628 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
6629 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
6633 @cindex article series
6634 All these functions use the process/prefix convention
6635 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) for finding out what articles to work on, with
6636 the extension that a ``single article'' means ``a single series''. Gnus
6637 can find out by itself what articles belong to a series, decode all the
6638 articles and unpack/view/save the resulting file(s).
6640 Gnus guesses what articles are in the series according to the following
6641 simplish rule: The subjects must be (nearly) identical, except for the
6642 last two numbers of the line. (Spaces are largely ignored, however.)
6644 For example: If you choose a subject called @samp{cat.gif (2/3)}, Gnus
6645 will find all the articles that match the regexp @samp{^cat.gif
6646 ([0-9]+/[0-9]+).*$}.
6648 Subjects that are non-standard, like @samp{cat.gif (2/3) Part 6 of a
6649 series}, will not be properly recognized by any of the automatic viewing
6650 commands, and you have to mark the articles manually with @kbd{#}.
6653 @node Uuencoded Articles
6654 @subsection Uuencoded Articles
6656 @cindex uuencoded articles
6661 @kindex X u (Summary)
6662 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu
6663 @c @icon{gnus-uu-decode-uu}
6664 Uudecodes the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}).
6667 @kindex X U (Summary)
6668 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save
6669 Uudecodes and saves the current series
6670 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
6673 @kindex X v u (Summary)
6674 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-view
6675 Uudecodes and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-view}).
6678 @kindex X v U (Summary)
6679 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view
6680 Uudecodes, views and saves the current series
6681 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view}).
6685 Remember that these all react to the presence of articles marked with
6686 the process mark. If, for instance, you'd like to decode and save an
6687 entire newsgroup, you'd typically do @kbd{M P a}
6688 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-all}) and then @kbd{X U}
6689 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
6691 All this is very much different from how @code{gnus-uu} worked with
6692 @sc{gnus 4.1}, where you had explicit keystrokes for everything under
6693 the sun. This version of @code{gnus-uu} generally assumes that you mark
6694 articles in some way (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}) and then press
6697 @vindex gnus-uu-notify-files
6698 Note: When trying to decode articles that have names matching
6699 @code{gnus-uu-notify-files}, which is hard-coded to
6700 @samp{[Cc][Ii][Nn][Dd][Yy][0-9]+.\\(gif\\|jpg\\)}, @code{gnus-uu} will
6701 automatically post an article on @samp{comp.unix.wizards} saying that
6702 you have just viewed the file in question. This feature can't be turned
6706 @node Shell Archives
6707 @subsection Shell Archives
6709 @cindex shell archives
6710 @cindex shared articles
6712 Shell archives (``shar files'') used to be a popular way to distribute
6713 sources, but it isn't used all that much today. In any case, we have
6714 some commands to deal with these:
6719 @kindex X s (Summary)
6720 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar
6721 Unshars the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar}).
6724 @kindex X S (Summary)
6725 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save
6726 Unshars and saves the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save}).
6729 @kindex X v s (Summary)
6730 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view
6731 Unshars and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view}).
6734 @kindex X v S (Summary)
6735 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view
6736 Unshars, views and saves the current series
6737 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view}).
6741 @node PostScript Files
6742 @subsection PostScript Files
6748 @kindex X p (Summary)
6749 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript
6750 Unpack the current PostScript series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript}).
6753 @kindex X P (Summary)
6754 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save
6755 Unpack and save the current PostScript series
6756 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save}).
6759 @kindex X v p (Summary)
6760 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view
6761 View the current PostScript series
6762 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view}).
6765 @kindex X v P (Summary)
6766 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view
6767 View and save the current PostScript series
6768 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view}).
6773 @subsection Other Files
6777 @kindex X o (Summary)
6778 @findex gnus-uu-decode-save
6779 Save the current series
6780 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-save}).
6783 @kindex X b (Summary)
6784 @findex gnus-uu-decode-binhex
6785 Unbinhex the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-binhex}). This
6786 doesn't really work yet.
6790 @node Decoding Variables
6791 @subsection Decoding Variables
6793 Adjective, not verb.
6796 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
6797 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
6798 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
6802 @node Rule Variables
6803 @subsubsection Rule Variables
6804 @cindex rule variables
6806 Gnus uses @dfn{rule variables} to decide how to view a file. All these
6807 variables are of the form
6810 (list '(regexp1 command2)
6817 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules
6818 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules
6820 This variable is consulted first when viewing files. If you wish to use,
6821 for instance, @code{sox} to convert an @samp{.au} sound file, you could
6824 (setq gnus-uu-user-view-rules
6825 (list '("\\\\.au$" "sox %s -t .aiff > /dev/audio")))
6828 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
6829 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
6830 This variable is consulted if Gnus couldn't make any matches from the
6831 user and default view rules.
6833 @item gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
6834 @vindex gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
6835 This variable can be used to say what commands should be used to unpack
6840 @node Other Decode Variables
6841 @subsubsection Other Decode Variables
6844 @vindex gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
6846 @item gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
6847 All functions in this list will be called right after each file has been
6848 successfully decoded---so that you can move or view files right away,
6849 and don't have to wait for all files to be decoded before you can do
6850 anything. Ready-made functions you can put in this list are:
6854 @item gnus-uu-grab-view
6855 @findex gnus-uu-grab-view
6858 @item gnus-uu-grab-move
6859 @findex gnus-uu-grab-move
6860 Move the file (if you're using a saving function.)
6863 @item gnus-uu-be-dangerous
6864 @vindex gnus-uu-be-dangerous
6865 Specifies what to do if unusual situations arise during decoding. If
6866 @code{nil}, be as conservative as possible. If @code{t}, ignore things
6867 that didn't work, and overwrite existing files. Otherwise, ask each
6870 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
6871 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
6872 Files with name matching this regular expression won't be viewed.
6874 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
6875 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
6876 Files with a @sc{mime} type matching this variable won't be viewed.
6877 Note that Gnus tries to guess what type the file is based on the name.
6878 @code{gnus-uu} is not a @sc{mime} package (yet), so this is slightly
6881 @item gnus-uu-tmp-dir
6882 @vindex gnus-uu-tmp-dir
6883 Where @code{gnus-uu} does its work.
6885 @item gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
6886 @vindex gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
6887 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} won't peek inside archives
6888 looking for files to display.
6890 @item gnus-uu-view-and-save
6891 @vindex gnus-uu-view-and-save
6892 Non-@code{nil} means that the user will always be asked to save a file
6895 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
6896 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
6897 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default viewing
6900 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
6901 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
6902 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default archive
6905 @item gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
6906 @vindex gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
6907 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will strip all carriage returns
6910 @item gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
6911 @vindex gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
6912 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will mark unsuccessfully
6913 decoded articles as unread.
6915 @item gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
6916 @vindex gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
6917 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will @emph{try} to fix
6918 uuencoded files that have had trailing spaces deleted.
6920 @item gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
6921 @vindex gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
6922 Hook run before sending a message to @code{uudecode}.
6924 @item gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
6925 @vindex gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
6927 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the viewing
6928 commands defined by the rule variables and just fudge a @sc{mime}
6929 content type based on the file name. The result will be fed to
6930 @code{metamail} for viewing.
6932 @item gnus-uu-save-in-digest
6933 @vindex gnus-uu-save-in-digest
6934 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu}, when asked to save without
6935 decoding, will save in digests. If this variable is @code{nil},
6936 @code{gnus-uu} will just save everything in a file without any
6937 embellishments. The digesting almost conforms to RFC 1153---no easy way
6938 to specify any meaningful volume and issue numbers were found, so I
6939 simply dropped them.
6944 @node Uuencoding and Posting
6945 @subsubsection Uuencoding and Posting
6949 @item gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
6950 @vindex gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
6951 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ask for a file to encode
6952 before you compose the article. If this variable is @code{t}, you can
6953 either include an encoded file with @kbd{C-c C-i} or have one included
6954 for you when you post the article.
6956 @item gnus-uu-post-length
6957 @vindex gnus-uu-post-length
6958 Maximum length of an article. The encoded file will be split into how
6959 many articles it takes to post the entire file.
6961 @item gnus-uu-post-threaded
6962 @vindex gnus-uu-post-threaded
6963 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will post the encoded file in a
6964 thread. This may not be smart, as no other decoder I have seen is able
6965 to follow threads when collecting uuencoded articles. (Well, I have
6966 seen one package that does that---@code{gnus-uu}, but somehow, I don't
6967 think that counts...) Default is @code{nil}.
6969 @item gnus-uu-post-separate-description
6970 @vindex gnus-uu-post-separate-description
6971 Non-@code{nil} means that the description will be posted in a separate
6972 article. The first article will typically be numbered (0/x). If this
6973 variable is @code{nil}, the description the user enters will be included
6974 at the beginning of the first article, which will be numbered (1/x).
6975 Default is @code{t}.
6981 @subsection Viewing Files
6982 @cindex viewing files
6983 @cindex pseudo-articles
6985 After decoding, if the file is some sort of archive, Gnus will attempt
6986 to unpack the archive and see if any of the files in the archive can be
6987 viewed. For instance, if you have a gzipped tar file @file{pics.tar.gz}
6988 containing the files @file{pic1.jpg} and @file{pic2.gif}, Gnus will
6989 uncompress and de-tar the main file, and then view the two pictures.
6990 This unpacking process is recursive, so if the archive contains archives
6991 of archives, it'll all be unpacked.
6993 Finally, Gnus will normally insert a @dfn{pseudo-article} for each
6994 extracted file into the summary buffer. If you go to these
6995 ``articles'', you will be prompted for a command to run (usually Gnus
6996 will make a suggestion), and then the command will be run.
6998 @vindex gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously
6999 If @code{gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously} is @code{nil}, Emacs will wait
7000 until the viewing is done before proceeding.
7002 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos
7003 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos} is @code{automatic}, Gnus will not insert
7004 the pseudo-articles into the summary buffer, but view them
7005 immediately. If this variable is @code{not-confirm}, the user won't even
7006 be asked for a confirmation before viewing is done.
7008 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos-separately
7009 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos-separately} is non-@code{nil}, one
7010 pseudo-article will be created for each file to be viewed. If
7011 @code{nil}, all files that use the same viewing command will be given as
7012 a list of parameters to that command.
7014 @vindex gnus-insert-pseudo-articles
7015 If @code{gnus-insert-pseudo-articles} is non-@code{nil}, insert
7016 pseudo-articles when decoding. It is @code{t} by default.
7018 So; there you are, reading your @emph{pseudo-articles} in your
7019 @emph{virtual newsgroup} from the @emph{virtual server}; and you think:
7020 Why isn't anything real anymore? How did we get here?
7023 @node Article Treatment
7024 @section Article Treatment
7026 Reading through this huge manual, you may have quite forgotten that the
7027 object of newsreaders is to actually, like, read what people have
7028 written. Reading articles. Unfortunately, people are quite bad at
7029 writing, so there are tons of functions and variables to make reading
7030 these articles easier.
7033 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
7034 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look nice.
7035 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
7036 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
7037 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
7038 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
7039 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
7040 * Article Miscellania:: Various other stuff.
7044 @node Article Highlighting
7045 @subsection Article Highlighting
7046 @cindex highlighting
7048 Not only do you want your article buffer to look like fruit salad, but
7049 you want it to look like technicolor fruit salad.
7054 @kindex W H a (Summary)
7055 @findex gnus-article-highlight
7056 @findex gnus-article-maybe-highlight
7057 Do much highlighting of the current article
7058 (@code{gnus-article-highlight}). This function highlights header, cited
7059 text, the signature, and adds buttons to the body and the head.
7062 @kindex W H h (Summary)
7063 @findex gnus-article-highlight-headers
7064 @vindex gnus-header-face-alist
7065 Highlight the headers (@code{gnus-article-highlight-headers}). The
7066 highlighting will be done according to the @code{gnus-header-face-alist}
7067 variable, which is a list where each element has the form
7068 @code{(@var{regexp} @var{name} @var{content})}.
7069 @var{regexp} is a regular expression for matching the
7070 header, @var{name} is the face used for highlighting the header name
7071 (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}) and @var{content} is the face for highlighting
7072 the header value. The first match made will be used. Note that
7073 @var{regexp} shouldn't have @samp{^} prepended---Gnus will add one.
7076 @kindex W H c (Summary)
7077 @findex gnus-article-highlight-citation
7078 Highlight cited text (@code{gnus-article-highlight-citation}).
7080 Some variables to customize the citation highlights:
7083 @vindex gnus-cite-parse-max-size
7085 @item gnus-cite-parse-max-size
7086 If the article size if bigger than this variable (which is 25000 by
7087 default), no citation highlighting will be performed.
7089 @item gnus-cite-max-prefix
7090 @vindex gnus-cite-max-prefix
7091 Maximum possible length for a citation prefix (default 20).
7093 @item gnus-cite-face-list
7094 @vindex gnus-cite-face-list
7095 List of faces used for highlighting citations (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}).
7096 When there are citations from multiple articles in the same message,
7097 Gnus will try to give each citation from each article its own face.
7098 This should make it easier to see who wrote what.
7100 @item gnus-supercite-regexp
7101 @vindex gnus-supercite-regexp
7102 Regexp matching normal Supercite attribution lines.
7104 @item gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
7105 @vindex gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
7106 Regexp matching mangled Supercite attribution lines.
7108 @item gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
7109 @vindex gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
7110 Minimum number of identical prefixes we have to see before we believe
7111 that it's a citation.
7113 @item gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
7114 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
7115 Regexp matching the beginning of an attribution line.
7117 @item gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
7118 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
7119 Regexp matching the end of an attribution line.
7121 @item gnus-cite-attribution-face
7122 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-face
7123 Face used for attribution lines. It is merged with the face for the
7124 cited text belonging to the attribution.
7130 @kindex W H s (Summary)
7131 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
7132 @vindex gnus-signature-face
7133 @findex gnus-article-highlight-signature
7134 Highlight the signature (@code{gnus-article-highlight-signature}).
7135 Everything after @code{gnus-signature-separator} (@pxref{Article
7136 Signature}) in an article will be considered a signature and will be
7137 highlighted with @code{gnus-signature-face}, which is @code{italic} by
7142 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to highlight articles automatically.
7145 @node Article Fontisizing
7146 @subsection Article Fontisizing
7148 @cindex article emphasis
7150 @findex gnus-article-emphasize
7151 @kindex W e (Summary)
7152 People commonly add emphasis to words in news articles by writing things
7153 like @samp{_this_} or @samp{*this*} or @samp{/this/}. Gnus can make
7154 this look nicer by running the article through the @kbd{W e}
7155 (@code{gnus-article-emphasize}) command.
7157 @vindex gnus-emphasis-alist
7158 How the emphasis is computed is controlled by the
7159 @code{gnus-emphasis-alist} variable. This is an alist where the first
7160 element is a regular expression to be matched. The second is a number
7161 that says what regular expression grouping is used to find the entire
7162 emphasized word. The third is a number that says what regexp grouping
7163 should be displayed and highlighted. (The text between these two
7164 groupings will be hidden.) The fourth is the face used for
7168 (setq gnus-emphasis-alist
7169 '(("_\\(\\w+\\)_" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-underline)
7170 ("\\*\\(\\w+\\)\\*" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-bold)))
7179 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline
7180 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold
7181 @vindex gnus-emphasis-italic
7182 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold
7183 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-italic
7184 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold-italic
7185 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic
7186 By default, there are seven rules, and they use the following faces:
7187 @code{gnus-emphasis-bold}, @code{gnus-emphasis-italic},
7188 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline}, @code{gnus-emphasis-bold-italic},
7189 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-italic},
7190 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold}, and
7191 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic}.
7193 If you want to change these faces, you can either use @kbd{M-x
7194 customize}, or you can use @code{copy-face}. For instance, if you want
7195 to make @code{gnus-emphasis-italic} use a red face instead, you could
7199 (copy-face 'red 'gnus-emphasis-italic)
7202 @vindex gnus-group-highlight-words-alist
7204 If you want to highlight arbitrary words, you can use the
7205 @code{gnus-group-highlight-words-alist} variable, which uses the same
7206 syntax as @code{gnus-emphasis-alist}. The @code{highlight-words} group
7207 parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}) can also be used.
7209 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to fontize articles automatically.
7212 @node Article Hiding
7213 @subsection Article Hiding
7214 @cindex article hiding
7216 Or rather, hiding certain things in each article. There usually is much
7217 too much cruft in most articles.
7222 @kindex W W a (Summary)
7223 @findex gnus-article-hide
7224 Do quite a lot of hiding on the article buffer
7225 (@kbd{gnus-article-hide}). In particular, this function will hide
7226 headers, PGP, cited text and the signature.
7229 @kindex W W h (Summary)
7230 @findex gnus-article-hide-headers
7231 Hide headers (@code{gnus-article-hide-headers}). @xref{Hiding
7235 @kindex W W b (Summary)
7236 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
7237 Hide headers that aren't particularly interesting
7238 (@code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers}). @xref{Hiding Headers}.
7241 @kindex W W s (Summary)
7242 @findex gnus-article-hide-signature
7243 Hide signature (@code{gnus-article-hide-signature}). @xref{Article
7247 @kindex W W l (Summary)
7248 @findex gnus-article-hide-list-identifiers
7249 @vindex gnus-list-identifiers
7250 Strip list identifiers specified in @code{gnus-list-identifiers}. These
7251 are strings some mailing list servers add to the beginning of all
7252 @code{Subject} headers---for example, @samp{[zebra 4711]}. Any leading
7253 @samp{Re: } is skipped before stripping. @code{gnus-list-identifiers}
7254 may not contain @code{\\(..\\)}.
7258 @item gnus-list-identifiers
7259 @vindex gnus-list-identifiers
7260 A regular expression that matches list identifiers to be removed from
7261 subject. This can also be a list of regular expressions.
7266 @kindex W W p (Summary)
7267 @findex gnus-article-hide-pgp
7268 @vindex gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook
7269 Hide @sc{pgp} signatures (@code{gnus-article-hide-pgp}). The
7270 @code{gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook} hook will be run after a @sc{pgp}
7271 signature has been hidden. For example, to automatically verify
7272 articles that have signatures in them do:
7274 ;;; Hide pgp cruft if any.
7276 (setq gnus-treat-strip-pgp t)
7278 ;;; After hiding pgp, verify the message;
7279 ;;; only happens if pgp signature is found.
7281 (add-hook 'gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook
7284 (set-buffer gnus-original-article-buffer)
7289 @kindex W W P (Summary)
7290 @findex gnus-article-hide-pem
7291 Hide @sc{pem} (privacy enhanced messages) cruft
7292 (@code{gnus-article-hide-pem}).
7295 @kindex W W B (Summary)
7296 @findex gnus-article-strip-banner
7299 @cindex stripping advertisements
7300 @cindex advertisements
7301 Strip the banner specified by the @code{banner} group parameter
7302 (@code{gnus-article-strip-banner}). This is mainly used to hide those
7303 annoying banners and/or signatures that some mailing lists and moderated
7304 groups adds to all the messages. The way to use this function is to add
7305 the @code{banner} group parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}) to the
7306 group you want banners stripped from. The parameter either be a string,
7307 which will be interpreted as a regular expression matching text to be
7308 removed, or the symbol @code{signature}, meaning that the (last)
7309 signature should be removed, or other symbol, meaning that the
7310 corresponding regular expression in @code{gnus-article-banner-alist} is
7314 @kindex W W c (Summary)
7315 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation
7316 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation}). Some variables for
7317 customizing the hiding:
7321 @item gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
7322 @itemx gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
7323 @vindex gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
7324 @vindex gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
7325 Gnus adds buttons to show where the cited text has been hidden, and to
7326 allow toggle hiding the text. The format of the variable is specified
7327 by these format-like variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). These
7332 Starting point of the hidden text.
7334 Ending point of the hidden text.
7336 Number of characters in the hidden region.
7338 Number of lines of hidden text.
7341 @item gnus-cited-lines-visible
7342 @vindex gnus-cited-lines-visible
7343 The number of lines at the beginning of the cited text to leave
7344 shown. This can also be a cons cell with the number of lines at the top
7345 and bottom of the text, respectively, to remain visible.
7350 @kindex W W C-c (Summary)
7351 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe
7353 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe}) depending on the
7354 following two variables:
7357 @item gnus-cite-hide-percentage
7358 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-percentage
7359 If the cited text is of a bigger percentage than this variable (default
7360 50), hide the cited text.
7362 @item gnus-cite-hide-absolute
7363 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-absolute
7364 The cited text must have at least this length (default 10) before it
7369 @kindex W W C (Summary)
7370 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups
7371 Hide cited text in articles that aren't roots
7372 (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups}). This isn't very
7373 useful as an interactive command, but might be a handy function to stick
7374 have happen automatically (@pxref{Customizing Articles}).
7378 All these ``hiding'' commands are toggles, but if you give a negative
7379 prefix to these commands, they will show what they have previously
7380 hidden. If you give a positive prefix, they will always hide.
7382 Also @pxref{Article Highlighting} for further variables for
7383 citation customization.
7385 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to hide article elements
7389 @node Article Washing
7390 @subsection Article Washing
7392 @cindex article washing
7394 We call this ``article washing'' for a really good reason. Namely, the
7395 @kbd{A} key was taken, so we had to use the @kbd{W} key instead.
7397 @dfn{Washing} is defined by us as ``changing something from something to
7398 something else'', but normally results in something looking better.
7401 @xref{Customizing Articles}, if you want to change how Gnus displays
7402 articles by default.
7407 This is not really washing, it's sort of the opposite of washing. If
7408 you type this, you see the article exactly as it exists on disk or on
7412 @kindex W l (Summary)
7413 @findex gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking
7414 Remove page breaks from the current article
7415 (@code{gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking}). @xref{Misc Article}, for page
7419 @kindex W r (Summary)
7420 @findex gnus-summary-caesar-message
7421 @c @icon{gnus-summary-caesar-message}
7422 Do a Caesar rotate (rot13) on the article buffer
7423 (@code{gnus-summary-caesar-message}).
7424 Unreadable articles that tell you to read them with Caesar rotate or rot13.
7425 (Typically offensive jokes and such.)
7427 It's commonly called ``rot13'' because each letter is rotated 13
7428 positions in the alphabet, e. g. @samp{B} (letter #2) -> @samp{O} (letter
7429 #15). It is sometimes referred to as ``Caesar rotate'' because Caesar
7430 is rumored to have employed this form of, uh, somewhat weak encryption.
7434 @kindex W t (Summary)
7436 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-header
7437 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer
7438 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-header}).
7441 @kindex W v (Summary)
7442 @findex gnus-summary-verbose-header
7443 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer permanently
7444 (@code{gnus-summary-verbose-header}).
7447 @kindex W o (Summary)
7448 @findex gnus-article-treat-overstrike
7449 Treat overstrike (@code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}).
7452 @kindex W d (Summary)
7453 @findex gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes
7454 @vindex gnus-article-dumbquotes-map
7456 @cindex M****s*** sm*rtq**t*s
7458 Treat M****s*** sm*rtq**t*s according to
7459 @code{gnus-article-dumbquotes-map}
7460 (@code{gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes}). Note that this function guesses
7461 whether a character is a sm*rtq**t* or not, so it should only be used
7464 Sm*rtq**t*s are M****s***'s unilateral extension to the character map in
7465 an attempt to provide more quoting characters. If you see something
7466 like @code{\222} or @code{\264} where you're expecting some kind of
7467 apostrophe or quotation mark, then try this wash.
7470 @kindex W w (Summary)
7471 @findex gnus-article-fill-cited-article
7472 Do word wrap (@code{gnus-article-fill-cited-article}).
7474 You can give the command a numerical prefix to specify the width to use
7478 @kindex W Q (Summary)
7479 @findex gnus-article-fill-long-lines
7480 Fill long lines (@code{gnus-article-fill-long-lines}).
7483 @kindex W C (Summary)
7484 @findex gnus-article-capitalize-sentences
7485 Capitalize the first word in each sentence
7486 (@code{gnus-article-capitalize-sentences}).
7489 @kindex W c (Summary)
7490 @findex gnus-article-remove-cr
7491 Translate CRLF pairs (i. e., @samp{^M}s on the end of the lines) into LF
7492 (this takes care of DOS line endings), and then translate any remaining
7493 CRs into LF (this takes care of Mac line endings)
7494 (@code{gnus-article-remove-cr}).
7497 @kindex W q (Summary)
7498 @findex gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable
7499 Treat quoted-printable (@code{gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable}).
7500 Quoted-Printable is one common @sc{mime} encoding employed when sending
7501 non-ASCII (i. e., 8-bit) articles. It typically makes strings like
7502 @samp{déjà vu} look like @samp{d=E9j=E0 vu}, which doesn't look very
7503 readable to me. Note that the this is usually done automatically by
7504 Gnus if the message in question has a @code{Content-Transfer-Encoding}
7505 header that says that this encoding has been done.
7508 @kindex W 6 (Summary)
7509 @findex gnus-article-de-base64-unreadable
7510 Treat base64 (@code{gnus-article-de-base64-unreadable}).
7511 Base64 is one common @sc{mime} encoding employed when sending non-ASCII
7512 (i. e., 8-bit) articles. Note that the this is usually done
7513 automatically by Gnus if the message in question has a
7514 @code{Content-Transfer-Encoding} header that says that this encoding has
7518 @kindex W Z (Summary)
7519 @findex gnus-article-decode-HZ
7520 Treat HZ or HZP (@code{gnus-article-decode-HZ}). HZ (or HZP) is one
7521 common encoding employed when sending Chinese articles. It typically
7522 makes strings look like @samp{~@{<:Ky2;S@{#,NpJ)l6HK!#~@}}.
7525 @kindex W h (Summary)
7526 @findex gnus-article-wash-html
7527 Treat HTML (@code{gnus-article-wash-html}).
7528 Note that the this is usually done automatically by Gnus if the message
7529 in question has a @code{Content-Type} header that says that this type
7533 @kindex W f (Summary)
7535 @findex gnus-article-display-x-face
7536 @findex gnus-article-x-face-command
7537 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-command
7538 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly
7545 Look for and display any X-Face headers
7546 (@code{gnus-article-display-x-face}). The command executed by this
7547 function is given by the @code{gnus-article-x-face-command} variable.
7548 If this variable is a string, this string will be executed in a
7549 sub-shell. If it is a function, this function will be called with the
7550 face as the argument. If the @code{gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly} (which
7551 is a regexp) matches the @code{From} header, the face will not be shown.
7552 The default action under Emacs is to fork off the @code{display}
7553 program@footnote{@code{display} is from the ImageMagick package. For the
7554 @code{uncompface} and @code{icontopbm} programs look for a package
7555 like `compface' or `faces-xface' on a GNU/Linux system.}
7556 to view the face. Under XEmacs or Emacs 21+ with suitable image
7557 support, the default action is to display the face before the
7558 @code{From} header. (It's nicer if XEmacs has been compiled with X-Face
7559 support---that will make display somewhat faster. If there's no native
7560 X-Face support, Gnus will try to convert the @code{X-Face} header using
7561 external programs from the @code{pbmplus} package and
7562 friends.@footnote{On a GNU/Linux system look for packages with names
7563 like @code{netpbm} or @code{libgr-progs}.}) If you
7564 want to have this function in the display hook, it should probably come
7568 @kindex W b (Summary)
7569 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons
7570 Add clickable buttons to the article (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons}).
7571 @xref{Article Buttons}.
7574 @kindex W B (Summary)
7575 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head
7576 Add clickable buttons to the article headers
7577 (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head}).
7580 @kindex W W H (Summary)
7581 @findex gnus-article-strip-headers-from-body
7582 Strip headers like the @code{X-No-Archive} header from the beginning of
7583 article bodies (@code{gnus-article-strip-headers-from-body}).
7586 @kindex W E l (Summary)
7587 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines
7588 Remove all blank lines from the beginning of the article
7589 (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines}).
7592 @kindex W E m (Summary)
7593 @findex gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines
7594 Replace all blank lines with empty lines and then all multiple empty
7595 lines with a single empty line.
7596 (@code{gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines}).
7599 @kindex W E t (Summary)
7600 @findex gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines
7601 Remove all blank lines at the end of the article
7602 (@code{gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines}).
7605 @kindex W E a (Summary)
7606 @findex gnus-article-strip-blank-lines
7607 Do all the three commands above
7608 (@code{gnus-article-strip-blank-lines}).
7611 @kindex W E A (Summary)
7612 @findex gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines
7613 Remove all blank lines
7614 (@code{gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines}).
7617 @kindex W E s (Summary)
7618 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-space
7619 Remove all white space from the beginning of all lines of the article
7620 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-space}).
7623 @kindex W E e (Summary)
7624 @findex gnus-article-strip-trailing-space
7625 Remove all white space from the end of all lines of the article
7626 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-trailing-space}).
7630 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to wash articles automatically.
7633 @node Article Buttons
7634 @subsection Article Buttons
7637 People often include references to other stuff in articles, and it would
7638 be nice if Gnus could just fetch whatever it is that people talk about
7639 with the minimum of fuzz when you hit @kbd{RET} or use the middle mouse
7640 button on these references.
7642 Gnus adds @dfn{buttons} to certain standard references by default:
7643 Well-formed URLs, mail addresses and Message-IDs. This is controlled by
7644 two variables, one that handles article bodies and one that handles
7649 @item gnus-button-alist
7650 @vindex gnus-button-alist
7651 This is an alist where each entry has this form:
7654 (REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
7660 All text that match this regular expression will be considered an
7661 external reference. Here's a typical regexp that matches embedded URLs:
7662 @samp{<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>}.
7665 Gnus has to know which parts of the matches is to be highlighted. This
7666 is a number that says what sub-expression of the regexp is to be
7667 highlighted. If you want it all highlighted, you use 0 here.
7670 This form will be @code{eval}ed, and if the result is non-@code{nil},
7671 this is considered a match. This is useful if you want extra sifting to
7672 avoid false matches.
7675 This function will be called when you click on this button.
7678 As with @var{button-par}, this is a sub-expression number, but this one
7679 says which part of the match is to be sent as data to @var{function}.
7683 So the full entry for buttonizing URLs is then
7686 ("<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>" 0 t gnus-button-url 1)
7689 @item gnus-header-button-alist
7690 @vindex gnus-header-button-alist
7691 This is just like the other alist, except that it is applied to the
7692 article head only, and that each entry has an additional element that is
7693 used to say what headers to apply the buttonize coding to:
7696 (HEADER REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
7699 @var{header} is a regular expression.
7701 @item gnus-button-url-regexp
7702 @vindex gnus-button-url-regexp
7703 A regular expression that matches embedded URLs. It is used in the
7704 default values of the variables above.
7706 @item gnus-article-button-face
7707 @vindex gnus-article-button-face
7708 Face used on buttons.
7710 @item gnus-article-mouse-face
7711 @vindex gnus-article-mouse-face
7712 Face used when the mouse cursor is over a button.
7716 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to buttonize articles automatically.
7720 @subsection Article Date
7722 The date is most likely generated in some obscure timezone you've never
7723 heard of, so it's quite nice to be able to find out what the time was
7724 when the article was sent.
7729 @kindex W T u (Summary)
7730 @findex gnus-article-date-ut
7731 Display the date in UT (aka. GMT, aka ZULU)
7732 (@code{gnus-article-date-ut}).
7735 @kindex W T i (Summary)
7736 @findex gnus-article-date-iso8601
7738 Display the date in international format, aka. ISO 8601
7739 (@code{gnus-article-date-iso8601}).
7742 @kindex W T l (Summary)
7743 @findex gnus-article-date-local
7744 Display the date in the local timezone (@code{gnus-article-date-local}).
7747 @kindex W T p (Summary)
7748 @findex gnus-article-date-english
7749 Display the date in a format that's easily pronounceable in English
7750 (@code{gnus-article-date-english}).
7753 @kindex W T s (Summary)
7754 @vindex gnus-article-time-format
7755 @findex gnus-article-date-user
7756 @findex format-time-string
7757 Display the date using a user-defined format
7758 (@code{gnus-article-date-user}). The format is specified by the
7759 @code{gnus-article-time-format} variable, and is a string that's passed
7760 to @code{format-time-string}. See the documentation of that variable
7761 for a list of possible format specs.
7764 @kindex W T e (Summary)
7765 @findex gnus-article-date-lapsed
7766 @findex gnus-start-date-timer
7767 @findex gnus-stop-date-timer
7768 Say how much time has elapsed between the article was posted and now
7769 (@code{gnus-article-date-lapsed}). It looks something like:
7772 X-Sent: 9 years, 6 weeks, 4 days, 9 hours, 3 minutes, 28 seconds ago
7775 The value of @code{gnus-article-date-lapsed-new-header} determines
7776 whether this header will just be added below the old Date one, or will
7779 An advantage of using Gnus to read mail is that it converts simple bugs
7780 into wonderful absurdities.
7782 If you want to have this line updated continually, you can put
7785 (gnus-start-date-timer)
7788 in your @file{.gnus.el} file, or you can run it off of some hook. If
7789 you want to stop the timer, you can use the @code{gnus-stop-date-timer}
7793 @kindex W T o (Summary)
7794 @findex gnus-article-date-original
7795 Display the original date (@code{gnus-article-date-original}). This can
7796 be useful if you normally use some other conversion function and are
7797 worried that it might be doing something totally wrong. Say, claiming
7798 that the article was posted in 1854. Although something like that is
7799 @emph{totally} impossible. Don't you trust me? *titter*
7803 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to display the date in your
7804 preferred format automatically.
7807 @node Article Signature
7808 @subsection Article Signature
7810 @cindex article signature
7812 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
7813 Each article is divided into two parts---the head and the body. The
7814 body can be divided into a signature part and a text part. The variable
7815 that says what is to be considered a signature is
7816 @code{gnus-signature-separator}. This is normally the standard
7817 @samp{^-- $} as mandated by son-of-RFC 1036. However, many people use
7818 non-standard signature separators, so this variable can also be a list
7819 of regular expressions to be tested, one by one. (Searches are done
7820 from the end of the body towards the beginning.) One likely value is:
7823 (setq gnus-signature-separator
7824 '("^-- $" ; The standard
7825 "^-- *$" ; A common mangling
7826 "^-------*$" ; Many people just use a looong
7827 ; line of dashes. Shame!
7828 "^ *--------*$" ; Double-shame!
7829 "^________*$" ; Underscores are also popular
7830 "^========*$")) ; Pervert!
7833 The more permissive you are, the more likely it is that you'll get false
7836 @vindex gnus-signature-limit
7837 @code{gnus-signature-limit} provides a limit to what is considered a
7838 signature when displaying articles.
7842 If it is an integer, no signature may be longer (in characters) than
7845 If it is a floating point number, no signature may be longer (in lines)
7848 If it is a function, the function will be called without any parameters,
7849 and if it returns @code{nil}, there is no signature in the buffer.
7851 If it is a string, it will be used as a regexp. If it matches, the text
7852 in question is not a signature.
7855 This variable can also be a list where the elements may be of the types
7856 listed above. Here's an example:
7859 (setq gnus-signature-limit
7860 '(200.0 "^---*Forwarded article"))
7863 This means that if there are more than 200 lines after the signature
7864 separator, or the text after the signature separator is matched by
7865 the regular expression @samp{^---*Forwarded article}, then it isn't a
7866 signature after all.
7869 @node Article Miscellania
7870 @subsection Article Miscellania
7874 @kindex A t (Summary)
7875 @findex gnus-article-babel
7876 Translate the article from one language to another
7877 (@code{gnus-article-babel}).
7883 @section @sc{mime} Commands
7884 @cindex MIME decoding
7886 @cindex viewing attachments
7888 The following commands all understand the numerical prefix. For
7889 instance, @kbd{3 b} means ``view the third @sc{mime} part''.
7895 @kindex K v (Summary)
7896 View the @sc{mime} part.
7899 @kindex K o (Summary)
7900 Save the @sc{mime} part.
7903 @kindex K c (Summary)
7904 Copy the @sc{mime} part.
7907 @kindex K e (Summary)
7908 View the @sc{mime} part externally.
7911 @kindex K i (Summary)
7912 View the @sc{mime} part internally.
7915 @kindex K | (Summary)
7916 Pipe the @sc{mime} part to an external command.
7919 The rest of these @sc{mime} commands do not use the numerical prefix in
7924 @kindex K b (Summary)
7925 Make all the @sc{mime} parts have buttons in front of them. This is
7926 mostly useful if you wish to save (or perform other actions) on inlined
7930 @kindex K m (Summary)
7931 @findex gnus-summary-repair-multipart
7932 Some multipart messages are transmitted with missing or faulty headers.
7933 This command will attempt to ``repair'' these messages so that they can
7934 be viewed in a more pleasant manner
7935 (@code{gnus-summary-repair-multipart}).
7938 @kindex X m (Summary)
7939 @findex gnus-summary-save-parts
7940 Save all parts matching a @sc{mime} type to a directory
7941 (@code{gnus-summary-save-parts}). Understands the process/prefix
7942 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
7945 @kindex M-t (Summary)
7946 @findex gnus-summary-display-buttonized
7947 Toggle the buttonized display of the article buffer
7948 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-display-buttonized}).
7951 @kindex W M w (Summary)
7952 Decode RFC 2047-encoded words in the article headers
7953 (@code{gnus-article-decode-mime-words}).
7956 @kindex W M c (Summary)
7957 Decode encoded article bodies as well as charsets
7958 (@code{gnus-article-decode-charset}).
7960 This command looks in the @code{Content-Type} header to determine the
7961 charset. If there is no such header in the article, you can give it a
7962 prefix, which will prompt for the charset to decode as. In regional
7963 groups where people post using some common encoding (but do not include
7964 MIME headers), you can set the @code{charset} group/topic parameter to
7965 the required charset (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
7968 @kindex W M v (Summary)
7969 View all the @sc{mime} parts in the current article
7970 (@code{gnus-mime-view-all-parts}).
7977 @item gnus-ignored-mime-types
7978 @vindex gnus-ignored-mime-types
7979 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
7980 this list will be completely ignored by Gnus. The default value is
7983 To have all Vcards be ignored, you'd say something like this:
7986 (setq gnus-ignored-mime-types
7990 @item gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types
7991 @vindex gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types
7992 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
7993 this list won't have @sc{mime} buttons inserted unless they aren't
7994 displayed. The default value is @code{(".*/.*")}.
7996 @item gnus-article-mime-part-function
7997 @vindex gnus-article-mime-part-function
7998 For each @sc{mime} part, this function will be called with the @sc{mime}
7999 handle as the parameter. The function is meant to be used to allow
8000 users to gather information from the article (e. g., add Vcard info to
8001 the bbdb database) or to do actions based on parts (e. g., automatically
8002 save all jpegs into some directory).
8004 Here's an example function the does the latter:
8007 (defun my-save-all-jpeg-parts (handle)
8008 (when (equal (car (mm-handle-type handle)) "image/jpeg")
8010 (insert (mm-get-part handle))
8011 (write-region (point-min) (point-max)
8012 (read-file-name "Save jpeg to: ")))))
8013 (setq gnus-article-mime-part-function
8014 'my-save-all-jpeg-parts)
8017 @vindex gnus-mime-multipart-functions
8018 @item gnus-mime-multipart-functions
8019 Alist of @sc{mime} multipart types and functions to handle them.
8028 People use different charsets, and we have @sc{mime} to let us know what
8029 charsets they use. Or rather, we wish we had. Many people use
8030 newsreaders and mailers that do not understand or use @sc{mime}, and
8031 just send out messages without saying what character sets they use. To
8032 help a bit with this, some local news hierarchies have policies that say
8033 what character set is the default. For instance, the @samp{fj}
8034 hierarchy uses @code{iso-2022-jp-2}.
8036 @vindex gnus-group-charset-alist
8037 This knowledge is encoded in the @code{gnus-group-charset-alist}
8038 variable, which is an alist of regexps (to match full group names) and
8039 default charsets to be used when reading these groups.
8041 In addition, some people do use soi-disant @sc{mime}-aware agents that
8042 aren't. These blithely mark messages as being in @code{iso-8859-1} even
8043 if they really are in @code{koi-8}. To help here, the
8044 @code{gnus-newsgroup-ignored-charsets} variable can be used. The
8045 charsets that are listed here will be ignored. The variable can be set
8046 on a group-by-group basis using the group parameters (@pxref{Group
8047 Parameters}). The default value is @code{(unknown-8bit)}, which is
8048 something some agents insist on having in there.
8050 @vindex gnus-group-posting-charset-alist
8051 When posting, @code{gnus-group-posting-charset-alist} is used to
8052 determine which charsets should not be encoded using the @sc{mime}
8053 encodings. For instance, some hierarchies discourage using
8054 quoted-printable header encoding.
8056 This variable is an alist of regexps and permitted unencoded charsets
8057 for posting. Each element of the alist has the form @code{(}@var{test
8058 header body-list}@code{)}, where:
8062 is either a regular expression matching the newsgroup header or a
8065 is the charset which may be left unencoded in the header (@code{nil}
8066 means encode all charsets),
8068 is a list of charsets which may be encoded using 8bit content-transfer
8069 encoding in the body, or one of the special values @code{nil} (always
8070 encode using quoted-printable) or @code{t} (always use 8bit).
8077 @cindex coding system aliases
8078 @cindex preferred charset
8080 Other charset tricks that may be useful, although not Gnus-specific:
8082 If there are several @sc{mime} charsets that encode the same Emacs
8083 charset, you can choose what charset to use by saying the following:
8086 (put-charset-property 'cyrillic-iso8859-5
8087 'preferred-coding-system 'koi8-r)
8090 This means that Russian will be encoded using @code{koi8-r} instead of
8091 the default @code{iso-8859-5} @sc{mime} charset.
8093 If you want to read messages in @code{koi8-u}, you can cheat and say
8096 (define-coding-system-alias 'koi8-u 'koi8-r)
8099 This will almost do the right thing.
8101 And finally, to read charsets like @code{windows-1251}, you can say
8105 (codepage-setup 1251)
8106 (define-coding-system-alias 'windows-1251 'cp1251)
8110 @node Article Commands
8111 @section Article Commands
8118 @kindex A P (Summary)
8119 @vindex gnus-ps-print-hook
8120 @findex gnus-summary-print-article
8121 Generate and print a PostScript image of the article buffer
8122 (@code{gnus-summary-print-article}). @code{gnus-ps-print-hook} will be
8123 run just before printing the buffer.
8128 @node Summary Sorting
8129 @section Summary Sorting
8130 @cindex summary sorting
8132 You can have the summary buffer sorted in various ways, even though I
8133 can't really see why you'd want that.
8138 @kindex C-c C-s C-n (Summary)
8139 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-number
8140 Sort by article number (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-number}).
8143 @kindex C-c C-s C-a (Summary)
8144 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-author
8145 Sort by author (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-author}).
8148 @kindex C-c C-s C-s (Summary)
8149 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-subject
8150 Sort by subject (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-subject}).
8153 @kindex C-c C-s C-d (Summary)
8154 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-date
8155 Sort by date (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-date}).
8158 @kindex C-c C-s C-l (Summary)
8159 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-lines
8160 Sort by lines (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-lines}).
8163 @kindex C-c C-s C-c (Summary)
8164 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-chars
8165 Sort by article length (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-chars}).
8168 @kindex C-c C-s C-i (Summary)
8169 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-score
8170 Sort by score (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-score}).
8173 These functions will work both when you use threading and when you don't
8174 use threading. In the latter case, all summary lines will be sorted,
8175 line by line. In the former case, sorting will be done on a
8176 root-by-root basis, which might not be what you were looking for. To
8177 toggle whether to use threading, type @kbd{T T} (@pxref{Thread
8181 @node Finding the Parent
8182 @section Finding the Parent
8183 @cindex parent articles
8184 @cindex referring articles
8189 @findex gnus-summary-refer-parent-article
8190 If you'd like to read the parent of the current article, and it is not
8191 displayed in the summary buffer, you might still be able to. That is,
8192 if the current group is fetched by @sc{nntp}, the parent hasn't expired
8193 and the @code{References} in the current article are not mangled, you
8194 can just press @kbd{^} or @kbd{A r}
8195 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-parent-article}). If everything goes well,
8196 you'll get the parent. If the parent is already displayed in the
8197 summary buffer, point will just move to this article.
8199 If given a positive numerical prefix, fetch that many articles back into
8200 the ancestry. If given a negative numerical prefix, fetch just that
8201 ancestor. So if you say @kbd{3 ^}, Gnus will fetch the parent, the
8202 grandparent and the grandgrandparent of the current article. If you say
8203 @kbd{-3 ^}, Gnus will only fetch the grandgrandparent of the current
8207 @findex gnus-summary-refer-references
8208 @kindex A R (Summary)
8209 Fetch all articles mentioned in the @code{References} header of the
8210 article (@code{gnus-summary-refer-references}).
8213 @findex gnus-summary-refer-thread
8214 @kindex A T (Summary)
8215 Display the full thread where the current article appears
8216 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-thread}). This command has to fetch all the
8217 headers in the current group to work, so it usually takes a while. If
8218 you do it often, you may consider setting @code{gnus-fetch-old-headers}
8219 to @code{invisible} (@pxref{Filling In Threads}). This won't have any
8220 visible effects normally, but it'll make this command work a whole lot
8221 faster. Of course, it'll make group entry somewhat slow.
8223 @vindex gnus-refer-thread-limit
8224 The @code{gnus-refer-thread-limit} variable says how many old (i. e.,
8225 articles before the first displayed in the current group) headers to
8226 fetch when doing this command. The default is 200. If @code{t}, all
8227 the available headers will be fetched. This variable can be overridden
8228 by giving the @kbd{A T} command a numerical prefix.
8231 @findex gnus-summary-refer-article
8232 @kindex M-^ (Summary)
8234 @cindex fetching by Message-ID
8235 You can also ask the @sc{nntp} server for an arbitrary article, no
8236 matter what group it belongs to. @kbd{M-^}
8237 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-article}) will ask you for a
8238 @code{Message-ID}, which is one of those long, hard-to-read thingies
8239 that look something like @samp{<38o6up$6f2@@hymir.ifi.uio.no>}. You
8240 have to get it all exactly right. No fuzzy searches, I'm afraid.
8243 The current select method will be used when fetching by
8244 @code{Message-ID} from non-news select method, but you can override this
8245 by giving this command a prefix.
8247 @vindex gnus-refer-article-method
8248 If the group you are reading is located on a backend that does not
8249 support fetching by @code{Message-ID} very well (like @code{nnspool}),
8250 you can set @code{gnus-refer-article-method} to an @sc{nntp} method. It
8251 would, perhaps, be best if the @sc{nntp} server you consult is the one
8252 updating the spool you are reading from, but that's not really
8255 It can also be a list of select methods, as well as the special symbol
8256 @code{current}, which means to use the current select method. If it
8257 is a list, Gnus will try all the methods in the list until it finds a
8260 Here's an example setting that will first try the current method, and
8261 then ask Deja if that fails:
8264 (setq gnus-refer-article-method
8266 (nnweb "refer" (nnweb-type dejanews))))
8269 Most of the mail backends support fetching by @code{Message-ID}, but do
8270 not do a particularly excellent job at it. That is, @code{nnmbox} and
8271 @code{nnbabyl} are able to locate articles from any groups, while
8272 @code{nnml} and @code{nnfolder} are only able to locate articles that
8273 have been posted to the current group. (Anything else would be too time
8274 consuming.) @code{nnmh} does not support this at all.
8277 @node Alternative Approaches
8278 @section Alternative Approaches
8280 Different people like to read news using different methods. This being
8281 Gnus, we offer a small selection of minor modes for the summary buffers.
8284 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
8285 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
8290 @subsection Pick and Read
8291 @cindex pick and read
8293 Some newsreaders (like @code{nn} and, uhm, @code{Netnews} on VM/CMS) use
8294 a two-phased reading interface. The user first marks in a summary
8295 buffer the articles she wants to read. Then she starts reading the
8296 articles with just an article buffer displayed.
8298 @findex gnus-pick-mode
8299 @kindex M-x gnus-pick-mode
8300 Gnus provides a summary buffer minor mode that allows
8301 this---@code{gnus-pick-mode}. This basically means that a few process
8302 mark commands become one-keystroke commands to allow easy marking, and
8303 it provides one additional command for switching to the summary buffer.
8305 Here are the available keystrokes when using pick mode:
8310 @findex gnus-pick-article-or-thread
8311 Pick the article or thread on the current line
8312 (@code{gnus-pick-article-or-thread}). If the variable
8313 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key selects the
8314 entire thread when used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise,
8315 it selects just the article. If given a numerical prefix, go to that
8316 thread or article and pick it. (The line number is normally displayed
8317 at the beginning of the summary pick lines.)
8320 @kindex SPACE (Pick)
8321 @findex gnus-pick-next-page
8322 Scroll the summary buffer up one page (@code{gnus-pick-next-page}). If
8323 at the end of the buffer, start reading the picked articles.
8327 @findex gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread.
8328 Unpick the thread or article
8329 (@code{gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread}). If the variable
8330 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key unpicks the
8331 thread if used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise it unpicks
8332 just the article. You can give this key a numerical prefix to unpick
8333 the thread or article at that line.
8337 @findex gnus-pick-start-reading
8338 @vindex gnus-pick-display-summary
8339 Start reading the picked articles (@code{gnus-pick-start-reading}). If
8340 given a prefix, mark all unpicked articles as read first. If
8341 @code{gnus-pick-display-summary} is non-@code{nil}, the summary buffer
8342 will still be visible when you are reading.
8346 All the normal summary mode commands are still available in the
8347 pick-mode, with the exception of @kbd{u}. However @kbd{!} is available
8348 which is mapped to the same function
8349 @code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}.
8351 If this sounds like a good idea to you, you could say:
8354 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
8357 @vindex gnus-pick-mode-hook
8358 @code{gnus-pick-mode-hook} is run in pick minor mode buffers.
8360 @vindex gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read
8361 If @code{gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read} is non-@code{nil}, mark
8362 all unpicked articles as read. The default is @code{nil}.
8364 @vindex gnus-summary-pick-line-format
8365 The summary line format in pick mode is slightly different from the
8366 standard format. At the beginning of each line the line number is
8367 displayed. The pick mode line format is controlled by the
8368 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting
8369 Variables}). It accepts the same format specs that
8370 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} does (@pxref{Summary Buffer Lines}).
8374 @subsection Binary Groups
8375 @cindex binary groups
8377 @findex gnus-binary-mode
8378 @kindex M-x gnus-binary-mode
8379 If you spend much time in binary groups, you may grow tired of hitting
8380 @kbd{X u}, @kbd{n}, @kbd{RET} all the time. @kbd{M-x gnus-binary-mode}
8381 is a minor mode for summary buffers that makes all ordinary Gnus article
8382 selection functions uudecode series of articles and display the result
8383 instead of just displaying the articles the normal way.
8386 @findex gnus-binary-show-article
8387 The only way, in fact, to see the actual articles is the @kbd{g}
8388 command, when you have turned on this mode
8389 (@code{gnus-binary-show-article}).
8391 @vindex gnus-binary-mode-hook
8392 @code{gnus-binary-mode-hook} is called in binary minor mode buffers.
8396 @section Tree Display
8399 @vindex gnus-use-trees
8400 If you don't like the normal Gnus summary display, you might try setting
8401 @code{gnus-use-trees} to @code{t}. This will create (by default) an
8402 additional @dfn{tree buffer}. You can execute all summary mode commands
8405 There are a few variables to customize the tree display, of course:
8408 @item gnus-tree-mode-hook
8409 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-hook
8410 A hook called in all tree mode buffers.
8412 @item gnus-tree-mode-line-format
8413 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-line-format
8414 A format string for the mode bar in the tree mode buffers (@pxref{Mode
8415 Line Formatting}). The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b %S %Z}. For a list
8416 of valid specs, @pxref{Summary Buffer Mode Line}.
8418 @item gnus-selected-tree-face
8419 @vindex gnus-selected-tree-face
8420 Face used for highlighting the selected article in the tree buffer. The
8421 default is @code{modeline}.
8423 @item gnus-tree-line-format
8424 @vindex gnus-tree-line-format
8425 A format string for the tree nodes. The name is a bit of a misnomer,
8426 though---it doesn't define a line, but just the node. The default value
8427 is @samp{%(%[%3,3n%]%)}, which displays the first three characters of
8428 the name of the poster. It is vital that all nodes are of the same
8429 length, so you @emph{must} use @samp{%4,4n}-like specifiers.
8435 The name of the poster.
8437 The @code{From} header.
8439 The number of the article.
8441 The opening bracket.
8443 The closing bracket.
8448 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
8450 Variables related to the display are:
8453 @item gnus-tree-brackets
8454 @vindex gnus-tree-brackets
8455 This is used for differentiating between ``real'' articles and
8456 ``sparse'' articles. The format is @code{((@var{real-open} . @var{real-close})
8457 (@var{sparse-open} . @var{sparse-close}) (@var{dummy-open} . @var{dummy-close}))}, and the
8458 default is @code{((?[ . ?]) (?( . ?)) (?@{ . ?@}) (?< . ?>))}.
8460 @item gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
8461 @vindex gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
8462 This is a list that contains the characters used for connecting parent
8463 nodes to their children. The default is @code{(?- ?\\ ?|)}.
8467 @item gnus-tree-minimize-window
8468 @vindex gnus-tree-minimize-window
8469 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will try to keep the tree
8470 buffer as small as possible to allow more room for the other Gnus
8471 windows. If this variable is a number, the tree buffer will never be
8472 higher than that number. The default is @code{t}. Note that if you
8473 have several windows displayed side-by-side in a frame and the tree
8474 buffer is one of these, minimizing the tree window will also resize all
8475 other windows displayed next to it.
8477 @item gnus-generate-tree-function
8478 @vindex gnus-generate-tree-function
8479 @findex gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
8480 @findex gnus-generate-vertical-tree
8481 The function that actually generates the thread tree. Two predefined
8482 functions are available: @code{gnus-generate-horizontal-tree} and
8483 @code{gnus-generate-vertical-tree} (which is the default).
8487 Here's an example from a horizontal tree buffer:
8490 @{***@}-(***)-[odd]-[Gun]
8500 Here's the same thread displayed in a vertical tree buffer:
8504 |--------------------------\-----\-----\
8505 (***) [Bjo] [Gun] [Gun]
8507 [odd] [Jan] [odd] (***) [Jor]
8509 [Gun] [Eri] [Eri] [odd]
8514 If you're using horizontal trees, it might be nice to display the trees
8515 side-by-side with the summary buffer. You could add something like the
8516 following to your @file{.gnus.el} file:
8519 (setq gnus-use-trees t
8520 gnus-generate-tree-function 'gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
8521 gnus-tree-minimize-window nil)
8522 (gnus-add-configuration
8526 (summary 0.75 point)
8531 @xref{Windows Configuration}.
8534 @node Mail Group Commands
8535 @section Mail Group Commands
8536 @cindex mail group commands
8538 Some commands only make sense in mail groups. If these commands are
8539 invalid in the current group, they will raise a hell and let you know.
8541 All these commands (except the expiry and edit commands) use the
8542 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
8547 @kindex B e (Summary)
8548 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles
8549 Expire all expirable articles in the group
8550 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles}).
8553 @kindex B M-C-e (Summary)
8554 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles-now
8555 Delete all the expirable articles in the group
8556 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles-now}). This means that @strong{all}
8557 articles eligible for expiry in the current group will
8558 disappear forever into that big @file{/dev/null} in the sky.
8561 @kindex B DEL (Summary)
8562 @findex gnus-summary-delete-article
8563 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-delete}
8564 Delete the mail article. This is ``delete'' as in ``delete it from your
8565 disk forever and ever, never to return again.'' Use with caution.
8566 (@code{gnus-summary-delete-article}).
8569 @kindex B m (Summary)
8571 @findex gnus-summary-move-article
8572 @vindex gnus-preserve-marks
8573 Move the article from one mail group to another
8574 (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}). Marks will be preserved if
8575 @var{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil} (which is the default).
8578 @kindex B c (Summary)
8580 @findex gnus-summary-copy-article
8581 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-copy}
8582 Copy the article from one group (mail group or not) to a mail group
8583 (@code{gnus-summary-copy-article}). Marks will be preserved if
8584 @var{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil} (which is the default).
8587 @kindex B B (Summary)
8588 @cindex crosspost mail
8589 @findex gnus-summary-crosspost-article
8590 Crosspost the current article to some other group
8591 (@code{gnus-summary-crosspost-article}). This will create a new copy of
8592 the article in the other group, and the Xref headers of the article will
8593 be properly updated.
8596 @kindex B i (Summary)
8597 @findex gnus-summary-import-article
8598 Import an arbitrary file into the current mail newsgroup
8599 (@code{gnus-summary-import-article}). You will be prompted for a file
8600 name, a @code{From} header and a @code{Subject} header.
8603 @kindex B r (Summary)
8604 @findex gnus-summary-respool-article
8605 Respool the mail article (@code{gnus-summary-respool-article}).
8606 @code{gnus-summary-respool-default-method} will be used as the default
8607 select method when respooling. This variable is @code{nil} by default,
8608 which means that the current group select method will be used instead.
8609 Marks will be preserved if @var{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil}
8610 (which is the default).
8614 @kindex B w (Summary)
8616 @findex gnus-summary-edit-article
8617 @kindex C-c C-c (Article)
8618 Edit the current article (@code{gnus-summary-edit-article}). To finish
8619 editing and make the changes permanent, type @kbd{C-c C-c}
8620 (@kbd{gnus-summary-edit-article-done}). If you give a prefix to the
8621 @kbd{C-c C-c} command, Gnus won't re-highlight the article.
8624 @kindex B q (Summary)
8625 @findex gnus-summary-respool-query
8626 If you want to re-spool an article, you might be curious as to what group
8627 the article will end up in before you do the re-spooling. This command
8628 will tell you (@code{gnus-summary-respool-query}).
8631 @kindex B t (Summary)
8632 @findex gnus-summary-respool-trace
8633 Similarly, this command will display all fancy splitting patterns used
8634 when repooling, if any (@code{gnus-summary-respool-trace}).
8637 @kindex B p (Summary)
8638 @findex gnus-summary-article-posted-p
8639 Some people have a tendency to send you "courtesy" copies when they
8640 follow up to articles you have posted. These usually have a
8641 @code{Newsgroups} header in them, but not always. This command
8642 (@code{gnus-summary-article-posted-p}) will try to fetch the current
8643 article from your news server (or rather, from
8644 @code{gnus-refer-article-method} or @code{gnus-select-method}) and will
8645 report back whether it found the article or not. Even if it says that
8646 it didn't find the article, it may have been posted anyway---mail
8647 propagation is much faster than news propagation, and the news copy may
8648 just not have arrived yet.
8652 @vindex gnus-move-split-methods
8653 @cindex moving articles
8654 If you move (or copy) articles regularly, you might wish to have Gnus
8655 suggest where to put the articles. @code{gnus-move-split-methods} is a
8656 variable that uses the same syntax as @code{gnus-split-methods}
8657 (@pxref{Saving Articles}). You may customize that variable to create
8658 suggestions you find reasonable. (Note that
8659 @code{gnus-move-split-methods} uses group names where
8660 @code{gnus-split-methods} uses file names.)
8663 (setq gnus-move-split-methods
8664 '(("^From:.*Lars Magne" "nnml:junk")
8665 ("^Subject:.*gnus" "nnfolder:important")
8666 (".*" "nnml:misc")))
8670 @node Various Summary Stuff
8671 @section Various Summary Stuff
8674 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
8675 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
8676 * Summary Generation Commands:: (Re)generating the summary buffer.
8677 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
8681 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-hook
8682 @item gnus-summary-mode-hook
8683 This hook is called when creating a summary mode buffer.
8685 @vindex gnus-summary-generate-hook
8686 @item gnus-summary-generate-hook
8687 This is called as the last thing before doing the threading and the
8688 generation of the summary buffer. It's quite convenient for customizing
8689 the threading variables based on what data the newsgroup has. This hook
8690 is called from the summary buffer after most summary buffer variables
8693 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-hook
8694 @item gnus-summary-prepare-hook
8695 It is called after the summary buffer has been generated. You might use
8696 it to, for instance, highlight lines or modify the look of the buffer in
8697 some other ungodly manner. I don't care.
8699 @vindex gnus-summary-prepared-hook
8700 @item gnus-summary-prepared-hook
8701 A hook called as the very last thing after the summary buffer has been
8704 @vindex gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
8705 @item gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
8706 When Gnus discovers two articles that have the same @code{Message-ID},
8707 it has to do something drastic. No articles are allowed to have the
8708 same @code{Message-ID}, but this may happen when reading mail from some
8709 sources. Gnus allows you to customize what happens with this variable.
8710 If it is @code{nil} (which is the default), Gnus will rename the
8711 @code{Message-ID} (for display purposes only) and display the article as
8712 any other article. If this variable is @code{t}, it won't display the
8713 article---it'll be as if it never existed.
8715 @vindex gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function
8716 @item gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function
8717 This function, which takes two parameters (the group name and the list
8718 of articles to be selected), is called to allow the user to alter the
8719 list of articles to be selected.
8721 For instance, the following function adds the list of cached articles to
8722 the list in one particular group:
8725 (defun my-add-cached-articles (group articles)
8726 (if (string= group "some.group")
8727 (append gnus-newsgroup-cached articles)
8734 @node Summary Group Information
8735 @subsection Summary Group Information
8740 @kindex H f (Summary)
8741 @findex gnus-summary-fetch-faq
8742 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
8743 Try to fetch the FAQ (list of frequently asked questions) for the
8744 current group (@code{gnus-summary-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the
8745 FAQ from @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory
8746 on a remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories.
8747 In that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
8748 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will probably
8749 be used for fetching the file.
8752 @kindex H d (Summary)
8753 @findex gnus-summary-describe-group
8754 Give a brief description of the current group
8755 (@code{gnus-summary-describe-group}). If given a prefix, force
8756 rereading the description from the server.
8759 @kindex H h (Summary)
8760 @findex gnus-summary-describe-briefly
8761 Give an extremely brief description of the most important summary
8762 keystrokes (@code{gnus-summary-describe-briefly}).
8765 @kindex H i (Summary)
8766 @findex gnus-info-find-node
8767 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
8771 @node Searching for Articles
8772 @subsection Searching for Articles
8777 @kindex M-s (Summary)
8778 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
8779 Search through all subsequent articles for a regexp
8780 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-forward}).
8783 @kindex M-r (Summary)
8784 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-backward
8785 Search through all previous articles for a regexp
8786 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-backward}).
8790 @findex gnus-summary-execute-command
8791 This command will prompt you for a header, a regular expression to match
8792 on this field, and a command to be executed if the match is made
8793 (@code{gnus-summary-execute-command}). If the header is an empty
8794 string, the match is done on the entire article. If given a prefix,
8795 search backward instead.
8797 For instance, @kbd{& RET some.*string #} will put the process mark on
8798 all articles that have heads or bodies that match @samp{some.*string}.
8801 @kindex M-& (Summary)
8802 @findex gnus-summary-universal-argument
8803 Perform any operation on all articles that have been marked with
8804 the process mark (@code{gnus-summary-universal-argument}).
8807 @node Summary Generation Commands
8808 @subsection Summary Generation Commands
8813 @kindex Y g (Summary)
8814 @findex gnus-summary-prepare
8815 Regenerate the current summary buffer (@code{gnus-summary-prepare}).
8818 @kindex Y c (Summary)
8819 @findex gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles
8820 Pull all cached articles (for the current group) into the summary buffer
8821 (@code{gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles}).
8826 @node Really Various Summary Commands
8827 @subsection Really Various Summary Commands
8833 @kindex C-d (Summary)
8834 @kindex A D (Summary)
8835 @findex gnus-summary-enter-digest-group
8836 If the current article is a collection of other articles (for instance,
8837 a digest), you might use this command to enter a group based on the that
8838 article (@code{gnus-summary-enter-digest-group}). Gnus will try to
8839 guess what article type is currently displayed unless you give a prefix
8840 to this command, which forces a ``digest'' interpretation. Basically,
8841 whenever you see a message that is a collection of other messages of
8842 some format, you @kbd{C-d} and read these messages in a more convenient
8846 @kindex M-C-d (Summary)
8847 @findex gnus-summary-read-document
8848 This command is very similar to the one above, but lets you gather
8849 several documents into one biiig group
8850 (@code{gnus-summary-read-document}). It does this by opening several
8851 @code{nndoc} groups for each document, and then opening an
8852 @code{nnvirtual} group on top of these @code{nndoc} groups. This
8853 command understands the process/prefix convention
8854 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
8857 @kindex C-t (Summary)
8858 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-truncation
8859 Toggle truncation of summary lines
8860 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-truncation}). This will probably confuse the
8861 line centering function in the summary buffer, so it's not a good idea
8862 to have truncation switched off while reading articles.
8866 @findex gnus-summary-expand-window
8867 Expand the summary buffer window (@code{gnus-summary-expand-window}).
8868 If given a prefix, force an @code{article} window configuration.
8871 @kindex M-C-e (Summary)
8872 @findex gnus-summary-edit-parameters
8873 Edit the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
8874 group (@code{gnus-summary-edit-parameters}).
8877 @kindex M-C-a (Summary)
8878 @findex gnus-summary-customize-parameters
8879 Customize the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
8880 group (@code{gnus-summary-customize-parameters}).
8885 @node Exiting the Summary Buffer
8886 @section Exiting the Summary Buffer
8887 @cindex summary exit
8888 @cindex exiting groups
8890 Exiting from the summary buffer will normally update all info on the
8891 group and return you to the group buffer.
8897 @kindex Z Z (Summary)
8899 @findex gnus-summary-exit
8900 @vindex gnus-summary-exit-hook
8901 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook
8902 @c @icon{gnus-summary-exit}
8903 Exit the current group and update all information on the group
8904 (@code{gnus-summary-exit}). @code{gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook} is
8905 called before doing much of the exiting, which calls
8906 @code{gnus-summary-expire-articles} by default.
8907 @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} is called after finishing the exit
8908 process. @code{gnus-group-no-more-groups-hook} is run when returning to
8909 group mode having no more (unread) groups.
8913 @kindex Z E (Summary)
8915 @findex gnus-summary-exit-no-update
8916 Exit the current group without updating any information on the group
8917 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}).
8921 @kindex Z c (Summary)
8923 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit
8924 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}
8925 Mark all unticked articles in the group as read and then exit
8926 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}).
8929 @kindex Z C (Summary)
8930 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit
8931 Mark all articles, even the ticked ones, as read and then exit
8932 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit}).
8935 @kindex Z n (Summary)
8936 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group
8937 Mark all articles as read and go to the next group
8938 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group}).
8941 @kindex Z R (Summary)
8942 @findex gnus-summary-reselect-current-group
8943 Exit this group, and then enter it again
8944 (@code{gnus-summary-reselect-current-group}). If given a prefix, select
8945 all articles, both read and unread.
8949 @kindex Z G (Summary)
8950 @kindex M-g (Summary)
8951 @findex gnus-summary-rescan-group
8952 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-get}
8953 Exit the group, check for new articles in the group, and select the
8954 group (@code{gnus-summary-rescan-group}). If given a prefix, select all
8955 articles, both read and unread.
8958 @kindex Z N (Summary)
8959 @findex gnus-summary-next-group
8960 Exit the group and go to the next group
8961 (@code{gnus-summary-next-group}).
8964 @kindex Z P (Summary)
8965 @findex gnus-summary-prev-group
8966 Exit the group and go to the previous group
8967 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-group}).
8970 @kindex Z s (Summary)
8971 @findex gnus-summary-save-newsrc
8972 Save the current number of read/marked articles in the dribble buffer
8973 and then save the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-summary-save-newsrc}). If
8974 given a prefix, also save the @file{.newsrc} file(s). Using this
8975 command will make exit without updating (the @kbd{Q} command) worthless.
8978 @vindex gnus-exit-group-hook
8979 @code{gnus-exit-group-hook} is called when you exit the current group
8980 with an ``updating'' exit. For instance @kbd{Q}
8981 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}) does not call this hook.
8983 @findex gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead
8984 @findex gnus-dead-summary-mode
8985 @vindex gnus-kill-summary-on-exit
8986 If you're in the habit of exiting groups, and then changing your mind
8987 about it, you might set @code{gnus-kill-summary-on-exit} to @code{nil}.
8988 If you do that, Gnus won't kill the summary buffer when you exit it.
8989 (Quelle surprise!) Instead it will change the name of the buffer to
8990 something like @samp{*Dead Summary ... *} and install a minor mode
8991 called @code{gnus-dead-summary-mode}. Now, if you switch back to this
8992 buffer, you'll find that all keys are mapped to a function called
8993 @code{gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead}. So tapping any keys in a dead
8994 summary buffer will result in a live, normal summary buffer.
8996 There will never be more than one dead summary buffer at any one time.
8998 @vindex gnus-use-cross-reference
8999 The data on the current group will be updated (which articles you have
9000 read, which articles you have replied to, etc.) when you exit the
9001 summary buffer. If the @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} variable is
9002 @code{t} (which is the default), articles that are cross-referenced to
9003 this group and are marked as read, will also be marked as read in the
9004 other subscribed groups they were cross-posted to. If this variable is
9005 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, the article will be marked as read in
9006 both subscribed and unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}).
9009 @node Crosspost Handling
9010 @section Crosspost Handling
9014 Marking cross-posted articles as read ensures that you'll never have to
9015 read the same article more than once. Unless, of course, somebody has
9016 posted it to several groups separately. Posting the same article to
9017 several groups (not cross-posting) is called @dfn{spamming}, and you are
9018 by law required to send nasty-grams to anyone who perpetrates such a
9019 heinous crime. You may want to try NoCeM handling to filter out spam
9022 Remember: Cross-posting is kinda ok, but posting the same article
9023 separately to several groups is not. Massive cross-posting (aka.
9024 @dfn{velveeta}) is to be avoided at all costs, and you can even use the
9025 @code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint} command to complain about
9026 excessive crossposting (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
9028 @cindex cross-posting
9031 One thing that may cause Gnus to not do the cross-posting thing
9032 correctly is if you use an @sc{nntp} server that supports @sc{xover}
9033 (which is very nice, because it speeds things up considerably) which
9034 does not include the @code{Xref} header in its @sc{nov} lines. This is
9035 Evil, but all too common, alas, alack. Gnus tries to Do The Right Thing
9036 even with @sc{xover} by registering the @code{Xref} lines of all
9037 articles you actually read, but if you kill the articles, or just mark
9038 them as read without reading them, Gnus will not get a chance to snoop
9039 the @code{Xref} lines out of these articles, and will be unable to use
9040 the cross reference mechanism.
9042 @cindex LIST overview.fmt
9043 @cindex overview.fmt
9044 To check whether your @sc{nntp} server includes the @code{Xref} header
9045 in its overview files, try @samp{telnet your.nntp.server nntp},
9046 @samp{MODE READER} on @code{inn} servers, and then say @samp{LIST
9047 overview.fmt}. This may not work, but if it does, and the last line you
9048 get does not read @samp{Xref:full}, then you should shout and whine at
9049 your news admin until she includes the @code{Xref} header in the
9052 @vindex gnus-nov-is-evil
9053 If you want Gnus to get the @code{Xref}s right all the time, you have to
9054 set @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{t}, which slows things down
9059 For an alternative approach, @pxref{Duplicate Suppression}.
9062 @node Duplicate Suppression
9063 @section Duplicate Suppression
9065 By default, Gnus tries to make sure that you don't have to read the same
9066 article more than once by utilizing the crossposting mechanism
9067 (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}). However, that simple and efficient
9068 approach may not work satisfactory for some users for various
9073 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to generate the @code{Xref} header. This
9074 is evil and not very common.
9077 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to include the @code{Xref} header in the
9078 @file{.overview} data bases. This is evil and all too common, alas.
9081 You may be reading the same group (or several related groups) from
9082 different @sc{nntp} servers.
9085 You may be getting mail that duplicates articles posted to groups.
9088 I'm sure there are other situations where @code{Xref} handling fails as
9089 well, but these four are the most common situations.
9091 If, and only if, @code{Xref} handling fails for you, then you may
9092 consider switching on @dfn{duplicate suppression}. If you do so, Gnus
9093 will remember the @code{Message-ID}s of all articles you have read or
9094 otherwise marked as read, and then, as if by magic, mark them as read
9095 all subsequent times you see them---in @emph{all} groups. Using this
9096 mechanism is quite likely to be somewhat inefficient, but not overly
9097 so. It's certainly preferable to reading the same articles more than
9100 Duplicate suppression is not a very subtle instrument. It's more like a
9101 sledge hammer than anything else. It works in a very simple
9102 fashion---if you have marked an article as read, it adds this Message-ID
9103 to a cache. The next time it sees this Message-ID, it will mark the
9104 article as read with the @samp{M} mark. It doesn't care what group it
9108 @item gnus-suppress-duplicates
9109 @vindex gnus-suppress-duplicates
9110 If non-@code{nil}, suppress duplicates.
9112 @item gnus-save-duplicate-list
9113 @vindex gnus-save-duplicate-list
9114 If non-@code{nil}, save the list of duplicates to a file. This will
9115 make startup and shutdown take longer, so the default is @code{nil}.
9116 However, this means that only duplicate articles read in a single Gnus
9117 session are suppressed.
9119 @item gnus-duplicate-list-length
9120 @vindex gnus-duplicate-list-length
9121 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the duplicate
9122 suppression list. The default is 10000.
9124 @item gnus-duplicate-file
9125 @vindex gnus-duplicate-file
9126 The name of the file to store the duplicate suppression list in. The
9127 default is @file{~/News/suppression}.
9130 If you have a tendency to stop and start Gnus often, setting
9131 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{t} is probably a good idea. If
9132 you leave Gnus running for weeks on end, you may have it @code{nil}. On
9133 the other hand, saving the list makes startup and shutdown much slower,
9134 so that means that if you stop and start Gnus often, you should set
9135 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{nil}. Uhm. I'll leave this up
9136 to you to figure out, I think.
9141 Gnus is able to verify PGP or S/MIME signed messages or decrypt PGP
9146 To verify or decrypt PGP messages, you have to install mailcrypt or
9152 @item mm-verify-option
9153 @vindex mm-verify-option
9154 Option of verifying signed parts. @code{never}, not verify;
9155 @code{always}, always verify; @code{known}, only verify known
9156 protocols. Otherwise, ask user.
9158 @item mm-decrypt-option
9159 @vindex mm-decrypt-option
9160 Option of decrypting encrypted parts. @code{never}, no decryption;
9161 @code{always}, always decrypt @code{known}, only decrypt known
9162 protocols. Otherwise, ask user.
9166 @node The Article Buffer
9167 @chapter The Article Buffer
9168 @cindex article buffer
9170 The articles are displayed in the article buffer, of which there is only
9171 one. All the summary buffers share the same article buffer unless you
9172 tell Gnus otherwise.
9175 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
9176 * Using MIME:: Pushing articles through @sc{mime} before reading them.
9177 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
9178 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
9179 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
9183 @node Hiding Headers
9184 @section Hiding Headers
9185 @cindex hiding headers
9186 @cindex deleting headers
9188 The top section of each article is the @dfn{head}. (The rest is the
9189 @dfn{body}, but you may have guessed that already.)
9191 @vindex gnus-show-all-headers
9192 There is a lot of useful information in the head: the name of the person
9193 who wrote the article, the date it was written and the subject of the
9194 article. That's well and nice, but there's also lots of information
9195 most people do not want to see---what systems the article has passed
9196 through before reaching you, the @code{Message-ID}, the
9197 @code{References}, etc. ad nauseum---and you'll probably want to get rid
9198 of some of those lines. If you want to keep all those lines in the
9199 article buffer, you can set @code{gnus-show-all-headers} to @code{t}.
9201 Gnus provides you with two variables for sifting headers:
9205 @item gnus-visible-headers
9206 @vindex gnus-visible-headers
9207 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression
9208 that says what headers you wish to keep in the article buffer. All
9209 headers that do not match this variable will be hidden.
9211 For instance, if you only want to see the name of the person who wrote
9212 the article and the subject, you'd say:
9215 (setq gnus-visible-headers "^From:\\|^Subject:")
9218 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
9221 @item gnus-ignored-headers
9222 @vindex gnus-ignored-headers
9223 This variable is the reverse of @code{gnus-visible-headers}. If this
9224 variable is set (and @code{gnus-visible-headers} is @code{nil}), it
9225 should be a regular expression that matches all lines that you want to
9226 hide. All lines that do not match this variable will remain visible.
9228 For instance, if you just want to get rid of the @code{References} line
9229 and the @code{Xref} line, you might say:
9232 (setq gnus-ignored-headers "^References:\\|^Xref:")
9235 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
9238 Note that if @code{gnus-visible-headers} is non-@code{nil}, this
9239 variable will have no effect.
9243 @vindex gnus-sorted-header-list
9244 Gnus can also sort the headers for you. (It does this by default.) You
9245 can control the sorting by setting the @code{gnus-sorted-header-list}
9246 variable. It is a list of regular expressions that says in what order
9247 the headers are to be displayed.
9249 For instance, if you want the name of the author of the article first,
9250 and then the subject, you might say something like:
9253 (setq gnus-sorted-header-list '("^From:" "^Subject:"))
9256 Any headers that are to remain visible, but are not listed in this
9257 variable, will be displayed in random order after all the headers listed in this variable.
9259 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
9260 @vindex gnus-boring-article-headers
9261 You can hide further boring headers by setting
9262 @code{gnus-treat-hide-boring-headers} to @code{head}. What this function
9263 does depends on the @code{gnus-boring-article-headers} variable. It's a
9264 list, but this list doesn't actually contain header names. Instead is
9265 lists various @dfn{boring conditions} that Gnus can check and remove
9268 These conditions are:
9271 Remove all empty headers.
9273 Remove the @code{Followup-To} header if it is identical to the
9274 @code{Newsgroups} header.
9276 Remove the @code{Reply-To} header if it lists the same address as the
9279 Remove the @code{Newsgroups} header if it only contains the current group
9282 Remove the @code{To} header if it only contains the address identical to
9283 the current groups's @code{to-address} parameter.
9285 Remove the @code{Date} header if the article is less than three days
9288 Remove the @code{To} header if it is very long.
9290 Remove all @code{To} headers if there are more than one.
9293 To include these three elements, you could say something like;
9296 (setq gnus-boring-article-headers
9297 '(empty followup-to reply-to))
9300 This is also the default value for this variable.
9304 @section Using @sc{mime}
9307 Mime is a standard for waving your hands through the air, aimlessly,
9308 while people stand around yawning.
9310 @sc{mime}, however, is a standard for encoding your articles, aimlessly,
9311 while all newsreaders die of fear.
9313 @sc{mime} may specify what character set the article uses, the encoding
9314 of the characters, and it also makes it possible to embed pictures and
9315 other naughty stuff in innocent-looking articles.
9317 @vindex gnus-display-mime-function
9318 @findex gnus-display-mime
9319 Gnus pushes @sc{mime} articles through @code{gnus-display-mime-function}
9320 to display the @sc{mime} parts. This is @code{gnus-display-mime} by
9321 default, which creates a bundle of clickable buttons that can be used to
9322 display, save and manipulate the @sc{mime} objects.
9324 The following commands are available when you have placed point over a
9328 @findex gnus-article-press-button
9330 @itemx BUTTON-2 (Article)
9331 Toggle displaying of the @sc{mime} object
9332 (@code{gnus-article-press-button}).
9334 @findex gnus-mime-view-part
9335 @item M-RET (Article)
9337 Prompt for a method, and then view the @sc{mime} object using this
9338 method (@code{gnus-mime-view-part}).
9340 @findex gnus-mime-save-part
9342 Prompt for a file name, and then save the @sc{mime} object
9343 (@code{gnus-mime-save-part}).
9345 @findex gnus-mime-copy-part
9347 Copy the @sc{mime} object to a fresh buffer and display this buffer
9348 (@code{gnus-mime-copy-part}).
9350 @findex gnus-mime-view-part-as-type
9352 View the @sc{mime} object as if it were a different @sc{mime} media type
9353 (@code{gnus-mime-view-part-as-type}).
9355 @findex gnus-mime-pipe-part
9357 Output the @sc{mime} object to a process (@code{gnus-mime-pipe-part}).
9359 @findex gnus-mime-inline-part
9361 Insert the contents of the @sc{mime} object into the buffer
9362 (@code{gnus-mime-inline-part}) as text/plain. If given a prefix, insert
9363 the raw contents without decoding. If given a numerical prefix, you can
9364 do semi-manual charset stuff (see
9365 @code{gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist} in @pxref{Paging the
9368 @findex gnus-mime-action-on-part
9370 Interactively run an action on the @sc{mime} object
9371 (@code{gnus-mime-action-on-part}).
9375 Gnus will display some @sc{mime} objects automatically. The way Gnus
9376 determines which parts to do this with is described in the Emacs MIME
9379 It might be best to just use the toggling functions from the article
9380 buffer to avoid getting nasty surprises. (For instance, you enter the
9381 group @samp{alt.sing-a-long} and, before you know it, @sc{mime} has
9382 decoded the sound file in the article and some horrible sing-a-long song
9383 comes screaming out your speakers, and you can't find the volume button,
9384 because there isn't one, and people are starting to look at you, and you
9385 try to stop the program, but you can't, and you can't find the program
9386 to control the volume, and everybody else in the room suddenly decides
9387 to look at you disdainfully, and you'll feel rather stupid.)
9389 Any similarity to real events and people is purely coincidental. Ahem.
9391 Also see @pxref{MIME Commands}.
9394 @node Customizing Articles
9395 @section Customizing Articles
9396 @cindex article customization
9398 A slew of functions for customizing how the articles are to look like
9399 exist. You can call these functions interactively, or you can have them
9400 called automatically when you select the articles.
9402 To have them called automatically, you should set the corresponding
9403 ``treatment'' variable. For instance, to have headers hidden, you'd set
9404 @code{gnus-treat-hide-headers}. Below is a list of variables that can
9405 be set, but first we discuss the values these variables can have.
9407 Note: Some values, while valid, make little sense. Check the list below
9408 for sensible values.
9412 @code{nil}: Don't do this treatment.
9415 @code{t}: Do this treatment on all body parts.
9418 @code{head}: Do the treatment on the headers.
9421 @code{last}: Do this treatment on the last part.
9424 An integer: Do this treatment on all body parts that have a length less
9428 A list of strings: Do this treatment on all body parts that are in
9429 articles that are read in groups that have names that match one of the
9430 regexps in the list.
9433 A list where the first element is not a string:
9435 The list is evaluated recursively. The first element of the list is a
9436 predicate. The following predicates are recognized: @code{or},
9437 @code{and}, @code{not} and @code{typep}. Here's an example:
9441 (typep "text/x-vcard"))
9446 You may have noticed that the word @dfn{part} is used here. This refers
9447 to the fact that some messages are @sc{mime} multipart articles that may
9448 be divided into several parts. Articles that are not multiparts are
9449 considered to contain just a single part.
9451 @vindex gnus-article-treat-types
9452 Are the treatments applied to all sorts of multipart parts? Yes, if you
9453 want to, but by default, only @samp{text/plain} parts are given the
9454 treatment. This is controlled by the @code{gnus-article-treat-types}
9455 variable, which is a list of regular expressions that are matched to the
9456 type of the part. This variable is ignored if the value of the
9457 controlling variable is a predicate list, as described above.
9459 The following treatment options are available. The easiest way to
9460 customize this is to examine the @code{gnus-article-treat} customization
9461 group. Values in parenthesis are suggested sensible values. Others are
9462 possible but those listed are probably sufficient for most people.
9465 @item gnus-treat-highlight-signature (t, last)
9466 @item gnus-treat-buttonize (t, integer)
9467 @item gnus-treat-buttonize-head (head)
9468 @item gnus-treat-emphasize (t, head, integer)
9469 @item gnus-treat-fill-article (t, integer)
9470 @item gnus-treat-strip-cr (t, integer)
9471 @item gnus-treat-hide-headers (head)
9472 @item gnus-treat-hide-boring-headers (head)
9473 @item gnus-treat-hide-signature (t, last)
9474 @item gnus-treat-hide-citation (t, integer)
9475 @item gnus-treat-hide-citation-maybe (t, integer)
9476 @item gnus-treat-strip-pgp (t, last, integer)
9477 @item gnus-treat-strip-pem (t, last, integer)
9478 @item gnus-treat-highlight-headers (head)
9479 @item gnus-treat-highlight-citation (t, integer)
9480 @item gnus-treat-highlight-signature (t, last, integer)
9481 @item gnus-treat-date-ut (head)
9482 @item gnus-treat-date-local (head)
9483 @item gnus-treat-date-english (head)
9484 @item gnus-treat-date-lapsed (head)
9485 @item gnus-treat-date-original (head)
9486 @item gnus-treat-date-iso8601 (head)
9487 @item gnus-treat-date-user-defined (head)
9488 @item gnus-treat-strip-headers-in-body (t, integer)
9489 @item gnus-treat-strip-trailing-blank-lines (t, last, integer)
9490 @item gnus-treat-strip-leading-blank-lines (t, integer)
9491 @item gnus-treat-strip-multiple-blank-lines (t, integer)
9492 @item gnus-treat-overstrike (t, integer)
9493 @item gnus-treat-display-xface (head)
9494 @item gnus-treat-display-smileys (t, integer)
9495 @item gnus-treat-display-picons (head)
9496 @item gnus-treat-capitalize-sentences (t, integer)
9497 @item gnus-treat-fill-long-lines (t, integer)
9498 @item gnus-treat-play-sounds
9499 @item gnus-treat-translate
9502 @vindex gnus-part-display-hook
9503 You can, of course, write your own functions to be called from
9504 @code{gnus-part-display-hook}. The functions are called narrowed to the
9505 part, and you can do anything you like, pretty much. There is no
9506 information that you have to keep in the buffer---you can change
9510 @node Article Keymap
9511 @section Article Keymap
9513 Most of the keystrokes in the summary buffer can also be used in the
9514 article buffer. They should behave as if you typed them in the summary
9515 buffer, which means that you don't actually have to have a summary
9516 buffer displayed while reading. You can do it all from the article
9519 A few additional keystrokes are available:
9524 @kindex SPACE (Article)
9525 @findex gnus-article-next-page
9526 Scroll forwards one page (@code{gnus-article-next-page}).
9529 @kindex DEL (Article)
9530 @findex gnus-article-prev-page
9531 Scroll backwards one page (@code{gnus-article-prev-page}).
9534 @kindex C-c ^ (Article)
9535 @findex gnus-article-refer-article
9536 If point is in the neighborhood of a @code{Message-ID} and you press
9537 @kbd{C-c ^}, Gnus will try to get that article from the server
9538 (@code{gnus-article-refer-article}).
9541 @kindex C-c C-m (Article)
9542 @findex gnus-article-mail
9543 Send a reply to the address near point (@code{gnus-article-mail}). If
9544 given a prefix, include the mail.
9548 @findex gnus-article-show-summary
9549 Reconfigure the buffers so that the summary buffer becomes visible
9550 (@code{gnus-article-show-summary}).
9554 @findex gnus-article-describe-briefly
9555 Give a very brief description of the available keystrokes
9556 (@code{gnus-article-describe-briefly}).
9559 @kindex TAB (Article)
9560 @findex gnus-article-next-button
9561 Go to the next button, if any (@code{gnus-article-next-button}). This
9562 only makes sense if you have buttonizing turned on.
9565 @kindex M-TAB (Article)
9566 @findex gnus-article-prev-button
9567 Go to the previous button, if any (@code{gnus-article-prev-button}).
9573 @section Misc Article
9577 @item gnus-single-article-buffer
9578 @vindex gnus-single-article-buffer
9579 If non-@code{nil}, use the same article buffer for all the groups.
9580 (This is the default.) If @code{nil}, each group will have its own
9583 @vindex gnus-article-decode-hook
9584 @item gnus-article-decode-hook
9586 Hook used to decode @sc{mime} articles. The default value is
9587 @code{(article-decode-charset article-decode-encoded-words)}
9589 @vindex gnus-article-prepare-hook
9590 @item gnus-article-prepare-hook
9591 This hook is called right after the article has been inserted into the
9592 article buffer. It is mainly intended for functions that do something
9593 depending on the contents; it should probably not be used for changing
9594 the contents of the article buffer.
9596 @item gnus-article-mode-hook
9597 @vindex gnus-article-mode-hook
9598 Hook called in article mode buffers.
9600 @item gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
9601 @vindex gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
9602 Syntax table used in article buffers. It is initialized from
9603 @code{text-mode-syntax-table}.
9605 @vindex gnus-article-mode-line-format
9606 @item gnus-article-mode-line-format
9607 This variable is a format string along the same lines as
9608 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
9609 accepts the same format specifications as that variable, with two
9614 The @dfn{wash status} of the article. This is a short string with one
9615 character for each possible article wash operation that may have been
9618 The number of @sc{mime} parts in the article.
9621 @vindex gnus-break-pages
9623 @item gnus-break-pages
9624 Controls whether @dfn{page breaking} is to take place. If this variable
9625 is non-@code{nil}, the articles will be divided into pages whenever a
9626 page delimiter appears in the article. If this variable is @code{nil},
9627 paging will not be done.
9629 @item gnus-page-delimiter
9630 @vindex gnus-page-delimiter
9631 This is the delimiter mentioned above. By default, it is @samp{^L}
9636 @node Composing Messages
9637 @chapter Composing Messages
9638 @cindex composing messages
9641 @cindex sending mail
9647 @kindex C-c C-c (Post)
9648 All commands for posting and mailing will put you in a message buffer
9649 where you can edit the article all you like, before you send the
9650 article by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}. @xref{Top, , Top, message, The
9651 Message Manual}. Where the message will be posted/mailed to depends
9652 on your setup (@pxref{Posting Server}).
9655 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
9656 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
9657 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
9658 * Archived Messages:: Where Gnus stores the messages you've sent.
9659 * Posting Styles:: An easier way to specify who you are.
9660 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
9661 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
9662 * Using GPG:: How to use GPG and MML to sign and encrypt messages
9665 Also see @pxref{Canceling and Superseding} for information on how to
9666 remove articles you shouldn't have posted.
9672 Variables for customizing outgoing mail:
9675 @item gnus-uu-digest-headers
9676 @vindex gnus-uu-digest-headers
9677 List of regexps to match headers included in digested messages. The
9678 headers will be included in the sequence they are matched.
9680 @item gnus-add-to-list
9681 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
9682 If non-@code{nil}, add a @code{to-list} group parameter to mail groups
9683 that have none when you do a @kbd{a}.
9688 @node Posting Server
9689 @section Posting Server
9691 When you press those magical @kbd{C-c C-c} keys to ship off your latest
9692 (extremely intelligent, of course) article, where does it go?
9694 Thank you for asking. I hate you.
9696 @vindex gnus-post-method
9698 It can be quite complicated. Normally, Gnus will post using the same
9699 select method as you're reading from (which might be convenient if
9700 you're reading lots of groups from different private servers).
9701 However. If the server you're reading from doesn't allow posting,
9702 just reading, you probably want to use some other server to post your
9703 (extremely intelligent and fabulously interesting) articles. You can
9704 then set the @code{gnus-post-method} to some other method:
9707 (setq gnus-post-method '(nnspool ""))
9710 Now, if you've done this, and then this server rejects your article, or
9711 this server is down, what do you do then? To override this variable you
9712 can use a non-zero prefix to the @kbd{C-c C-c} command to force using
9713 the ``current'' server, to get back the default behaviour, for posting.
9715 If you give a zero prefix (i.e., @kbd{C-u 0 C-c C-c}) to that command,
9716 Gnus will prompt you for what method to use for posting.
9718 You can also set @code{gnus-post-method} to a list of select methods.
9719 If that's the case, Gnus will always prompt you for what method to use
9722 Finally, if you want to always post using the native select method,
9723 you can set this variable to @code{nil}.
9727 @section Mail and Post
9729 Here's a list of variables relevant to both mailing and
9733 @item gnus-mailing-list-groups
9734 @findex gnus-mailing-list-groups
9735 @cindex mailing lists
9737 If your news server offers groups that are really mailing lists
9738 gatewayed to the @sc{nntp} server, you can read those groups without
9739 problems, but you can't post/followup to them without some difficulty.
9740 One solution is to add a @code{to-address} to the group parameters
9741 (@pxref{Group Parameters}). An easier thing to do is set the
9742 @code{gnus-mailing-list-groups} to a regexp that matches the groups that
9743 really are mailing lists. Then, at least, followups to the mailing
9744 lists will work most of the time. Posting to these groups (@kbd{a}) is
9745 still a pain, though.
9749 You may want to do spell-checking on messages that you send out. Or, if
9750 you don't want to spell-check by hand, you could add automatic
9751 spell-checking via the @code{ispell} package:
9754 @findex ispell-message
9756 (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'ispell-message)
9759 If you want to change the @code{ispell} dictionary based on what group
9760 you're in, you could say something like the following:
9763 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook
9766 ((string-match "^de\\." gnus-newsgroup-name)
9767 (ispell-change-dictionary "deutsch"))
9769 (ispell-change-dictionary "english")))))
9772 Modify to suit your needs.
9775 @node Archived Messages
9776 @section Archived Messages
9777 @cindex archived messages
9778 @cindex sent messages
9780 Gnus provides a few different methods for storing the mail and news you
9781 send. The default method is to use the @dfn{archive virtual server} to
9782 store the messages. If you want to disable this completely, the
9783 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable should be @code{nil}, which
9786 @vindex gnus-message-archive-method
9787 @code{gnus-message-archive-method} says what virtual server Gnus is to
9788 use to store sent messages. The default is:
9792 (nnfolder-directory "~/Mail/archive")
9793 (nnfolder-active-file "~/Mail/archive/active")
9794 (nnfolder-get-new-mail nil)
9795 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t))
9798 You can, however, use any mail select method (@code{nnml},
9799 @code{nnmbox}, etc.). @code{nnfolder} is a quite likable select method
9800 for doing this sort of thing, though. If you don't like the default
9801 directory chosen, you could say something like:
9804 (setq gnus-message-archive-method
9805 '(nnfolder "archive"
9806 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t)
9807 (nnfolder-active-file "~/News/sent-mail/active")
9808 (nnfolder-directory "~/News/sent-mail/")))
9811 @vindex gnus-message-archive-group
9813 Gnus will insert @code{Gcc} headers in all outgoing messages that point
9814 to one or more group(s) on that server. Which group to use is
9815 determined by the @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable.
9817 This variable can be used to do the following:
9821 Messages will be saved in that group.
9823 Note that you can include a select method in the group name, then the
9824 message will not be stored in the select method given by
9825 @code{gnus-message-archive-method}, but in the select method specified
9826 by the group name, instead. Suppose @code{gnus-message-archive-method}
9827 has the default value shown above. Then setting
9828 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{"foo"} means that outgoing
9829 messages are stored in @samp{nnfolder+archive:foo}, but if you use the
9830 value @code{"nnml:foo"}, then outgoing messages will be stored in
9832 @item a list of strings
9833 Messages will be saved in all those groups.
9834 @item an alist of regexps, functions and forms
9835 When a key ``matches'', the result is used.
9837 No message archiving will take place. This is the default.
9842 Just saving to a single group called @samp{MisK}:
9844 (setq gnus-message-archive-group "MisK")
9847 Saving to two groups, @samp{MisK} and @samp{safe}:
9849 (setq gnus-message-archive-group '("MisK" "safe"))
9852 Save to different groups based on what group you are in:
9854 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
9855 '(("^alt" "sent-to-alt")
9856 ("mail" "sent-to-mail")
9857 (".*" "sent-to-misc")))
9862 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
9863 '((if (message-news-p)
9868 How about storing all news messages in one file, but storing all mail
9869 messages in one file per month:
9872 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
9873 '((if (message-news-p)
9875 (concat "mail." (format-time-string "%Y-%m")))))
9878 (XEmacs 19.13 doesn't have @code{format-time-string}, so you'll have to
9879 use a different value for @code{gnus-message-archive-group} there.)
9881 Now, when you send a message off, it will be stored in the appropriate
9882 group. (If you want to disable storing for just one particular message,
9883 you can just remove the @code{Gcc} header that has been inserted.) The
9884 archive group will appear in the group buffer the next time you start
9885 Gnus, or the next time you press @kbd{F} in the group buffer. You can
9886 enter it and read the articles in it just like you'd read any other
9887 group. If the group gets really big and annoying, you can simply rename
9888 if (using @kbd{G r} in the group buffer) to something
9889 nice---@samp{misc-mail-september-1995}, or whatever. New messages will
9890 continue to be stored in the old (now empty) group.
9892 That's the default method of archiving sent messages. Gnus offers a
9893 different way for the people who don't like the default method. In that
9894 case you should set @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{nil};
9895 this will disable archiving.
9898 @item gnus-outgoing-message-group
9899 @vindex gnus-outgoing-message-group
9900 All outgoing messages will be put in this group. If you want to store
9901 all your outgoing mail and articles in the group @samp{nnml:archive},
9902 you set this variable to that value. This variable can also be a list of
9905 If you want to have greater control over what group to put each
9906 message in, you can set this variable to a function that checks the
9907 current newsgroup name and then returns a suitable group name (or list
9910 This variable can be used instead of @code{gnus-message-archive-group},
9911 but the latter is the preferred method.
9913 @item gnus-inews-mark-gcc-as-read
9914 @vindex gnus-inews-mark-gcc-as-read
9915 If non-@code{nil}, automatically mark @code{Gcc} articles as read.
9920 @node Posting Styles
9921 @section Posting Styles
9922 @cindex posting styles
9925 All them variables, they make my head swim.
9927 So what if you want a different @code{Organization} and signature based
9928 on what groups you post to? And you post both from your home machine
9929 and your work machine, and you want different @code{From} lines, and so
9932 @vindex gnus-posting-styles
9933 One way to do stuff like that is to write clever hooks that change the
9934 variables you need to have changed. That's a bit boring, so somebody
9935 came up with the bright idea of letting the user specify these things in
9936 a handy alist. Here's an example of a @code{gnus-posting-styles}
9941 (signature "Peace and happiness")
9942 (organization "What me?"))
9944 (signature "Death to everybody"))
9945 ("comp.emacs.i-love-it"
9946 (organization "Emacs is it")))
9949 As you might surmise from this example, this alist consists of several
9950 @dfn{styles}. Each style will be applicable if the first element
9951 ``matches'', in some form or other. The entire alist will be iterated
9952 over, from the beginning towards the end, and each match will be
9953 applied, which means that attributes in later styles that match override
9954 the same attributes in earlier matching styles. So
9955 @samp{comp.programming.literate} will have the @samp{Death to everybody}
9956 signature and the @samp{What me?} @code{Organization} header.
9958 The first element in each style is called the @code{match}. If it's a
9959 string, then Gnus will try to regexp match it against the group name.
9960 If it is the symbol @code{header}, then Gnus will look for header (the
9961 next element in the match) in the original article , and compare that to
9962 the last regexp in the match. If it's a function symbol, that function
9963 will be called with no arguments. If it's a variable symbol, then the
9964 variable will be referenced. If it's a list, then that list will be
9965 @code{eval}ed. In any case, if this returns a non-@code{nil} value,
9966 then the style is said to @dfn{match}.
9968 Each style may contain a arbitrary amount of @dfn{attributes}. Each
9969 attribute consists of a @code{(@var{name} @var{value})} pair. The
9970 attribute name can be one of @code{signature}, @code{signature-file},
9971 @code{organization}, @code{address}, @code{name} or @code{body}. The
9972 attribute name can also be a string. In that case, this will be used as
9973 a header name, and the value will be inserted in the headers of the
9974 article; if the value is @code{nil}, the header name will be removed.
9975 If the attribute name is @code{eval}, the form is evaluated, and the
9976 result is thrown away.
9978 The attribute value can be a string (used verbatim), a function with
9979 zero arguments (the return value will be used), a variable (its value
9980 will be used) or a list (it will be @code{eval}ed and the return value
9981 will be used). The functions and sexps are called/@code{eval}ed in the
9982 message buffer that is being set up. The headers of the current article
9983 are available through the @code{message-reply-headers} variable.
9985 If you wish to check whether the message you are about to compose is
9986 meant to be a news article or a mail message, you can check the values
9987 of the @code{message-news-p} and @code{message-mail-p} functions.
9989 @findex message-mail-p
9990 @findex message-news-p
9992 So here's a new example:
9995 (setq gnus-posting-styles
9997 (signature-file "~/.signature")
9999 ("X-Home-Page" (getenv "WWW_HOME"))
10000 (organization "People's Front Against MWM"))
10002 (signature my-funny-signature-randomizer))
10003 ((equal (system-name) "gnarly")
10004 (signature my-quote-randomizer))
10006 (signature my-news-signature))
10007 (header "to" "larsi.*org"
10008 (Organization "Somewhere, Inc."))
10009 ((posting-from-work-p)
10010 (signature-file "~/.work-signature")
10011 (address "user@@bar.foo")
10012 (body "You are fired.\n\nSincerely, your boss.")
10013 (organization "Important Work, Inc"))
10015 (From (save-excursion
10016 (set-buffer gnus-article-buffer)
10017 (message-fetch-field "to"))))
10019 (signature-file "~/.mail-signature"))))
10022 The @samp{nnml:.*} rule means that you use the @code{To} address as the
10023 @code{From} address in all your outgoing replies, which might be handy
10024 if you fill many roles.
10031 If you are writing a message (mail or news) and suddenly remember that
10032 you have a steak in the oven (or some pesto in the food processor, you
10033 craaazy vegetarians), you'll probably wish there was a method to save
10034 the message you are writing so that you can continue editing it some
10035 other day, and send it when you feel its finished.
10037 Well, don't worry about it. Whenever you start composing a message of
10038 some sort using the Gnus mail and post commands, the buffer you get will
10039 automatically associate to an article in a special @dfn{draft} group.
10040 If you save the buffer the normal way (@kbd{C-x C-s}, for instance), the
10041 article will be saved there. (Auto-save files also go to the draft
10045 @vindex nndraft-directory
10046 The draft group is a special group (which is implemented as an
10047 @code{nndraft} group, if you absolutely have to know) called
10048 @samp{nndraft:drafts}. The variable @code{nndraft-directory} says where
10049 @code{nndraft} is to store its files. What makes this group special is
10050 that you can't tick any articles in it or mark any articles as
10051 read---all articles in the group are permanently unread.
10053 If the group doesn't exist, it will be created and you'll be subscribed
10054 to it. The only way to make it disappear from the Group buffer is to
10057 @c @findex gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft
10058 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Mail)
10059 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Post)
10060 @c @findex gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft
10061 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Mail)
10062 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Post)
10063 @c If you're writing some super-secret message that you later want to
10064 @c encode with PGP before sending, you may wish to turn the auto-saving
10065 @c (and association with the draft group) off. You never know who might be
10066 @c interested in reading all your extremely valuable and terribly horrible
10067 @c and interesting secrets. The @kbd{C-c M-d}
10068 @c (@code{gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft}) command does that for you.
10069 @c If you change your mind and want to turn the auto-saving back on again,
10070 @c @kbd{C-c C-d} (@code{gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft} does that.
10072 @c @vindex gnus-use-draft
10073 @c To leave association with the draft group off by default, set
10074 @c @code{gnus-use-draft} to @code{nil}. It is @code{t} by default.
10076 @findex gnus-draft-edit-message
10077 @kindex D e (Draft)
10078 When you want to continue editing the article, you simply enter the
10079 draft group and push @kbd{D e} (@code{gnus-draft-edit-message}) to do
10080 that. You will be placed in a buffer where you left off.
10082 Rejected articles will also be put in this draft group (@pxref{Rejected
10085 @findex gnus-draft-send-all-messages
10086 @findex gnus-draft-send-message
10087 If you have lots of rejected messages you want to post (or mail) without
10088 doing further editing, you can use the @kbd{D s} command
10089 (@code{gnus-draft-send-message}). This command understands the
10090 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). The @kbd{D S}
10091 command (@code{gnus-draft-send-all-messages}) will ship off all messages
10094 If you have some messages that you wish not to send, you can use the
10095 @kbd{D t} (@code{gnus-draft-toggle-sending}) command to mark the message
10096 as unsendable. This is a toggling command.
10099 @node Rejected Articles
10100 @section Rejected Articles
10101 @cindex rejected articles
10103 Sometimes a news server will reject an article. Perhaps the server
10104 doesn't like your face. Perhaps it just feels miserable. Perhaps
10105 @emph{there be demons}. Perhaps you have included too much cited text.
10106 Perhaps the disk is full. Perhaps the server is down.
10108 These situations are, of course, totally beyond the control of Gnus.
10109 (Gnus, of course, loves the way you look, always feels great, has angels
10110 fluttering around inside of it, doesn't care about how much cited text
10111 you include, never runs full and never goes down.) So Gnus saves these
10112 articles until some later time when the server feels better.
10114 The rejected articles will automatically be put in a special draft group
10115 (@pxref{Drafts}). When the server comes back up again, you'd then
10116 typically enter that group and send all the articles off.
10122 Gnus has an ALPHA support to GPG that's provided by @file{gpg.el}. See
10123 @code{mm-verify-option} and @code{mm-decrypt-option} to enable Gnus to
10124 verify or decrypt messages accordingly.
10126 To use this correctly with GPG, you'll need the following lisp code in your
10127 @file{~/.emacs} or @file{~/.gnus}:
10131 (setq mml2015-use 'gpg)
10132 (setq gpg-temp-directory (expand-file-name "~/.gnupg/tmp"))
10135 The @code{gpg-temp-directory} need to point to a directory with permissions set
10136 to 700, for your own safety.
10138 If you want to benefit of PGP2.6 compatibility, you might create a script named
10139 @file{gpg-2comp} with these instructions:
10143 exec gpg --rfc1991 "$@@"
10146 If you don't want to use such compatibility, you can add the following line to
10147 your @file{~/.emacs} or @file{~/.gnus}:
10150 (setq gpg-command-default-alist (quote ((gpg . "gpg") (gpg-2comp . "gpg"))))
10153 To sign or encrypt your message you may choose to use the MML Security
10154 menu or @kbd{C-c C-m s p} to sign your message using PGP/MIME, @kbd{C-c
10155 C-m s s} to sign your message using S/MIME. There's also @kbd{C-c C-m c
10156 p} to encrypt your message with PGP/MIME and @kbd{C-c C-m c s} to
10157 encrypt using S/MIME.
10159 Gnus will ask for your passphrase and then it will send your message, if
10160 you've typed it correctly.
10162 @node Select Methods
10163 @chapter Select Methods
10164 @cindex foreign groups
10165 @cindex select methods
10167 A @dfn{foreign group} is a group not read by the usual (or
10168 default) means. It could be, for instance, a group from a different
10169 @sc{nntp} server, it could be a virtual group, or it could be your own
10170 personal mail group.
10172 A foreign group (or any group, really) is specified by a @dfn{name} and
10173 a @dfn{select method}. To take the latter first, a select method is a
10174 list where the first element says what backend to use (e.g. @code{nntp},
10175 @code{nnspool}, @code{nnml}) and the second element is the @dfn{server
10176 name}. There may be additional elements in the select method, where the
10177 value may have special meaning for the backend in question.
10179 One could say that a select method defines a @dfn{virtual server}---so
10180 we do just that (@pxref{The Server Buffer}).
10182 The @dfn{name} of the group is the name the backend will recognize the
10185 For instance, the group @samp{soc.motss} on the @sc{nntp} server
10186 @samp{some.where.edu} will have the name @samp{soc.motss} and select
10187 method @code{(nntp "some.where.edu")}. Gnus will call this group
10188 @samp{nntp+some.where.edu:soc.motss}, even though the @code{nntp}
10189 backend just knows this group as @samp{soc.motss}.
10191 The different methods all have their peculiarities, of course.
10194 * The Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
10195 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
10196 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
10197 * Browsing the Web:: Getting messages from a plethora of Web sources.
10198 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
10199 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
10200 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
10204 @node The Server Buffer
10205 @section The Server Buffer
10207 Traditionally, a @dfn{server} is a machine or a piece of software that
10208 one connects to, and then requests information from. Gnus does not
10209 connect directly to any real servers, but does all transactions through
10210 one backend or other. But that's just putting one layer more between
10211 the actual media and Gnus, so we might just as well say that each
10212 backend represents a virtual server.
10214 For instance, the @code{nntp} backend may be used to connect to several
10215 different actual @sc{nntp} servers, or, perhaps, to many different ports
10216 on the same actual @sc{nntp} server. You tell Gnus which backend to
10217 use, and what parameters to set by specifying a @dfn{select method}.
10219 These select method specifications can sometimes become quite
10220 complicated---say, for instance, that you want to read from the
10221 @sc{nntp} server @samp{news.funet.fi} on port number 13, which
10222 hangs if queried for @sc{nov} headers and has a buggy select. Ahem.
10223 Anyway, if you had to specify that for each group that used this
10224 server, that would be too much work, so Gnus offers a way of naming
10225 select methods, which is what you do in the server buffer.
10227 To enter the server buffer, use the @kbd{^}
10228 (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}) command in the group buffer.
10231 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
10232 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
10233 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
10234 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
10235 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
10236 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
10237 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
10240 @vindex gnus-server-mode-hook
10241 @code{gnus-server-mode-hook} is run when creating the server buffer.
10244 @node Server Buffer Format
10245 @subsection Server Buffer Format
10246 @cindex server buffer format
10248 @vindex gnus-server-line-format
10249 You can change the look of the server buffer lines by changing the
10250 @code{gnus-server-line-format} variable. This is a @code{format}-like
10251 variable, with some simple extensions:
10256 How the news is fetched---the backend name.
10259 The name of this server.
10262 Where the news is to be fetched from---the address.
10265 The opened/closed/denied status of the server.
10268 @vindex gnus-server-mode-line-format
10269 The mode line can also be customized by using the
10270 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format} variable (@pxref{Mode Line
10271 Formatting}). The following specs are understood:
10281 Also @pxref{Formatting Variables}.
10284 @node Server Commands
10285 @subsection Server Commands
10286 @cindex server commands
10292 @findex gnus-server-add-server
10293 Add a new server (@code{gnus-server-add-server}).
10297 @findex gnus-server-edit-server
10298 Edit a server (@code{gnus-server-edit-server}).
10301 @kindex SPACE (Server)
10302 @findex gnus-server-read-server
10303 Browse the current server (@code{gnus-server-read-server}).
10307 @findex gnus-server-exit
10308 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-server-exit}).
10312 @findex gnus-server-kill-server
10313 Kill the current server (@code{gnus-server-kill-server}).
10317 @findex gnus-server-yank-server
10318 Yank the previously killed server (@code{gnus-server-yank-server}).
10322 @findex gnus-server-copy-server
10323 Copy the current server (@code{gnus-server-copy-server}).
10327 @findex gnus-server-list-servers
10328 List all servers (@code{gnus-server-list-servers}).
10332 @findex gnus-server-scan-server
10333 Request that the server scan its sources for new articles
10334 (@code{gnus-server-scan-server}). This is mainly sensible with mail
10339 @findex gnus-server-regenerate-server
10340 Request that the server regenerate all its data structures
10341 (@code{gnus-server-regenerate-server}). This can be useful if you have
10342 a mail backend that has gotten out of sync.
10347 @node Example Methods
10348 @subsection Example Methods
10350 Most select methods are pretty simple and self-explanatory:
10353 (nntp "news.funet.fi")
10356 Reading directly from the spool is even simpler:
10362 As you can see, the first element in a select method is the name of the
10363 backend, and the second is the @dfn{address}, or @dfn{name}, if you
10366 After these two elements, there may be an arbitrary number of
10367 @code{(@var{variable} @var{form})} pairs.
10369 To go back to the first example---imagine that you want to read from
10370 port 15 on that machine. This is what the select method should
10374 (nntp "news.funet.fi" (nntp-port-number 15))
10377 You should read the documentation to each backend to find out what
10378 variables are relevant, but here's an @code{nnmh} example:
10380 @code{nnmh} is a mail backend that reads a spool-like structure. Say
10381 you have two structures that you wish to access: One is your private
10382 mail spool, and the other is a public one. Here's the possible spec for
10386 (nnmh "private" (nnmh-directory "~/private/mail/"))
10389 (This server is then called @samp{private}, but you may have guessed
10392 Here's the method for a public spool:
10396 (nnmh-directory "/usr/information/spool/")
10397 (nnmh-get-new-mail nil))
10403 If you are behind a firewall and only have access to the @sc{nntp}
10404 server from the firewall machine, you can instruct Gnus to @code{rlogin}
10405 on the firewall machine and telnet from there to the @sc{nntp} server.
10406 Doing this can be rather fiddly, but your virtual server definition
10407 should probably look something like this:
10411 (nntp-address "the.firewall.machine")
10412 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-rlogin)
10413 (nntp-end-of-line "\n")
10414 (nntp-rlogin-parameters
10415 ("telnet" "the.real.nntp.host" "nntp")))
10418 If you want to use the wonderful @code{ssh} program to provide a
10419 compressed connection over the modem line, you could create a virtual
10420 server that would look something like this:
10424 (nntp-address "copper.uio.no")
10425 (nntp-rlogin-program "ssh")
10426 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-rlogin)
10427 (nntp-end-of-line "\n")
10428 (nntp-rlogin-parameters
10429 ("telnet" "news.uio.no" "nntp")))
10432 This means that you have to have set up @code{ssh-agent} correctly to
10433 provide automatic authorization, of course. And to get a compressed
10434 connection, you have to have the @samp{Compression} option in the
10435 @code{ssh} @file{config} file.
10438 @node Creating a Virtual Server
10439 @subsection Creating a Virtual Server
10441 If you're saving lots of articles in the cache by using persistent
10442 articles, you may want to create a virtual server to read the cache.
10444 First you need to add a new server. The @kbd{a} command does that. It
10445 would probably be best to use @code{nnspool} to read the cache. You
10446 could also use @code{nnml} or @code{nnmh}, though.
10448 Type @kbd{a nnspool RET cache RET}.
10450 You should now have a brand new @code{nnspool} virtual server called
10451 @samp{cache}. You now need to edit it to have the right definitions.
10452 Type @kbd{e} to edit the server. You'll be entered into a buffer that
10453 will contain the following:
10463 (nnspool-spool-directory "~/News/cache/")
10464 (nnspool-nov-directory "~/News/cache/")
10465 (nnspool-active-file "~/News/cache/active"))
10468 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to return to the server buffer. If you now press
10469 @kbd{RET} over this virtual server, you should be entered into a browse
10470 buffer, and you should be able to enter any of the groups displayed.
10473 @node Server Variables
10474 @subsection Server Variables
10476 One sticky point when defining variables (both on backends and in Emacs
10477 in general) is that some variables are typically initialized from other
10478 variables when the definition of the variables is being loaded. If you
10479 change the "base" variable after the variables have been loaded, you
10480 won't change the "derived" variables.
10482 This typically affects directory and file variables. For instance,
10483 @code{nnml-directory} is @file{~/Mail/} by default, and all @code{nnml}
10484 directory variables are initialized from that variable, so
10485 @code{nnml-active-file} will be @file{~/Mail/active}. If you define a
10486 new virtual @code{nnml} server, it will @emph{not} suffice to set just
10487 @code{nnml-directory}---you have to explicitly set all the file
10488 variables to be what you want them to be. For a complete list of
10489 variables for each backend, see each backend's section later in this
10490 manual, but here's an example @code{nnml} definition:
10494 (nnml-directory "~/my-mail/")
10495 (nnml-active-file "~/my-mail/active")
10496 (nnml-newsgroups-file "~/my-mail/newsgroups"))
10500 @node Servers and Methods
10501 @subsection Servers and Methods
10503 Wherever you would normally use a select method
10504 (e.g. @code{gnus-secondary-select-method}, in the group select method,
10505 when browsing a foreign server) you can use a virtual server name
10506 instead. This could potentially save lots of typing. And it's nice all
10510 @node Unavailable Servers
10511 @subsection Unavailable Servers
10513 If a server seems to be unreachable, Gnus will mark that server as
10514 @code{denied}. That means that any subsequent attempt to make contact
10515 with that server will just be ignored. ``It can't be opened,'' Gnus
10516 will tell you, without making the least effort to see whether that is
10517 actually the case or not.
10519 That might seem quite naughty, but it does make sense most of the time.
10520 Let's say you have 10 groups subscribed to on server
10521 @samp{nephelococcygia.com}. This server is located somewhere quite far
10522 away from you and the machine is quite slow, so it takes 1 minute just
10523 to find out that it refuses connection to you today. If Gnus were to
10524 attempt to do that 10 times, you'd be quite annoyed, so Gnus won't
10525 attempt to do that. Once it has gotten a single ``connection refused'',
10526 it will regard that server as ``down''.
10528 So, what happens if the machine was only feeling unwell temporarily?
10529 How do you test to see whether the machine has come up again?
10531 You jump to the server buffer (@pxref{The Server Buffer}) and poke it
10532 with the following commands:
10538 @findex gnus-server-open-server
10539 Try to establish connection to the server on the current line
10540 (@code{gnus-server-open-server}).
10544 @findex gnus-server-close-server
10545 Close the connection (if any) to the server
10546 (@code{gnus-server-close-server}).
10550 @findex gnus-server-deny-server
10551 Mark the current server as unreachable
10552 (@code{gnus-server-deny-server}).
10555 @kindex M-o (Server)
10556 @findex gnus-server-open-all-servers
10557 Open the connections to all servers in the buffer
10558 (@code{gnus-server-open-all-servers}).
10561 @kindex M-c (Server)
10562 @findex gnus-server-close-all-servers
10563 Close the connections to all servers in the buffer
10564 (@code{gnus-server-close-all-servers}).
10568 @findex gnus-server-remove-denials
10569 Remove all marks to whether Gnus was denied connection from any servers
10570 (@code{gnus-server-remove-denials}).
10576 @section Getting News
10577 @cindex reading news
10578 @cindex news backends
10580 A newsreader is normally used for reading news. Gnus currently provides
10581 only two methods of getting news---it can read from an @sc{nntp} server,
10582 or it can read from a local spool.
10585 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
10586 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
10591 @subsection @sc{nntp}
10594 Subscribing to a foreign group from an @sc{nntp} server is rather easy.
10595 You just specify @code{nntp} as method and the address of the @sc{nntp}
10596 server as the, uhm, address.
10598 If the @sc{nntp} server is located at a non-standard port, setting the
10599 third element of the select method to this port number should allow you
10600 to connect to the right port. You'll have to edit the group info for
10601 that (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
10603 The name of the foreign group can be the same as a native group. In
10604 fact, you can subscribe to the same group from as many different servers
10605 you feel like. There will be no name collisions.
10607 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nntp}
10612 @item nntp-server-opened-hook
10613 @vindex nntp-server-opened-hook
10614 @cindex @sc{mode reader}
10616 @cindex authentification
10617 @cindex nntp authentification
10618 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
10619 @findex nntp-send-mode-reader
10620 is run after a connection has been made. It can be used to send
10621 commands to the @sc{nntp} server after it has been contacted. By
10622 default it sends the command @code{MODE READER} to the server with the
10623 @code{nntp-send-mode-reader} function. This function should always be
10624 present in this hook.
10626 @item nntp-authinfo-function
10627 @vindex nntp-authinfo-function
10628 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
10629 @vindex nntp-authinfo-file
10630 This function will be used to send @samp{AUTHINFO} to the @sc{nntp}
10631 server. The default function is @code{nntp-send-authinfo}, which looks
10632 through your @file{~/.authinfo} (or whatever you've set the
10633 @code{nntp-authinfo-file} variable to) for applicable entries. If none
10634 are found, it will prompt you for a login name and a password. The
10635 format of the @file{~/.authinfo} file is (almost) the same as the
10636 @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file, which is defined in the @code{ftp}
10637 manual page, but here are the salient facts:
10641 The file contains one or more line, each of which define one server.
10644 Each line may contain an arbitrary number of token/value pairs.
10646 The valid tokens include @samp{machine}, @samp{login}, @samp{password},
10647 @samp{default}. In addition Gnus introduces two new tokens, not present
10648 in the original @file{.netrc}/@code{ftp} syntax, namely @samp{port} and
10649 @samp{force}. (This is the only way the @file{.authinfo} file format
10650 deviates from the @file{.netrc} file format.) @samp{port} is used to
10651 indicate what port on the server the credentials apply to and
10652 @samp{force} is explained below.
10656 Here's an example file:
10659 machine news.uio.no login larsi password geheimnis
10660 machine nntp.ifi.uio.no login larsi force yes
10663 The token/value pairs may appear in any order; @samp{machine} doesn't
10664 have to be first, for instance.
10666 In this example, both login name and password have been supplied for the
10667 former server, while the latter has only the login name listed, and the
10668 user will be prompted for the password. The latter also has the
10669 @samp{force} tag, which means that the authinfo will be sent to the
10670 @var{nntp} server upon connection; the default (i.e., when there is not
10671 @samp{force} tag) is to not send authinfo to the @var{nntp} server
10672 until the @var{nntp} server asks for it.
10674 You can also add @samp{default} lines that will apply to all servers
10675 that don't have matching @samp{machine} lines.
10681 This will force sending @samp{AUTHINFO} commands to all servers not
10682 previously mentioned.
10684 Remember to not leave the @file{~/.authinfo} file world-readable.
10686 @item nntp-server-action-alist
10687 @vindex nntp-server-action-alist
10688 This is a list of regexps to match on server types and actions to be
10689 taken when matches are made. For instance, if you want Gnus to beep
10690 every time you connect to innd, you could say something like:
10693 (setq nntp-server-action-alist
10694 '(("innd" (ding))))
10697 You probably don't want to do that, though.
10699 The default value is
10702 '(("nntpd 1\\.5\\.11t"
10703 (remove-hook 'nntp-server-opened-hook 'nntp-send-mode-reader)))
10706 This ensures that Gnus doesn't send the @code{MODE READER} command to
10707 nntpd 1.5.11t, since that command chokes that server, I've been told.
10709 @item nntp-maximum-request
10710 @vindex nntp-maximum-request
10711 If the @sc{nntp} server doesn't support @sc{nov} headers, this backend
10712 will collect headers by sending a series of @code{head} commands. To
10713 speed things up, the backend sends lots of these commands without
10714 waiting for reply, and then reads all the replies. This is controlled
10715 by the @code{nntp-maximum-request} variable, and is 400 by default. If
10716 your network is buggy, you should set this to 1.
10718 @item nntp-connection-timeout
10719 @vindex nntp-connection-timeout
10720 If you have lots of foreign @code{nntp} groups that you connect to
10721 regularly, you're sure to have problems with @sc{nntp} servers not
10722 responding properly, or being too loaded to reply within reasonable
10723 time. This is can lead to awkward problems, which can be helped
10724 somewhat by setting @code{nntp-connection-timeout}. This is an integer
10725 that says how many seconds the @code{nntp} backend should wait for a
10726 connection before giving up. If it is @code{nil}, which is the default,
10727 no timeouts are done.
10729 @c @item nntp-command-timeout
10730 @c @vindex nntp-command-timeout
10731 @c @cindex PPP connections
10732 @c @cindex dynamic IP addresses
10733 @c If you're running Gnus on a machine that has a dynamically assigned
10734 @c address, Gnus may become confused. If the address of your machine
10735 @c changes after connecting to the @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will simply sit
10736 @c waiting forever for replies from the server. To help with this
10737 @c unfortunate problem, you can set this command to a number. Gnus will
10738 @c then, if it sits waiting for a reply from the server longer than that
10739 @c number of seconds, shut down the connection, start a new one, and resend
10740 @c the command. This should hopefully be transparent to the user. A
10741 @c likely number is 30 seconds.
10743 @c @item nntp-retry-on-break
10744 @c @vindex nntp-retry-on-break
10745 @c If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you can also @kbd{C-g} if Gnus
10746 @c hangs. This will have much the same effect as the command timeout
10747 @c described above.
10749 @item nntp-server-hook
10750 @vindex nntp-server-hook
10751 This hook is run as the last step when connecting to an @sc{nntp}
10754 @findex nntp-open-rlogin
10755 @findex nntp-open-telnet
10756 @findex nntp-open-network-stream
10757 @item nntp-open-connection-function
10758 @vindex nntp-open-connection-function
10759 This function is used to connect to the remote system. Four pre-made
10760 functions are supplied:
10763 @item nntp-open-network-stream
10764 This is the default, and simply connects to some port or other on the
10767 @item nntp-open-rlogin
10768 Does an @samp{rlogin} on the
10769 remote system, and then does a @samp{telnet} to the @sc{nntp} server
10772 @code{nntp-open-rlogin}-related variables:
10776 @item nntp-rlogin-program
10777 @vindex nntp-rlogin-program
10778 Program used to log in on remote machines. The default is @samp{rsh},
10779 but @samp{ssh} is a popular alternative.
10781 @item nntp-rlogin-parameters
10782 @vindex nntp-rlogin-parameters
10783 This list will be used as the parameter list given to @code{rsh}.
10785 @item nntp-rlogin-user-name
10786 @vindex nntp-rlogin-user-name
10787 User name on the remote system.
10791 @item nntp-open-telnet
10792 Does a @samp{telnet} to the remote system and then another @samp{telnet}
10793 to get to the @sc{nntp} server.
10795 @code{nntp-open-telnet}-related variables:
10798 @item nntp-telnet-command
10799 @vindex nntp-telnet-command
10800 Command used to start @code{telnet}.
10802 @item nntp-telnet-switches
10803 @vindex nntp-telnet-switches
10804 List of strings to be used as the switches to the @code{telnet} command.
10806 @item nntp-telnet-user-name
10807 @vindex nntp-telnet-user-name
10808 User name for log in on the remote system.
10810 @item nntp-telnet-passwd
10811 @vindex nntp-telnet-passwd
10812 Password to use when logging in.
10814 @item nntp-telnet-parameters
10815 @vindex nntp-telnet-parameters
10816 A list of strings executed as a command after logging in
10819 @item nntp-telnet-shell-prompt
10820 @vindex nntp-telnet-shell-prompt
10821 Regexp matching the shell prompt on the remote machine. The default is
10822 @samp{bash\\|\$ *\r?$\\|> *\r?}.
10824 @item nntp-open-telnet-envuser
10825 @vindex nntp-open-telnet-envuser
10826 If non-@code{nil}, the @code{telnet} session (client and server both)
10827 will support the @code{ENVIRON} option and not prompt for login name.
10828 This works for Solaris @code{telnet}, for instance.
10832 @findex nntp-open-ssl-stream
10833 @item nntp-open-ssl-stream
10834 Opens a connection to a server over a @dfn{secure} channel. To use this
10835 you must have SSLay installed
10836 (@uref{ftp://ftp.psy.uq.oz.au/pub/Crypto/SSL}, and you also need
10837 @file{ssl.el} (from the W3 distribution, for instance). You then
10838 define a server as follows:
10841 ;; Type `C-c C-c' after you've finished editing.
10843 ;; "snews" is port 563 and is predefined in our /etc/services
10845 (nntp "snews.bar.com"
10846 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-ssl-stream)
10847 (nntp-port-number "snews")
10848 (nntp-address "snews.bar.com"))
10853 @item nntp-end-of-line
10854 @vindex nntp-end-of-line
10855 String to use as end-of-line marker when talking to the @sc{nntp}
10856 server. This is @samp{\r\n} by default, but should be @samp{\n} when
10857 using @code{rlogin} to talk to the server.
10859 @item nntp-rlogin-user-name
10860 @vindex nntp-rlogin-user-name
10861 User name on the remote system when using the @code{rlogin} connect
10865 @vindex nntp-address
10866 The address of the remote system running the @sc{nntp} server.
10868 @item nntp-port-number
10869 @vindex nntp-port-number
10870 Port number to connect to when using the @code{nntp-open-network-stream}
10873 @item nntp-buggy-select
10874 @vindex nntp-buggy-select
10875 Set this to non-@code{nil} if your select routine is buggy.
10877 @item nntp-nov-is-evil
10878 @vindex nntp-nov-is-evil
10879 If the @sc{nntp} server does not support @sc{nov}, you could set this
10880 variable to @code{t}, but @code{nntp} usually checks automatically whether @sc{nov}
10883 @item nntp-xover-commands
10884 @vindex nntp-xover-commands
10887 List of strings used as commands to fetch @sc{nov} lines from a
10888 server. The default value of this variable is @code{("XOVER"
10892 @vindex nntp-nov-gap
10893 @code{nntp} normally sends just one big request for @sc{nov} lines to
10894 the server. The server responds with one huge list of lines. However,
10895 if you have read articles 2-5000 in the group, and only want to read
10896 article 1 and 5001, that means that @code{nntp} will fetch 4999 @sc{nov}
10897 lines that you will not need. This variable says how
10898 big a gap between two consecutive articles is allowed to be before the
10899 @code{XOVER} request is split into several request. Note that if your
10900 network is fast, setting this variable to a really small number means
10901 that fetching will probably be slower. If this variable is @code{nil},
10902 @code{nntp} will never split requests. The default is 5.
10904 @item nntp-prepare-server-hook
10905 @vindex nntp-prepare-server-hook
10906 A hook run before attempting to connect to an @sc{nntp} server.
10908 @item nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
10909 @vindex nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
10910 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, some noise will be made when a
10911 server closes connection.
10913 @item nntp-record-commands
10914 @vindex nntp-record-commands
10915 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nntp} will log all commands it sends to the
10916 @sc{nntp} server (along with a timestamp) in the @samp{*nntp-log*}
10917 buffer. This is useful if you are debugging a Gnus/@sc{nntp} connection
10918 that doesn't seem to work.
10924 @subsection News Spool
10928 Subscribing to a foreign group from the local spool is extremely easy,
10929 and might be useful, for instance, to speed up reading groups that
10930 contain very big articles---@samp{alt.binaries.pictures.furniture}, for
10933 Anyway, you just specify @code{nnspool} as the method and @code{""} (or
10934 anything else) as the address.
10936 If you have access to a local spool, you should probably use that as the
10937 native select method (@pxref{Finding the News}). It is normally faster
10938 than using an @code{nntp} select method, but might not be. It depends.
10939 You just have to try to find out what's best at your site.
10943 @item nnspool-inews-program
10944 @vindex nnspool-inews-program
10945 Program used to post an article.
10947 @item nnspool-inews-switches
10948 @vindex nnspool-inews-switches
10949 Parameters given to the inews program when posting an article.
10951 @item nnspool-spool-directory
10952 @vindex nnspool-spool-directory
10953 Where @code{nnspool} looks for the articles. This is normally
10954 @file{/usr/spool/news/}.
10956 @item nnspool-nov-directory
10957 @vindex nnspool-nov-directory
10958 Where @code{nnspool} will look for @sc{nov} files. This is normally
10959 @file{/usr/spool/news/over.view/}.
10961 @item nnspool-lib-dir
10962 @vindex nnspool-lib-dir
10963 Where the news lib dir is (@file{/usr/lib/news/} by default).
10965 @item nnspool-active-file
10966 @vindex nnspool-active-file
10967 The path to the active file.
10969 @item nnspool-newsgroups-file
10970 @vindex nnspool-newsgroups-file
10971 The path to the group descriptions file.
10973 @item nnspool-history-file
10974 @vindex nnspool-history-file
10975 The path to the news history file.
10977 @item nnspool-active-times-file
10978 @vindex nnspool-active-times-file
10979 The path to the active date file.
10981 @item nnspool-nov-is-evil
10982 @vindex nnspool-nov-is-evil
10983 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnspool} won't try to use any @sc{nov} files
10986 @item nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
10987 @vindex nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
10989 If non-@code{nil}, which is the default, use @code{sed} to get the
10990 relevant portion from the overview file. If nil, @code{nnspool} will
10991 load the entire file into a buffer and process it there.
10997 @section Getting Mail
10998 @cindex reading mail
11001 Reading mail with a newsreader---isn't that just plain WeIrD? But of
11005 * Mail in a Newsreader:: Important introductory notes.
11006 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
11007 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
11008 * Mail Sources:: How to tell Gnus where to get mail from.
11009 * Mail Backend Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
11010 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
11011 * Group Mail Splitting:: Use group customize to drive mail splitting.
11012 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
11013 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
11014 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
11015 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
11016 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail backends for reading other files.
11017 * Choosing a Mail Backend:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
11021 @node Mail in a Newsreader
11022 @subsection Mail in a Newsreader
11024 If you are used to traditional mail readers, but have decided to switch
11025 to reading mail with Gnus, you may find yourself experiencing something
11026 of a culture shock.
11028 Gnus does not behave like traditional mail readers. If you want to make
11029 it behave that way, you can, but it's an uphill battle.
11031 Gnus, by default, handles all its groups using the same approach. This
11032 approach is very newsreaderly---you enter a group, see the new/unread
11033 messages, and when you read the messages, they get marked as read, and
11034 you don't see them any more. (Unless you explicitly ask for them.)
11036 In particular, you do not do anything explicitly to delete messages.
11038 Does this mean that all the messages that have been marked as read are
11039 deleted? How awful!
11041 But, no, it means that old messages are @dfn{expired} according to some
11042 scheme or other. For news messages, the expire process is controlled by
11043 the news administrator; for mail, the expire process is controlled by
11044 you. The expire process for mail is covered in depth in @pxref{Expiring
11047 What many Gnus users find, after using it a while for both news and
11048 mail, is that the transport mechanism has very little to do with how
11049 they want to treat a message.
11051 Many people subscribe to several mailing lists. These are transported
11052 via SMTP, and are therefore mail. But we might go for weeks without
11053 answering, or even reading these messages very carefully. We may not
11054 need to save them because if we should need to read one again, they are
11055 archived somewhere else.
11057 Some people have local news groups which have only a handful of readers.
11058 These are transported via @sc{nntp}, and are therefore news. But we may need
11059 to read and answer a large fraction of the messages very carefully in
11060 order to do our work. And there may not be an archive, so we may need
11061 to save the interesting messages the same way we would personal mail.
11063 The important distinction turns out to be not the transport mechanism,
11064 but other factors such as how interested we are in the subject matter,
11065 or how easy it is to retrieve the message if we need to read it again.
11067 Gnus provides many options for sorting mail into ``groups'' which behave
11068 like newsgroups, and for treating each group (whether mail or news)
11071 Some users never get comfortable using the Gnus (ahem) paradigm and wish
11072 that Gnus should grow up and be a male, er, mail reader. It is possible
11073 to whip Gnus into a more mailreaderly being, but, as said before, it's
11074 not easy. People who prefer proper mail readers should try @sc{vm}
11075 instead, which is an excellent, and proper, mail reader.
11077 I don't mean to scare anybody off, but I want to make it clear that you
11078 may be required to learn a new way of thinking about messages. After
11079 you've been subjected to The Gnus Way, you will come to love it. I can
11080 guarantee it. (At least the guy who sold me the Emacs Subliminal
11081 Brain-Washing Functions that I've put into Gnus did guarantee it. You
11082 Will Be Assimilated. You Love Gnus. You Love The Gnus Mail Way.
11086 @node Getting Started Reading Mail
11087 @subsection Getting Started Reading Mail
11089 It's quite easy to use Gnus to read your new mail. You just plonk the
11090 mail backend of your choice into @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods},
11091 and things will happen automatically.
11093 For instance, if you want to use @code{nnml} (which is a "one file per
11094 mail" backend), you could put the following in your @file{.gnus} file:
11097 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
11098 '((nnml "private")))
11101 Now, the next time you start Gnus, this backend will be queried for new
11102 articles, and it will move all the messages in your spool file to its
11103 directory, which is @code{~/Mail/} by default. The new group that will
11104 be created (@samp{mail.misc}) will be subscribed, and you can read it
11105 like any other group.
11107 You will probably want to split the mail into several groups, though:
11110 (setq nnmail-split-methods
11111 '(("junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
11112 ("crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
11116 This will result in three new @code{nnml} mail groups being created:
11117 @samp{nnml:junk}, @samp{nnml:crazy}, and @samp{nnml:other}. All the
11118 mail that doesn't fit into the first two groups will be placed in the
11121 This should be sufficient for reading mail with Gnus. You might want to
11122 give the other sections in this part of the manual a perusal, though.
11123 Especially @pxref{Choosing a Mail Backend} and @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
11126 @node Splitting Mail
11127 @subsection Splitting Mail
11128 @cindex splitting mail
11129 @cindex mail splitting
11131 @vindex nnmail-split-methods
11132 The @code{nnmail-split-methods} variable says how the incoming mail is
11133 to be split into groups.
11136 (setq nnmail-split-methods
11137 '(("mail.junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
11138 ("mail.crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
11139 ("mail.other" "")))
11142 This variable is a list of lists, where the first element of each of
11143 these lists is the name of the mail group (they do not have to be called
11144 something beginning with @samp{mail}, by the way), and the second
11145 element is a regular expression used on the header of each mail to
11146 determine if it belongs in this mail group. The first string may
11147 contain @samp{\\1} forms, like the ones used by @code{replace-match} to
11148 insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For instance:
11151 ("list.\\1" "From:.* \\(.*\\)-list@@majordomo.com")
11154 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
11155 called narrowed to the headers with the first element of the rule as the
11156 argument. It should return a non-@code{nil} value if it thinks that the
11157 mail belongs in that group.
11159 The last of these groups should always be a general one, and the regular
11160 expression should @emph{always} be @samp{} so that it matches any mails
11161 that haven't been matched by any of the other regexps. (These rules are
11162 processed from the beginning of the alist toward the end. The first
11163 rule to make a match will "win", unless you have crossposting enabled.
11164 In that case, all matching rules will "win".)
11166 If you like to tinker with this yourself, you can set this variable to a
11167 function of your choice. This function will be called without any
11168 arguments in a buffer narrowed to the headers of an incoming mail
11169 message. The function should return a list of group names that it
11170 thinks should carry this mail message.
11172 Note that the mail backends are free to maul the poor, innocent,
11173 incoming headers all they want to. They all add @code{Lines} headers;
11174 some add @code{X-Gnus-Group} headers; most rename the Unix mbox
11175 @code{From<SPACE>} line to something else.
11177 @vindex nnmail-crosspost
11178 The mail backends all support cross-posting. If several regexps match,
11179 the mail will be ``cross-posted'' to all those groups.
11180 @code{nnmail-crosspost} says whether to use this mechanism or not. Note
11181 that no articles are crossposted to the general (@samp{}) group.
11183 @vindex nnmail-crosspost-link-function
11186 @code{nnmh} and @code{nnml} makes crossposts by creating hard links to
11187 the crossposted articles. However, not all file systems support hard
11188 links. If that's the case for you, set
11189 @code{nnmail-crosspost-link-function} to @code{copy-file}. (This
11190 variable is @code{add-name-to-file} by default.)
11192 @kindex M-x nnmail-split-history
11193 @kindex nnmail-split-history
11194 If you wish to see where the previous mail split put the messages, you
11195 can use the @kbd{M-x nnmail-split-history} command. If you wish to see
11196 where re-spooling messages would put the messages, you can use
11197 @code{gnus-summary-respool-trace} and related commands (@pxref{Mail
11200 Gnus gives you all the opportunity you could possibly want for shooting
11201 yourself in the foot. Let's say you create a group that will contain
11202 all the mail you get from your boss. And then you accidentally
11203 unsubscribe from the group. Gnus will still put all the mail from your
11204 boss in the unsubscribed group, and so, when your boss mails you ``Have
11205 that report ready by Monday or you're fired!'', you'll never see it and,
11206 come Tuesday, you'll still believe that you're gainfully employed while
11207 you really should be out collecting empty bottles to save up for next
11208 month's rent money.
11212 @subsection Mail Sources
11214 Mail can be gotten from many different sources---the mail spool, from a
11215 POP mail server, from a procmail directory, or from a maildir, for
11219 * Mail Source Specifiers:: How to specify what a mail source is.
11220 * Mail Source Customization:: Some variables that influence things.
11221 * Fetching Mail:: Using the mail source specifiers.
11225 @node Mail Source Specifiers
11226 @subsubsection Mail Source Specifiers
11228 @cindex mail server
11231 @cindex mail source
11233 You tell Gnus how to fetch mail by setting @code{mail-sources}
11234 (@pxref{Fetching Mail}) to a @dfn{mail source specifier}.
11239 (pop :server "pop3.mailserver.com" :user "myname")
11242 As can be observed, a mail source specifier is a list where the first
11243 element is a @dfn{mail source type}, followed by an arbitrary number of
11244 @dfn{keywords}. Keywords that are not explicitly specified are given
11247 The following mail source types are available:
11251 Get mail from a single file; typically from the mail spool.
11257 The path of the file. Defaults to the value of the @code{MAIL}
11258 environment variable or @file{/usr/mail/spool/user-name}.
11261 An example file mail source:
11264 (file :path "/usr/spool/mail/user-name")
11267 Or using the default path:
11273 If the mail spool file is not located on the local machine, it's best to
11274 use POP or @sc{imap} or the like to fetch the mail. You can not use ange-ftp
11275 file names here---it has no way to lock the mail spool while moving the
11278 If it's impossible to set up a proper server, you can use ssh instead.
11282 '((file :prescript "ssh host bin/getmail >%t")))
11285 The @samp{getmail} script would look something like the following:
11289 # getmail - move mail from spool to stdout
11292 MOVEMAIL=/usr/lib/emacs/20.3/i386-redhat-linux/movemail
11294 rm -f $TMP; $MOVEMAIL $MAIL $TMP >/dev/null && cat $TMP
11297 Alter this script to fit find the @samp{movemail} you want to use.
11301 Get mail from several files in a directory. This is typically used when
11302 you have procmail split the incoming mail into several files. Setting
11303 @code{nnmail-scan-directory-mail-source-once} to non-nil forces Gnus to
11304 scan the mail source only once. This is particularly useful if you want
11305 to scan mail groups at a specified level.
11311 The path of the directory where the files are. There is no default
11315 Only files ending with this suffix are used. The default is
11319 Only files that have this predicate return non-@code{nil} are returned.
11320 The default is @code{identity}. This is used as an additional
11321 filter---only files that have the right suffix @emph{and} satisfy this
11322 predicate are considered.
11326 Script run before/after fetching mail.
11330 An example directory mail source:
11333 (directory :path "/home/user-name/procmail-dir/"
11338 Get mail from a POP server.
11344 The name of the POP server. The default is taken from the
11345 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable.
11348 The port number of the POP server. This can be a number (eg,
11349 @samp{:port 1234}) or a string (eg, @samp{:port "pop3"}). If it is a
11350 string, it should be a service name as listed in @file{/etc/services} on
11351 Unix systems. The default is @samp{"pop3"}. On some systems you might
11352 need to specify it as @samp{"pop-3"} instead.
11355 The user name to give to the POP server. The default is the login
11359 The password to give to the POP server. If not specified, the user is
11363 The program to use to fetch mail from the POP server. This should be
11364 a @code{format}-like string. Here's an example:
11367 fetchmail %u@@%s -P %p %t
11370 The valid format specifier characters are:
11374 The name of the file the mail is to be moved to. This must always be
11375 included in this string.
11378 The name of the server.
11381 The port number of the server.
11384 The user name to use.
11387 The password to use.
11390 The values used for these specs are taken from the values you give the
11391 corresponding keywords.
11394 A script to be run before fetching the mail. The syntax is the same as
11395 the @code{:program} keyword. This can also be a function to be run.
11398 A script to be run after fetching the mail. The syntax is the same as
11399 the @code{:program} keyword. This can also be a function to be run.
11402 The function to use to fetch mail from the POP server. The function is
11403 called with one parameter---the name of the file where the mail should
11406 @item :authentication
11407 This can be either the symbol @code{password} or the symbol @code{apop}
11408 and says what authentication scheme to use. The default is
11413 If the @code{:program} and @code{:function} keywords aren't specified,
11414 @code{pop3-movemail} will be used.
11416 Here are some examples. Fetch from the default POP server, using the
11417 default user name, and default fetcher:
11423 Fetch from a named server with a named user and password:
11426 (pop :server "my.pop.server"
11427 :user "user-name" :password "secret")
11430 Use @samp{movemail} to move the mail:
11433 (pop :program "movemail po:%u %t %p")
11437 Get mail from a maildir. This is a type of mailbox that is supported by
11438 at least qmail and postfix, where each file in a special directory
11439 contains exactly one mail.
11445 The path of the directory where the mails are stored. The default is
11446 taken from the @code{MAILDIR} environment variable or
11449 The subdirectories of the Maildir. The default is
11450 @samp{("new" "cur")}.
11452 @c If you sometimes look at your mail through a pop3 daemon before fetching
11453 @c them with Gnus, you may also have to fetch your mails from the
11454 @c @code{cur} directory inside the maildir, like in the first example
11457 You can also get mails from remote hosts (because maildirs don't suffer
11458 from locking problems).
11462 Two example maildir mail sources:
11465 (maildir :path "/home/user-name/Maildir/" :subdirs ("cur" "new"))
11469 (maildir :path "/user@@remotehost.org:~/Maildir/" :subdirs ("new"))
11473 Get mail from a @sc{imap} server. If you don't want to use @sc{imap}
11474 as intended, as a network mail reading protocol (ie with nnimap), for
11475 some reason or other, Gnus let you treat it similar to a POP server
11476 and fetches articles from a given @sc{imap} mailbox. @xref{IMAP}, for
11483 The name of the @sc{imap} server. The default is taken from the
11484 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable.
11487 The port number of the @sc{imap} server. The default is @samp{143}, or
11488 @samp{993} for SSL connections.
11491 The user name to give to the @sc{imap} server. The default is the login
11495 The password to give to the @sc{imap} server. If not specified, the user is
11499 What stream to use for connecting to the server, this is one of the
11500 symbols in @code{imap-stream-alist}. Right now, this means
11501 @samp{kerberos4}, @samp{ssl} or the default @samp{network}.
11503 @item :authentication
11504 Which authenticator to use for authenticating to the server, this is one
11505 of the symbols in @code{imap-authenticator-alist}. Right now, this
11506 means @samp{kerberos4}, @samp{cram-md5}, @samp{anonymous} or the default
11510 When using the `shell' :stream, the contents of this variable is
11511 mapped into the `imap-shell-program' variable. This should be a
11512 @code{format}-like string (or list of strings). Here's an example:
11518 The valid format specifier characters are:
11522 The name of the server.
11525 User name from `imap-default-user'.
11528 The port number of the server.
11531 The values used for these specs are taken from the values you give the
11532 corresponding keywords.
11535 The name of the mailbox to get mail from. The default is @samp{INBOX}
11536 which normally is the mailbox which receive incoming mail.
11539 The predicate used to find articles to fetch. The default, @samp{UNSEEN
11540 UNDELETED}, is probably the best choice for most people, but if you
11541 sometimes peek in your mailbox with a @sc{imap} client and mark some
11542 articles as read (or; SEEN) you might want to set this to @samp{nil}.
11543 Then all articles in the mailbox is fetched, no matter what. For a
11544 complete list of predicates, see RFC 2060 §6.4.4.
11547 How to flag fetched articles on the server, the default @samp{\Deleted}
11548 will mark them as deleted, an alternative would be @samp{\Seen} which
11549 would simply mark them as read. These are the two most likely choices,
11550 but more flags are defined in RFC 2060 §2.3.2.
11553 If non-nil, don't remove all articles marked as deleted in the mailbox
11554 after finishing the fetch.
11558 An example @sc{imap} mail source:
11561 (imap :server "mail.mycorp.com" :stream kerberos4 :fetchflag "\\Seen")
11565 Get mail from a webmail server, such as www.hotmail.com,
11566 webmail.netscape.com, www.netaddress.com, www.my-deja.com.
11568 NOTE: Now mail.yahoo.com provides POP3 service, so @sc{pop} mail source
11571 NOTE: Webmail largely depends cookies. A "one-line-cookie" patch is
11572 required for url "4.0pre.46".
11574 WARNING: Mails may lost. NO WARRANTY.
11580 The type of the webmail server. The default is @code{hotmail}. The
11581 alternatives are @code{netscape}, @code{netaddress}, @code{my-deja}.
11584 The user name to give to the webmail server. The default is the login
11588 The password to give to the webmail server. If not specified, the user is
11592 If non-nil, only fetch unread articles and don't move them to trash
11593 folder after finishing the fetch.
11597 An example webmail source:
11600 (webmail :subtype 'hotmail :user "user-name" :password "secret")
11605 @item Common Keywords
11606 Common keywords can be used in any type of mail source.
11612 If non-nil, fetch the mail even when Gnus is unplugged. If you use
11613 directory source to get mail, you can specify it as in this example:
11617 '((directory :path "/home/pavel/.Spool/"
11622 Gnus will then fetch your mail even when you are unplugged. This is
11623 useful when you use local mail and news.
11628 @subsubsection Function Interface
11630 Some of the above keywords specify a Lisp function to be executed.
11631 For each keyword @code{:foo}, the Lisp variable @code{foo} is bound to
11632 the value of the keyword while the function is executing. For example,
11633 consider the following mail-source setting:
11636 (setq mail-sources '((pop :user "jrl"
11637 :server "pophost" :function fetchfunc)))
11640 While the function @code{fetchfunc} is executing, the symbol @code{user}
11641 is bound to @code{"jrl"}, and the symbol @code{server} is bound to
11642 @code{"pophost"}. The symbols @code{port}, @code{password},
11643 @code{program}, @code{prescript}, @code{postscript}, @code{function},
11644 and @code{authentication} are also bound (to their default values).
11646 See above for a list of keywords for each type of mail source.
11649 @node Mail Source Customization
11650 @subsubsection Mail Source Customization
11652 The following is a list of variables that influence how the mail is
11653 fetched. You would normally not need to set or change any of these
11657 @item mail-source-crash-box
11658 @vindex mail-source-crash-box
11659 File where mail will be stored while processing it. The default is
11660 @file{~/.emacs-mail-crash-box}.
11662 @item mail-source-delete-incoming
11663 @vindex mail-source-delete-incoming
11664 If non-@code{nil}, delete incoming files after handling them.
11666 @item mail-source-directory
11667 @vindex mail-source-directory
11668 Directory where files (if any) will be stored. The default is
11669 @file{~/Mail/}. At present, the only thing this is used for is to say
11670 where the incoming files will be stored if the previous variable is
11673 @item mail-source-incoming-file-prefix
11674 @vindex mail-source-incoming-file-prefix
11675 Prefix for file name for storing incoming mail. The default is
11676 @file{Incoming}, in which case files will end up with names like
11677 @file{Incoming30630D_} or @file{Incoming298602ZD}. This is really only
11678 relevant if @code{mail-source-delete-incoming} is @code{nil}.
11680 @item mail-source-default-file-modes
11681 @vindex mail-source-default-file-modes
11682 All new mail files will get this file mode. The default is 384.
11687 @node Fetching Mail
11688 @subsubsection Fetching Mail
11690 @vindex mail-sources
11691 @vindex nnmail-spool-file
11692 The way to actually tell Gnus where to get new mail from is to set
11693 @code{mail-sources} to a list of mail source specifiers
11694 (@pxref{Mail Source Specifiers}).
11696 If this variable (and the obsolescent @code{nnmail-spool-file}) is
11697 @code{nil}, the mail backends will never attempt to fetch mail by
11700 If you want to fetch mail both from your local spool as well as a POP
11701 mail server, you'd say something like:
11706 (pop :server "pop3.mail.server"
11707 :password "secret")))
11710 Or, if you don't want to use any of the keyword defaults:
11714 '((file :path "/var/spool/mail/user-name")
11715 (pop :server "pop3.mail.server"
11718 :password "secret")))
11722 When you use a mail backend, Gnus will slurp all your mail from your
11723 inbox and plonk it down in your home directory. Gnus doesn't move any
11724 mail if you're not using a mail backend---you have to do a lot of magic
11725 invocations first. At the time when you have finished drawing the
11726 pentagram, lightened the candles, and sacrificed the goat, you really
11727 shouldn't be too surprised when Gnus moves your mail.
11731 @node Mail Backend Variables
11732 @subsection Mail Backend Variables
11734 These variables are (for the most part) pertinent to all the various
11738 @vindex nnmail-read-incoming-hook
11739 @item nnmail-read-incoming-hook
11740 The mail backends all call this hook after reading new mail. You can
11741 use this hook to notify any mail watch programs, if you want to.
11743 @vindex nnmail-split-hook
11744 @item nnmail-split-hook
11745 @findex article-decode-encoded-words
11746 @findex RFC 1522 decoding
11747 @findex RFC 2047 decoding
11748 Hook run in the buffer where the mail headers of each message is kept
11749 just before the splitting based on these headers is done. The hook is
11750 free to modify the buffer contents in any way it sees fit---the buffer
11751 is discarded after the splitting has been done, and no changes performed
11752 in the buffer will show up in any files.
11753 @code{gnus-article-decode-encoded-words} is one likely function to add
11756 @vindex nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
11757 @vindex nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
11758 @item nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
11759 @itemx nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
11760 These are two useful hooks executed when treating new incoming
11761 mail---@code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook} (is called just before
11762 starting to handle the new mail) and
11763 @code{nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook} (is called when the mail handling
11764 is done). Here's and example of using these two hooks to change the
11765 default file modes the new mail files get:
11768 (add-hook 'gnus-pre-get-new-mail-hook
11769 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 511)))
11771 (add-hook 'gnus-post-get-new-mail-hook
11772 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 551)))
11775 @item nnmail-use-long-file-names
11776 @vindex nnmail-use-long-file-names
11777 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will use long file and directory
11778 names. Groups like @samp{mail.misc} will end up in directories
11779 (assuming use of @code{nnml} backend) or files (assuming use of
11780 @code{nnfolder} backend) like @file{mail.misc}. If it is @code{nil},
11781 the same group will end up in @file{mail/misc}.
11783 @item nnmail-delete-file-function
11784 @vindex nnmail-delete-file-function
11785 @findex delete-file
11786 Function called to delete files. It is @code{delete-file} by default.
11788 @item nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
11789 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
11790 If non-@code{nil}, put the @code{Message-ID}s of articles imported into
11791 the backend (via @code{Gcc}, for instance) into the mail duplication
11792 discovery cache. The default is @code{nil}.
11797 @node Fancy Mail Splitting
11798 @subsection Fancy Mail Splitting
11799 @cindex mail splitting
11800 @cindex fancy mail splitting
11802 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy
11803 @findex nnmail-split-fancy
11804 If the rather simple, standard method for specifying how to split mail
11805 doesn't allow you to do what you want, you can set
11806 @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy}. Then you can
11807 play with the @code{nnmail-split-fancy} variable.
11809 Let's look at an example value of this variable first:
11812 ;; Messages from the mailer daemon are not crossposted to any of
11813 ;; the ordinary groups. Warnings are put in a separate group
11814 ;; from real errors.
11815 (| ("from" mail (| ("subject" "warn.*" "mail.warning")
11817 ;; Non-error messages are crossposted to all relevant
11818 ;; groups, but we don't crosspost between the group for the
11819 ;; (ding) list and the group for other (ding) related mail.
11820 (& (| (any "ding@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "ding.list")
11821 ("subject" "ding" "ding.misc"))
11822 ;; Other mailing lists...
11823 (any "procmail@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "procmail.list")
11824 (any "SmartList@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "SmartList.list")
11825 ;; Both lists below have the same suffix, so prevent
11826 ;; cross-posting to mkpkg.list of messages posted only to
11827 ;; the bugs- list, but allow cross-posting when the
11828 ;; message was really cross-posted.
11829 (any "bugs-mypackage@@somewhere" "mypkg.bugs")
11830 (any "mypackage@@somewhere\" - "bugs-mypackage" "mypkg.list")
11832 (any "larsi@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "people.Lars_Magne_Ingebrigtsen"))
11833 ;; Unmatched mail goes to the catch all group.
11837 This variable has the format of a @dfn{split}. A split is a (possibly)
11838 recursive structure where each split may contain other splits. Here are
11839 the five possible split syntaxes:
11844 @samp{group}: If the split is a string, that will be taken as a group
11845 name. Normal regexp match expansion will be done. See below for
11849 @code{(@var{field} @var{value} @code{[-} @var{restrict}
11850 @code{[@dots{}]}@code{]} @var{split})}: If the split is a list, the
11851 first element of which is a string, then store the message as
11852 specified by @var{split}, if header @var{field} (a regexp) contains
11853 @var{value} (also a regexp). If @var{restrict} (yet another regexp)
11854 matches some string after @var{field} and before the end of the
11855 matched @var{value}, the @var{split} is ignored. If none of the
11856 @var{restrict} clauses match, @var{split} is processed.
11859 @code{(| @var{split}@dots{})}: If the split is a list, and the first
11860 element is @code{|} (vertical bar), then process each @var{split} until
11861 one of them matches. A @var{split} is said to match if it will cause
11862 the mail message to be stored in one or more groups.
11865 @code{(& @var{split}@dots{})}: If the split is a list, and the first
11866 element is @code{&}, then process all @var{split}s in the list.
11869 @code{junk}: If the split is the symbol @code{junk}, then don't save
11870 this message. Use with extreme caution.
11873 @code{(: @var{function} @var{arg1} @var{arg2} @dots{})}: If the split is
11874 a list, and the first element is @code{:}, then the second element will
11875 be called as a function with @var{args} given as arguments. The
11876 function should return a @var{split}.
11878 For instance, the following function could be used to split based on the
11879 body of the messages:
11882 (defun split-on-body ()
11884 (set-buffer " *nnmail incoming*")
11885 (goto-char (point-min))
11886 (when (re-search-forward "Some.*string" nil t)
11891 @code{(! @var{func} @var{split})}: If the split is a list, and the first
11892 element is @code{!}, then SPLIT will be processed, and FUNC will be
11893 called as a function with the result of SPLIT as argument. FUNC should
11897 @code{nil}: If the split is @code{nil}, it is ignored.
11901 In these splits, @var{field} must match a complete field name.
11902 @var{value} must match a complete word according to the fundamental mode
11903 syntax table. You can use @code{.*} in the regexps to match partial
11904 field names or words. In other words, all @var{value}'s are wrapped in
11905 @samp{\<} and @samp{\>} pairs.
11907 @vindex nnmail-split-abbrev-alist
11908 @var{field} and @var{value} can also be lisp symbols, in that case they
11909 are expanded as specified by the variable
11910 @code{nnmail-split-abbrev-alist}. This is an alist of cons cells, where
11911 the @code{car} of a cell contains the key, and the @code{cdr} contains the associated
11914 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table
11915 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table} is the syntax table in effect
11916 when all this splitting is performed.
11918 If you want to have Gnus create groups dynamically based on some
11919 information in the headers (i.e., do @code{replace-match}-like
11920 substitutions in the group names), you can say things like:
11923 (any "debian-\\b\\(\\w+\\)@@lists.debian.org" "mail.debian.\\1")
11926 In this example, messages sent to @samp{debian-foo@@lists.debian.org}
11927 will be filed in @samp{mail.debian.foo}.
11929 If the string contains the element @samp{\&}, then the previously
11930 matched string will be substituted. Similarly, the elements @samp{\\1}
11931 up to @samp{\\9} will be substituted with the text matched by the
11932 groupings 1 through 9.
11934 @findex nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent
11935 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} is a function which allows you to
11936 split followups into the same groups their parents are in. Sometimes
11937 you can't make splitting rules for all your mail. For example, your
11938 boss might send you personal mail regarding different projects you are
11939 working on, and as you can't tell your boss to put a distinguishing
11940 string into the subject line, you have to resort to manually moving the
11941 messages into the right group. With this function, you only have to do
11942 it once per thread.
11944 To use this feature, you have to set @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} to a
11945 non-nil value. And then you can include
11946 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} using the colon feature, like so:
11948 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
11949 '(| (: nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent)
11950 ;; other splits go here
11954 This feature works as follows: when @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} is
11955 non-nil, Gnus records the message id of every message it sees in the
11956 file specified by the variable @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file},
11957 together with the group it is in (the group is omitted for non-mail
11958 messages). When mail splitting is invoked, the function
11959 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} then looks at the References (and
11960 In-Reply-To) header of each message to split and searches the file
11961 specified by @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file} for the message ids.
11962 When it has found a parent, it returns the corresponding group name. It
11963 is recommended that you set @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length} to a
11964 somewhat higher number than the default so that the message ids are
11965 still in the cache. (A value of 5000 appears to create a file some 300
11967 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
11968 When @code{nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus
11969 also records the message ids of moved articles, so that the followup
11970 messages goes into the new group.
11973 @node Group Mail Splitting
11974 @subsection Group Mail Splitting
11975 @cindex mail splitting
11976 @cindex group mail splitting
11978 @findex gnus-group-split
11979 If you subscribe to dozens of mailing lists but you don't want to
11980 maintain mail splitting rules manually, group mail splitting is for you.
11981 You just have to set @var{to-list} and/or @var{to-address} in group
11982 parameters or group customization and set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to
11983 @code{gnus-group-split}. This splitting function will scan all groups
11984 for those parameters and split mail accordingly, i.e., messages posted
11985 from or to the addresses specified in the parameters @var{to-list} or
11986 @var{to-address} of a mail group will be stored in that group.
11988 Sometimes, mailing lists have multiple addresses, and you may want mail
11989 splitting to recognize them all: just set the @var{extra-aliases} group
11990 parameter to the list of additional addresses and it's done. If you'd
11991 rather use a regular expression, set @var{split-regexp}.
11993 All these parameters in a group will be used to create an
11994 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} split, in which the @var{field} is @samp{any},
11995 the @var{value} is a single regular expression that matches
11996 @var{to-list}, @var{to-address}, all of @var{extra-aliases} and all
11997 matches of @var{split-regexp}, and the @var{split} is the name of the
11998 group. @var{restrict}s are also supported: just set the
11999 @var{split-exclude} parameter to a list of regular expressions.
12001 If you can't get the right split to be generated using all these
12002 parameters, or you just need something fancier, you can set the
12003 parameter @var{split-spec} to an @code{nnmail-split-fancy} split. In
12004 this case, all other aforementioned parameters will be ignored by
12005 @code{gnus-group-split}. In particular, @var{split-spec} may be set to
12006 @code{nil}, in which case the group will be ignored by
12007 @code{gnus-group-split}.
12009 @vindex gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group
12010 @code{gnus-group-split} will do cross-posting on all groups that match,
12011 by defining a single @code{&} fancy split containing one split for each
12012 group. If a message doesn't match any split, it will be stored in the
12013 group named in @code{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group}, unless
12014 some group has @var{split-spec} set to @code{catch-all}, in which case
12015 that group is used as the catch-all group. Even though this variable is
12016 often used just to name a group, it may also be set to an arbitrarily
12017 complex fancy split (after all, a group name is a fancy split), and this
12018 may be useful to split mail that doesn't go to any mailing list to
12019 personal mail folders. Note that this fancy split is added as the last
12020 element of a @code{|} split list that also contains a @code{&} split
12021 with the rules extracted from group parameters.
12023 It's time for an example. Assume the following group parameters have
12028 ((to-address . "bar@@femail.com")
12029 (split-regexp . ".*@@femail\\.com"))
12031 ((to-list . "foo@@nowhere.gov")
12032 (extra-aliases "foo@@localhost" "foo-redist@@home")
12033 (split-exclude "bugs-foo" "rambling-foo")
12034 (admin-address . "foo-request@@nowhere.gov"))
12036 ((split-spec . catch-all))
12039 Setting @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{gnus-group-split} will
12040 behave as if @code{nnmail-split-fancy} had been selected and variable
12041 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} had been set as follows:
12044 (| (& (any "\\(bar@@femail\\.com\\|.*@@femail\\.com\\)" "mail.bar")
12045 (any "\\(foo@@nowhere\\.gov\\|foo@@localhost\\|foo-redist@@home\\)"
12046 - "bugs-foo" - "rambling-foo" "mail.foo"))
12050 @findex gnus-group-split-fancy
12051 If you'd rather not use group splitting for all your mail groups, you
12052 may use it for only some of them, by using @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
12056 (: gnus-mlsplt-fancy GROUPS NO-CROSSPOST CATCH-ALL)
12059 @var{groups} may be a regular expression or a list of group names whose
12060 parameters will be scanned to generate the output split.
12061 @var{no-crosspost} can be used to disable cross-posting; in this case, a
12062 single @code{|} split will be output. @var{catch-all} is the fallback
12063 fancy split, used like @var{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group}.
12064 If @var{catch-all} is @code{nil}, or if @var{split-regexp} matches the
12065 empty string in any selected group, no catch-all split will be issued.
12066 Otherwise, if some group has @var{split-spec} set to @code{catch-all},
12067 this group will override the value of the @var{catch-all} argument.
12069 @findex gnus-group-split-setup
12070 Unfortunately, scanning all groups and their parameters can be quite
12071 slow, especially considering that it has to be done for every message.
12072 But don't despair! The function @code{gnus-group-split-setup} can be
12073 used to enable @code{gnus-group-split} in a much more efficient way. It
12074 sets @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy} and sets
12075 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} to the split produced by
12076 @code{gnus-group-split-fancy}. Thus, the group parameters are only
12077 scanned once, no matter how many messages are split.
12079 @findex gnus-group-split-update
12080 However, if you change group parameters, you'd have to update
12081 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} manually. You can do it by running
12082 @code{gnus-group-split-update}. If you'd rather have it updated
12083 automatically, just tell @code{gnus-group-split-setup} to do it for
12084 you. For example, add to your @file{.gnus}:
12087 (gnus-group-split-setup AUTO-UPDATE CATCH-ALL)
12090 If @var{auto-update} is non-@code{nil}, @code{gnus-group-split-update}
12091 will be added to @code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook}, so you won't ever
12092 have to worry about updating @code{nnmail-split-fancy} again. If you
12093 don't omit @var{catch-all} (it's optional, equivalent to @code{nil}),
12094 @code{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group} will be set to its
12097 @vindex gnus-group-split-updated-hook
12098 Because you may want to change @code{nnmail-split-fancy} after it is set
12099 by @code{gnus-group-split-update}, this function will run
12100 @code{gnus-group-split-updated-hook} just before finishing.
12102 @node Incorporating Old Mail
12103 @subsection Incorporating Old Mail
12105 Most people have lots of old mail stored in various file formats. If
12106 you have set up Gnus to read mail using one of the spiffy Gnus mail
12107 backends, you'll probably wish to have that old mail incorporated into
12110 Doing so can be quite easy.
12112 To take an example: You're reading mail using @code{nnml}
12113 (@pxref{Mail Spool}), and have set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to a
12114 satisfactory value (@pxref{Splitting Mail}). You have an old Unix mbox
12115 file filled with important, but old, mail. You want to move it into
12116 your @code{nnml} groups.
12122 Go to the group buffer.
12125 Type `G f' and give the path to the mbox file when prompted to create an
12126 @code{nndoc} group from the mbox file (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
12129 Type `SPACE' to enter the newly created group.
12132 Type `M P b' to process-mark all articles in this group's buffer
12133 (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
12136 Type `B r' to respool all the process-marked articles, and answer
12137 @samp{nnml} when prompted (@pxref{Mail Group Commands}).
12140 All the mail messages in the mbox file will now also be spread out over
12141 all your @code{nnml} groups. Try entering them and check whether things
12142 have gone without a glitch. If things look ok, you may consider
12143 deleting the mbox file, but I wouldn't do that unless I was absolutely
12144 sure that all the mail has ended up where it should be.
12146 Respooling is also a handy thing to do if you're switching from one mail
12147 backend to another. Just respool all the mail in the old mail groups
12148 using the new mail backend.
12151 @node Expiring Mail
12152 @subsection Expiring Mail
12153 @cindex article expiry
12155 Traditional mail readers have a tendency to remove mail articles when
12156 you mark them as read, in some way. Gnus takes a fundamentally
12157 different approach to mail reading.
12159 Gnus basically considers mail just to be news that has been received in
12160 a rather peculiar manner. It does not think that it has the power to
12161 actually change the mail, or delete any mail messages. If you enter a
12162 mail group, and mark articles as ``read'', or kill them in some other
12163 fashion, the mail articles will still exist on the system. I repeat:
12164 Gnus will not delete your old, read mail. Unless you ask it to, of
12167 To make Gnus get rid of your unwanted mail, you have to mark the
12168 articles as @dfn{expirable}. This does not mean that the articles will
12169 disappear right away, however. In general, a mail article will be
12170 deleted from your system if, 1) it is marked as expirable, AND 2) it is
12171 more than one week old. If you do not mark an article as expirable, it
12172 will remain on your system until hell freezes over. This bears
12173 repeating one more time, with some spurious capitalizations: IF you do
12174 NOT mark articles as EXPIRABLE, Gnus will NEVER delete those ARTICLES.
12176 @vindex gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
12177 You do not have to mark articles as expirable by hand. Groups that
12178 match the regular expression @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups} will
12179 have all articles that you read marked as expirable automatically. All
12180 articles marked as expirable have an @samp{E} in the first
12181 column in the summary buffer.
12183 By default, if you have auto expiry switched on, Gnus will mark all the
12184 articles you read as expirable, no matter if they were read or unread
12185 before. To avoid having articles marked as read marked as expirable
12186 automatically, you can put something like the following in your
12189 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
12191 (remove-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook
12192 'gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read)
12193 (add-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook 'gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read)
12196 Note that making a group auto-expirable doesn't mean that all read
12197 articles are expired---only the articles marked as expirable
12198 will be expired. Also note that using the @kbd{d} command won't make
12199 groups expirable---only semi-automatic marking of articles as read will
12200 mark the articles as expirable in auto-expirable groups.
12202 Let's say you subscribe to a couple of mailing lists, and you want the
12203 articles you have read to disappear after a while:
12206 (setq gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
12207 "mail.nonsense-list\\|mail.nice-list")
12210 Another way to have auto-expiry happen is to have the element
12211 @code{auto-expire} in the group parameters of the group.
12213 If you use adaptive scoring (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}) and
12214 auto-expiring, you'll have problems. Auto-expiring and adaptive scoring
12215 don't really mix very well.
12217 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait
12218 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable supplies the default time an
12219 expirable article has to live. Gnus starts counting days from when the
12220 message @emph{arrived}, not from when it was sent. The default is seven
12223 Gnus also supplies a function that lets you fine-tune how long articles
12224 are to live, based on what group they are in. Let's say you want to
12225 have one month expiry period in the @samp{mail.private} group, a one day
12226 expiry period in the @samp{mail.junk} group, and a six day expiry period
12229 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
12231 (setq nnmail-expiry-wait-function
12233 (cond ((string= group "mail.private")
12235 ((string= group "mail.junk")
12237 ((string= group "important")
12243 The group names this function is fed are ``unadorned'' group
12244 names---no @samp{nnml:} prefixes and the like.
12246 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable and
12247 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} function can either be a number (not
12248 necessarily an integer) or one of the symbols @code{immediate} or
12251 You can also use the @code{expiry-wait} group parameter to selectively
12252 change the expiry period (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
12254 @vindex nnmail-expiry-target
12255 The normal action taken when expiring articles is to delete them.
12256 However, in some circumstances it might make more sense to move them to
12257 other groups instead of deleting them. The variable @code{nnmail-expiry-target}
12258 (and the @code{expiry-target} group parameter) controls this. The
12259 variable supplies a default value for all groups, which can be
12260 overridden for specific groups by the group parameter.
12261 default value is @code{delete}, but this can also be a string (which
12262 should be the name of the group the message should be moved to), or a
12263 function (which will be called in a buffer narrowed to the message in
12264 question, and with the name of the group being moved from as its
12265 parameter) which should return a target -- either a group name or
12268 Here's an example for specifying a group name:
12270 (setq nnmail-expiry-target "nnml:expired")
12274 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
12275 If @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will never
12276 expire the final article in a mail newsgroup. This is to make life
12277 easier for procmail users.
12279 @vindex gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups
12280 By the way: That line up there, about Gnus never expiring non-expirable
12281 articles, is a lie. If you put @code{total-expire} in the group
12282 parameters, articles will not be marked as expirable, but all read
12283 articles will be put through the expiry process. Use with extreme
12284 caution. Even more dangerous is the
12285 @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups} variable. All groups that match
12286 this regexp will have all read articles put through the expiry process,
12287 which means that @emph{all} old mail articles in the groups in question
12288 will be deleted after a while. Use with extreme caution, and don't come
12289 crying to me when you discover that the regexp you used matched the
12290 wrong group and all your important mail has disappeared. Be a
12291 @emph{man}! Or a @emph{woman}! Whatever you feel more comfortable
12294 Most people make most of their mail groups total-expirable, though.
12296 @vindex gnus-inhibit-user-auto-expire
12297 If @code{gnus-inhibit-user-auto-expire} is non-@code{nil}, user marking
12298 commands will not mark an article as expirable, even if the group has
12299 auto-expire turned on.
12303 @subsection Washing Mail
12304 @cindex mail washing
12305 @cindex list server brain damage
12306 @cindex incoming mail treatment
12308 Mailers and list servers are notorious for doing all sorts of really,
12309 really stupid things with mail. ``Hey, RFC 822 doesn't explicitly
12310 prohibit us from adding the string @code{wE aRe ElItE!!!!!1!!} to the
12311 end of all lines passing through our server, so let's do that!!!!1!''
12312 Yes, but RFC 822 wasn't designed to be read by morons. Things that were
12313 considered to be self-evident were not discussed. So. Here we are.
12315 Case in point: The German version of Microsoft Exchange adds @samp{AW:
12316 } to the subjects of replies instead of @samp{Re: }. I could pretend to
12317 be shocked and dismayed by this, but I haven't got the energy. It is to
12320 Gnus provides a plethora of functions for washing articles while
12321 displaying them, but it might be nicer to do the filtering before
12322 storing the mail to disc. For that purpose, we have three hooks and
12323 various functions that can be put in these hooks.
12326 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
12327 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
12328 This hook is called before doing anything with the mail and is meant for
12329 grand, sweeping gestures. It is called in a buffer that contains all
12330 the new, incoming mail. Functions to be used include:
12333 @item nnheader-ms-strip-cr
12334 @findex nnheader-ms-strip-cr
12335 Remove trailing carriage returns from each line. This is default on
12336 Emacs running on MS machines.
12340 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
12341 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
12342 This hook is called narrowed to each header. It can be used when
12343 cleaning up the headers. Functions that can be used include:
12346 @item nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
12347 @findex nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
12348 Clear leading white space that ``helpful'' listservs have added to the
12349 headers to make them look nice. Aaah.
12351 @item nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
12352 @findex nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
12353 Some list servers add an identifier---for example, @samp{(idm)}---to the
12354 beginning of all @code{Subject} headers. I'm sure that's nice for
12355 people who use stone age mail readers. This function will remove
12356 strings that match the @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} regexp, which can
12357 also be a list of regexp. @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} may not contain
12360 For instance, if you want to remove the @samp{(idm)} and the
12361 @samp{nagnagnag} identifiers:
12364 (setq nnmail-list-identifiers
12365 '("(idm)" "nagnagnag"))
12368 This can also be done non-destructively with
12369 @code{gnus-list-identifiers}, @xref{Article Hiding}.
12371 @item nnmail-remove-tabs
12372 @findex nnmail-remove-tabs
12373 Translate all @samp{TAB} characters into @samp{SPACE} characters.
12375 @item nnmail-fix-eudora-headers
12376 @findex nnmail-fix-eudora-headers
12378 Eudora produces broken @code{References} headers, but OK
12379 @code{In-Reply-To} headers. This function will get rid of the
12380 @code{References} headers.
12384 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
12385 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
12386 This hook is called narrowed to each message. Functions to be used
12390 @item article-de-quoted-unreadable
12391 @findex article-de-quoted-unreadable
12392 Decode Quoted Readable encoding.
12399 @subsection Duplicates
12401 @vindex nnmail-treat-duplicates
12402 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-length
12403 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-file
12404 @cindex duplicate mails
12405 If you are a member of a couple of mailing lists, you will sometimes
12406 receive two copies of the same mail. This can be quite annoying, so
12407 @code{nnmail} checks for and treats any duplicates it might find. To do
12408 this, it keeps a cache of old @code{Message-ID}s---
12409 @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file}, which is @file{~/.nnmail-cache} by
12410 default. The approximate maximum number of @code{Message-ID}s stored
12411 there is controlled by the @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length}
12412 variable, which is 1000 by default. (So 1000 @code{Message-ID}s will be
12413 stored.) If all this sounds scary to you, you can set
12414 @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} to @code{warn} (which is what it is by
12415 default), and @code{nnmail} won't delete duplicate mails. Instead it
12416 will insert a warning into the head of the mail saying that it thinks
12417 that this is a duplicate of a different message.
12419 This variable can also be a function. If that's the case, the function
12420 will be called from a buffer narrowed to the message in question with
12421 the @code{Message-ID} as a parameter. The function must return either
12422 @code{nil}, @code{warn}, or @code{delete}.
12424 You can turn this feature off completely by setting the variable to
12427 If you want all the duplicate mails to be put into a special
12428 @dfn{duplicates} group, you could do that using the normal mail split
12432 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
12433 '(| ;; Messages duplicates go to a separate group.
12434 ("gnus-warning" "duplication of message" "duplicate")
12435 ;; Message from daemons, postmaster, and the like to another.
12436 (any mail "mail.misc")
12443 (setq nnmail-split-methods
12444 '(("duplicates" "^Gnus-Warning:")
12449 Here's a neat feature: If you know that the recipient reads her mail
12450 with Gnus, and that she has @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} set to
12451 @code{delete}, you can send her as many insults as you like, just by
12452 using a @code{Message-ID} of a mail that you know that she's already
12453 received. Think of all the fun! She'll never see any of it! Whee!
12456 @node Not Reading Mail
12457 @subsection Not Reading Mail
12459 If you start using any of the mail backends, they have the annoying
12460 habit of assuming that you want to read mail with them. This might not
12461 be unreasonable, but it might not be what you want.
12463 If you set @code{mail-sources} and @code{nnmail-spool-file} to
12464 @code{nil}, none of the backends will ever attempt to read incoming
12465 mail, which should help.
12467 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
12468 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
12469 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
12470 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
12471 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
12472 This might be too much, if, for instance, you are reading mail quite
12473 happily with @code{nnml} and just want to peek at some old @sc{rmail}
12474 file you have stashed away with @code{nnbabyl}. All backends have
12475 variables called backend-@code{get-new-mail}. If you want to disable
12476 the @code{nnbabyl} mail reading, you edit the virtual server for the
12477 group to have a setting where @code{nnbabyl-get-new-mail} to @code{nil}.
12479 All the mail backends will call @code{nn}*@code{-prepare-save-mail-hook}
12480 narrowed to the article to be saved before saving it when reading
12484 @node Choosing a Mail Backend
12485 @subsection Choosing a Mail Backend
12487 Gnus will read the mail spool when you activate a mail group. The mail
12488 file is first copied to your home directory. What happens after that
12489 depends on what format you want to store your mail in.
12491 There are five different mail backends in the standard Gnus, and more
12492 backends are available separately. The mail backend most people use
12493 (because it is the fastest and most flexible) is @code{nnml}
12494 (@pxref{Mail Spool}).
12497 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
12498 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
12499 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
12500 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like backend.
12501 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
12502 * Comparing Mail Backends:: An in-depth looks at pros and cons.
12506 @node Unix Mail Box
12507 @subsubsection Unix Mail Box
12509 @cindex unix mail box
12511 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
12512 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
12513 The @dfn{nnmbox} backend will use the standard Un*x mbox file to store
12514 mail. @code{nnmbox} will add extra headers to each mail article to say
12515 which group it belongs in.
12517 Virtual server settings:
12520 @item nnmbox-mbox-file
12521 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
12522 The name of the mail box in the user's home directory.
12524 @item nnmbox-active-file
12525 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
12526 The name of the active file for the mail box.
12528 @item nnmbox-get-new-mail
12529 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
12530 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmbox} will read incoming mail and split it
12536 @subsubsection Rmail Babyl
12540 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
12541 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
12542 The @dfn{nnbabyl} backend will use a babyl mail box (aka. @dfn{rmail
12543 mbox}) to store mail. @code{nnbabyl} will add extra headers to each
12544 mail article to say which group it belongs in.
12546 Virtual server settings:
12549 @item nnbabyl-mbox-file
12550 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
12551 The name of the rmail mbox file.
12553 @item nnbabyl-active-file
12554 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
12555 The name of the active file for the rmail box.
12557 @item nnbabyl-get-new-mail
12558 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
12559 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnbabyl} will read incoming mail.
12564 @subsubsection Mail Spool
12566 @cindex mail @sc{nov} spool
12568 The @dfn{nnml} spool mail format isn't compatible with any other known
12569 format. It should be used with some caution.
12571 @vindex nnml-directory
12572 If you use this backend, Gnus will split all incoming mail into files,
12573 one file for each mail, and put the articles into the corresponding
12574 directories under the directory specified by the @code{nnml-directory}
12575 variable. The default value is @file{~/Mail/}.
12577 You do not have to create any directories beforehand; Gnus will take
12580 If you have a strict limit as to how many files you are allowed to store
12581 in your account, you should not use this backend. As each mail gets its
12582 own file, you might very well occupy thousands of inodes within a few
12583 weeks. If this is no problem for you, and it isn't a problem for you
12584 having your friendly systems administrator walking around, madly,
12585 shouting ``Who is eating all my inodes?! Who? Who!?!'', then you should
12586 know that this is probably the fastest format to use. You do not have
12587 to trudge through a big mbox file just to read your new mail.
12589 @code{nnml} is probably the slowest backend when it comes to article
12590 splitting. It has to create lots of files, and it also generates
12591 @sc{nov} databases for the incoming mails. This makes it the fastest
12592 backend when it comes to reading mail.
12594 Virtual server settings:
12597 @item nnml-directory
12598 @vindex nnml-directory
12599 All @code{nnml} directories will be placed under this directory.
12601 @item nnml-active-file
12602 @vindex nnml-active-file
12603 The active file for the @code{nnml} server.
12605 @item nnml-newsgroups-file
12606 @vindex nnml-newsgroups-file
12607 The @code{nnml} group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
12610 @item nnml-get-new-mail
12611 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
12612 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnml} will read incoming mail.
12614 @item nnml-nov-is-evil
12615 @vindex nnml-nov-is-evil
12616 If non-@code{nil}, this backend will ignore any @sc{nov} files.
12618 @item nnml-nov-file-name
12619 @vindex nnml-nov-file-name
12620 The name of the @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.overview}.
12622 @item nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
12623 @vindex nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
12624 Hook run narrowed to an article before saving.
12628 @findex nnml-generate-nov-databases
12629 If your @code{nnml} groups and @sc{nov} files get totally out of whack,
12630 you can do a complete update by typing @kbd{M-x
12631 nnml-generate-nov-databases}. This command will trawl through the
12632 entire @code{nnml} hierarchy, looking at each and every article, so it
12633 might take a while to complete. A better interface to this
12634 functionality can be found in the server buffer (@pxref{Server
12639 @subsubsection MH Spool
12641 @cindex mh-e mail spool
12643 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, except that is doesn't generate
12644 @sc{nov} databases and it doesn't keep an active file. This makes
12645 @code{nnmh} a @emph{much} slower backend than @code{nnml}, but it also
12646 makes it easier to write procmail scripts for.
12648 Virtual server settings:
12651 @item nnmh-directory
12652 @vindex nnmh-directory
12653 All @code{nnmh} directories will be located under this directory.
12655 @item nnmh-get-new-mail
12656 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
12657 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will read incoming mail.
12660 @vindex nnmh-be-safe
12661 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will go to ridiculous lengths to make
12662 sure that the articles in the folder are actually what Gnus thinks they
12663 are. It will check date stamps and stat everything in sight, so
12664 setting this to @code{t} will mean a serious slow-down. If you never
12665 use anything but Gnus to read the @code{nnmh} articles, you do not have
12666 to set this variable to @code{t}.
12671 @subsubsection Mail Folders
12673 @cindex mbox folders
12674 @cindex mail folders
12676 @code{nnfolder} is a backend for storing each mail group in a separate
12677 file. Each file is in the standard Un*x mbox format. @code{nnfolder}
12678 will add extra headers to keep track of article numbers and arrival
12681 Virtual server settings:
12684 @item nnfolder-directory
12685 @vindex nnfolder-directory
12686 All the @code{nnfolder} mail boxes will be stored under this directory.
12688 @item nnfolder-active-file
12689 @vindex nnfolder-active-file
12690 The name of the active file.
12692 @item nnfolder-newsgroups-file
12693 @vindex nnfolder-newsgroups-file
12694 The name of the group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File Format}.
12696 @item nnfolder-get-new-mail
12697 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
12698 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnfolder} will read incoming mail.
12700 @item nnfolder-save-buffer-hook
12701 @vindex nnfolder-save-buffer-hook
12702 @cindex backup files
12703 Hook run before saving the folders. Note that Emacs does the normal
12704 backup renaming of files even with the @code{nnfolder} buffers. If you
12705 wish to switch this off, you could say something like the following in
12706 your @file{.emacs} file:
12709 (defun turn-off-backup ()
12710 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
12712 (add-hook 'nnfolder-save-buffer-hook 'turn-off-backup)
12715 @item nnfolder-delete-mail-hook
12716 @vindex nnfolder-delete-mail-hook
12717 Hook run in a buffer narrowed to the message that is to be deleted.
12718 This function can be used to copy the message to somewhere else, or to
12719 extract some information from it before removing it.
12721 @item nnfolder-nov-is-evil
12722 @vindex nnfolder-nov-is-evil
12723 If non-@code{nil}, this backend will ignore any @sc{nov} files.
12728 @findex nnfolder-generate-active-file
12729 @kindex M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file
12730 If you have lots of @code{nnfolder}-like files you'd like to read with
12731 @code{nnfolder}, you can use the @kbd{M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file}
12732 command to make @code{nnfolder} aware of all likely files in
12733 @code{nnfolder-directory}. This only works if you use long file names,
12736 @node Comparing Mail Backends
12737 @subsubsection Comparing Mail Backends
12739 First, just for terminology, the @dfn{backend} is the common word for a
12740 low-level access method---a transport, if you will, by which something
12741 is acquired. The sense is that one's mail has to come from somewhere,
12742 and so selection of a suitable backend is required in order to get that
12743 mail within spitting distance of Gnus.
12745 The same concept exists for Usenet itself: Though access to articles is
12746 typically done by @sc{nntp} these days, once upon a midnight dreary, everyone
12747 in the world got at Usenet by running a reader on the machine where the
12748 articles lay (the machine which today we call an @sc{nntp} server), and
12749 access was by the reader stepping into the articles' directory spool
12750 area directly. One can still select between either the @code{nntp} or
12751 @code{nnspool} backends, to select between these methods, if one happens
12752 actually to live on the server (or can see its spool directly, anyway,
12755 The goal in selecting a mail backend is to pick one which
12756 simultaneously represents a suitable way of dealing with the original
12757 format plus leaving mail in a form that is convenient to use in the
12758 future. Here are some high and low points on each:
12763 UNIX systems have historically had a single, very common, and well-
12764 defined format. All messages arrive in a single @dfn{spool file}, and
12765 they are delineated by a line whose regular expression matches
12766 @samp{^From_}. (My notational use of @samp{_} is to indicate a space,
12767 to make it clear in this instance that this is not the RFC-specified
12768 @samp{From:} header.) Because Emacs and therefore Gnus emanate
12769 historically from the Unix environment, it is simplest if one does not
12770 mess a great deal with the original mailbox format, so if one chooses
12771 this backend, Gnus' primary activity in getting mail from the real spool
12772 area to Gnus' preferred directory is simply to copy it, with no
12773 (appreciable) format change in the process. It is the ``dumbest'' way
12774 to move mail into availability in the Gnus environment. This makes it
12775 fast to move into place, but slow to parse, when Gnus has to look at
12780 Once upon a time, there was the DEC-10 and DEC-20, running operating
12781 systems called TOPS and related things, and the usual (only?) mail
12782 reading environment was a thing called Babyl. I don't know what format
12783 was used for mail landing on the system, but Babyl had its own internal
12784 format to which mail was converted, primarily involving creating a
12785 spool-file-like entity with a scheme for inserting Babyl-specific
12786 headers and status bits above the top of each message in the file.
12787 RMAIL was Emacs' first mail reader, it was written by Richard Stallman,
12788 and Stallman came out of that TOPS/Babyl environment, so he wrote RMAIL
12789 to understand the mail files folks already had in existence. Gnus (and
12790 VM, for that matter) continue to support this format because it's
12791 perceived as having some good qualities in those mailer-specific
12792 headers/status bits stuff. RMAIL itself still exists as well, of
12793 course, and is still maintained by Stallman.
12795 Both of the above forms leave your mail in a single file on your
12796 filesystem, and they must parse that entire file each time you take a
12801 @code{nnml} is the backend which smells the most as though you were
12802 actually operating with an @code{nnspool}-accessed Usenet system. (In
12803 fact, I believe @code{nnml} actually derived from @code{nnspool} code,
12804 lo these years ago.) One's mail is taken from the original spool file,
12805 and is then cut up into individual message files, 1:1. It maintains a
12806 Usenet-style active file (analogous to what one finds in an INN- or
12807 CNews-based news system in (for instance) @file{/var/lib/news/active},
12808 or what is returned via the @samp{NNTP LIST} verb) and also creates
12809 @dfn{overview} files for efficient group entry, as has been defined for
12810 @sc{nntp} servers for some years now. It is slower in mail-splitting,
12811 due to the creation of lots of files, updates to the @code{nnml} active
12812 file, and additions to overview files on a per-message basis, but it is
12813 extremely fast on access because of what amounts to the indexing support
12814 provided by the active file and overviews.
12816 @code{nnml} costs @dfn{inodes} in a big way; that is, it soaks up the
12817 resource which defines available places in the filesystem to put new
12818 files. Sysadmins take a dim view of heavy inode occupation within
12819 tight, shared filesystems. But if you live on a personal machine where
12820 the filesystem is your own and space is not at a premium, @code{nnml}
12823 It is also problematic using this backend if you are living in a
12824 FAT16-based Windows world, since much space will be wasted on all these
12829 The Rand MH mail-reading system has been around UNIX systems for a very
12830 long time; it operates by splitting one's spool file of messages into
12831 individual files, but with little or no indexing support -- @code{nnmh}
12832 is considered to be semantically equivalent to ``@code{nnml} without
12833 active file or overviews''. This is arguably the worst choice, because
12834 one gets the slowness of individual file creation married to the
12835 slowness of access parsing when learning what's new in one's groups.
12839 Basically the effect of @code{nnfolder} is @code{nnmbox} (the first
12840 method described above) on a per-group basis. That is, @code{nnmbox}
12841 itself puts *all* one's mail in one file; @code{nnfolder} provides a
12842 little bit of optimization to this so that each of one's mail groups has
12843 a Unix mail box file. It's faster than @code{nnmbox} because each group
12844 can be parsed separately, and still provides the simple Unix mail box
12845 format requiring minimal effort in moving the mail around. In addition,
12846 it maintains an ``active'' file making it much faster for Gnus to figure
12847 out how many messages there are in each separate group.
12849 If you have groups that are expected to have a massive amount of
12850 messages, @code{nnfolder} is not the best choice, but if you receive
12851 only a moderate amount of mail, @code{nnfolder} is probably the most
12852 friendly mail backend all over.
12857 @node Browsing the Web
12858 @section Browsing the Web
12860 @cindex browsing the web
12864 Web-based discussion forums are getting more and more popular. On many
12865 subjects, the web-based forums have become the most important forums,
12866 eclipsing the importance of mailing lists and news groups. The reason
12867 is easy to understand---they are friendly to new users; you just point
12868 and click, and there's the discussion. With mailing lists, you have to
12869 go through a cumbersome subscription procedure, and most people don't
12870 even know what a news group is.
12872 The problem with this scenario is that web browsers are not very good at
12873 being newsreaders. They do not keep track of what articles you've read;
12874 they do not allow you to score on subjects you're interested in; they do
12875 not allow off-line browsing; they require you to click around and drive
12876 you mad in the end.
12878 So---if web browsers suck at reading discussion forums, why not use Gnus
12881 Gnus has been getting a bit of a collection of backends for providing
12882 interfaces to these sources.
12885 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
12886 * Slashdot:: Reading the Slashdot comments.
12887 * Ultimate:: The Ultimate Bulletin Board systems.
12888 * Web Archive:: Reading mailing list archived on web.
12889 * Customizing w3:: Doing stuff to Emacs/w3 from Gnus.
12892 All the web sources require Emacs/w3 and the url library to work.
12894 The main caveat with all these web sources is that they probably won't
12895 work for a very long time. Gleaning information from the @sc{html} data
12896 is guesswork at best, and when the layout is altered, the Gnus backend
12897 will fail. If you have reasonably new versions of these backends,
12898 though, you should be ok.
12900 One thing all these Web methods have in common is that the Web sources
12901 are often down, unavailable or just plain too slow to be fun. In those
12902 cases, it makes a lot of sense to let the Gnus Agent (@pxref{Gnus
12903 Unplugged}) handle downloading articles, and then you can read them at
12904 leisure from your local disk. No more World Wide Wait for you.
12908 @subsection Web Searches
12912 @cindex InReference
12913 @cindex Usenet searches
12914 @cindex searching the Usenet
12916 It's, like, too neat to search the Usenet for articles that match a
12917 string, but it, like, totally @emph{sucks}, like, totally, to use one of
12918 those, like, Web browsers, and you, like, have to, rilly, like, look at
12919 the commercials, so, like, with Gnus you can do @emph{rad}, rilly,
12920 searches without having to use a browser.
12922 The @code{nnweb} backend allows an easy interface to the mighty search
12923 engine. You create an @code{nnweb} group, enter a search pattern, and
12924 then enter the group and read the articles like you would any normal
12925 group. The @kbd{G w} command in the group buffer (@pxref{Foreign
12926 Groups}) will do this in an easy-to-use fashion.
12928 @code{nnweb} groups don't really lend themselves to being solid
12929 groups---they have a very fleeting idea of article numbers. In fact,
12930 each time you enter an @code{nnweb} group (not even changing the search
12931 pattern), you are likely to get the articles ordered in a different
12932 manner. Not even using duplicate suppression (@pxref{Duplicate
12933 Suppression}) will help, since @code{nnweb} doesn't even know the
12934 @code{Message-ID} of the articles before reading them using some search
12935 engines (DejaNews, for instance). The only possible way to keep track
12936 of which articles you've read is by scoring on the @code{Date}
12937 header---mark all articles posted before the last date you read the
12940 If the search engine changes its output substantially, @code{nnweb}
12941 won't be able to parse it and will fail. One could hardly fault the Web
12942 providers if they were to do this---their @emph{raison d'être} is to
12943 make money off of advertisements, not to provide services to the
12944 community. Since @code{nnweb} washes the ads off all the articles, one
12945 might think that the providers might be somewhat miffed. We'll see.
12947 You must have the @code{url} and @code{w3} package installed to be able
12948 to use @code{nnweb}.
12950 Virtual server variables:
12955 What search engine type is being used. The currently supported types
12956 are @code{dejanews}, @code{dejanewsold}, @code{altavista} and
12960 @vindex nnweb-search
12961 The search string to feed to the search engine.
12963 @item nnweb-max-hits
12964 @vindex nnweb-max-hits
12965 Advisory maximum number of hits per search to display. The default is
12968 @item nnweb-type-definition
12969 @vindex nnweb-type-definition
12970 Type-to-definition alist. This alist says what @code{nnweb} should do
12971 with the various search engine types. The following elements must be
12976 Function to decode the article and provide something that Gnus
12980 Function to create an article number to message header and URL alist.
12983 Function to send the search string to the search engine.
12986 The address the aforementioned function should send the search string
12990 Format string URL to fetch an article by @code{Message-ID}.
12997 @subsection Slashdot
13001 Slashdot (@uref{http://slashdot.org/}) is a popular news site, with
13002 lively discussion following the news articles. @code{nnslashdot} will
13003 let you read this forum in a convenient manner.
13005 The easiest way to read this source is to put something like the
13006 following in your @file{.gnus.el} file:
13009 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
13010 '((nnslashdot "")))
13013 This will make Gnus query the @code{nnslashdot} backend for new comments
13014 and groups. The @kbd{F} command will subscribe each new news article as
13015 a new Gnus group, and you can read the comments by entering these
13016 groups. (Note that the default subscription method is to subscribe new
13017 groups as zombies. Other methods are available (@pxref{Subscription
13020 If you want to remove an old @code{nnslashdot} group, the @kbd{G DEL}
13021 command is the most handy tool (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
13023 When following up to @code{nnslashdot} comments (or posting new
13024 comments), some light @sc{html}izations will be performed. In
13025 particular, text quoted with @samp{> } will be quoted with
13026 @code{blockquote} instead, and signatures will have @code{br} added to
13027 the end of each line. Other than that, you can just write @sc{html}
13028 directly into the message buffer. Note that Slashdot filters out some
13031 The following variables can be altered to change its behavior:
13034 @item nnslashdot-threaded
13035 Whether @code{nnslashdot} should display threaded groups or not. The
13036 default is @code{t}. To be able to display threads, @code{nnslashdot}
13037 has to retrieve absolutely all comments in a group upon entry. If a
13038 threaded display is not required, @code{nnslashdot} will only retrieve
13039 the comments that are actually wanted by the user. Threading is nicer,
13040 but much, much slower than untreaded.
13042 @item nnslashdot-login-name
13043 @vindex nnslashdot-login-name
13044 The login name to use when posting.
13046 @item nnslashdot-password
13047 @vindex nnslashdot-password
13048 The password to use when posting.
13050 @item nnslashdot-directory
13051 @vindex nnslashdot-directory
13052 Where @code{nnslashdot} will store its files. The default value is
13053 @samp{~/News/slashdot/}.
13055 @item nnslashdot-active-url
13056 @vindex nnslashdot-active-url
13057 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch the information on
13058 news articles and comments. The default is
13059 @samp{http://slashdot.org/search.pl?section=&min=%d}.
13061 @item nnslashdot-comments-url
13062 @vindex nnslashdot-comments-url
13063 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch comments. The
13065 @samp{http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=%s&threshold=%d&commentsort=%d&mode=flat&startat=%d}.
13067 @item nnslashdot-article-url
13068 @vindex nnslashdot-article-url
13069 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch the news article. The
13071 @samp{http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=%s&mode=nocomment}.
13073 @item nnslashdot-threshold
13074 @vindex nnslashdot-threshold
13075 The score threshold. The default is -1.
13077 @item nnslashdot-group-number
13078 @vindex nnslashdot-group-number
13079 The number of old groups, in addition to the ten latest, to keep
13080 updated. The default is 0.
13087 @subsection Ultimate
13089 @cindex Ultimate Bulletin Board
13091 The Ultimate Bulletin Board (@uref{http://www.ultimatebb.com/}) is
13092 probably the most popular Web bulletin board system used. It has a
13093 quite regular and nice interface, and it's possible to get the
13094 information Gnus needs to keep groups updated.
13096 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnultimate} is to say
13097 something like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{B nnultimate RET
13098 http://www.tcj.com/messboard/ubbcgi/ RET}. (Substitute the @sc{url}
13099 (not including @samp{Ultimate.cgi} or the like at the end) for a forum
13100 you're interested in; there's quite a list of them on the Ultimate web
13101 site.) Then subscribe to the groups you're interested in from the
13102 server buffer, and read them from the group buffer.
13104 The following @code{nnultimate} variables can be altered:
13107 @item nnultimate-directory
13108 @vindex nnultimate-directory
13109 The directory where @code{nnultimate} stores its files. The default is
13110 @samp{~/News/ultimate/}.
13115 @subsection Web Archive
13117 @cindex Web Archive
13119 Some mailing lists only have archives on Web servers, such as
13120 @uref{http://www.egroups.com/} and
13121 @uref{http://www.mail-archive.com/}. It has a quite regular and nice
13122 interface, and it's possible to get the information Gnus needs to keep
13125 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnwarchive} is to say
13126 something like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{M-x
13127 gnus-group-make-warchive-group RET an_egroup RET egroups RET
13128 www.egroups.com RET your@@email.address RET}. (Substitute the
13129 @sc{an_egroup} with the mailing list you subscribed, the
13130 @sc{your@@email.address} with your email address.), or to browse the
13131 backend by @kbd{B nnwarchive RET mail-archive RET}.
13133 The following @code{nnwarchive} variables can be altered:
13136 @item nnwarchive-directory
13137 @vindex nnwarchive-directory
13138 The directory where @code{nnwarchive} stores its files. The default is
13139 @samp{~/News/warchive/}.
13141 @item nnwarchive-login
13142 @vindex nnwarchive-login
13143 The account name on the web server.
13145 @item nnwarchive-passwd
13146 @vindex nnwarchive-passwd
13147 The password for your account on the web server.
13151 @node Customizing w3
13152 @subsection Customizing w3
13158 Gnus uses the url library to fetch web pages and Emacs/w3 to display web
13159 pages. Emacs/w3 is documented in its own manual, but there are some
13160 things that may be more relevant for Gnus users.
13162 For instance, a common question is how to make Emacs/w3 follow links
13163 using the @code{browse-url} functions (which will call some external web
13164 browser like Netscape). Here's one way:
13167 (eval-after-load "w3"
13169 (fset 'w3-fetch-orig (symbol-function 'w3-fetch))
13170 (defun w3-fetch (&optional url target)
13171 (interactive (list (w3-read-url-with-default)))
13172 (if (eq major-mode 'gnus-article-mode)
13174 (w3-fetch-orig url target)))))
13177 Put that in your @file{.emacs} file, and hitting links in w3-rendered
13178 @sc{html} in the Gnus article buffers will use @code{browse-url} to
13182 @node Other Sources
13183 @section Other Sources
13185 Gnus can do more than just read news or mail. The methods described
13186 below allow Gnus to view directories and files as if they were
13190 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
13191 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
13192 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
13193 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{soup} packets ``offline''.
13194 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
13195 * IMAP:: Using Gnus as a @sc{imap} client.
13199 @node Directory Groups
13200 @subsection Directory Groups
13202 @cindex directory groups
13204 If you have a directory that has lots of articles in separate files in
13205 it, you might treat it as a newsgroup. The files have to have numerical
13208 This might be an opportune moment to mention @code{ange-ftp} (and its
13209 successor @code{efs}), that most wonderful of all wonderful Emacs
13210 packages. When I wrote @code{nndir}, I didn't think much about it---a
13211 backend to read directories. Big deal.
13213 @code{ange-ftp} changes that picture dramatically. For instance, if you
13214 enter the @code{ange-ftp} file name
13215 @file{/ftp.hpc.uh.edu:/pub/emacs/ding-list/} as the directory name,
13216 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will actually allow you to read this
13217 directory over at @samp{sina} as a newsgroup. Distributed news ahoy!
13219 @code{nndir} will use @sc{nov} files if they are present.
13221 @code{nndir} is a ``read-only'' backend---you can't delete or expire
13222 articles with this method. You can use @code{nnmh} or @code{nnml} for
13223 whatever you use @code{nndir} for, so you could switch to any of those
13224 methods if you feel the need to have a non-read-only @code{nndir}.
13227 @node Anything Groups
13228 @subsection Anything Groups
13231 From the @code{nndir} backend (which reads a single spool-like
13232 directory), it's just a hop and a skip to @code{nneething}, which
13233 pretends that any arbitrary directory is a newsgroup. Strange, but
13236 When @code{nneething} is presented with a directory, it will scan this
13237 directory and assign article numbers to each file. When you enter such
13238 a group, @code{nneething} must create ``headers'' that Gnus can use.
13239 After all, Gnus is a newsreader, in case you're forgetting.
13240 @code{nneething} does this in a two-step process. First, it snoops each
13241 file in question. If the file looks like an article (i.e., the first
13242 few lines look like headers), it will use this as the head. If this is
13243 just some arbitrary file without a head (e.g. a C source file),
13244 @code{nneething} will cobble up a header out of thin air. It will use
13245 file ownership, name and date and do whatever it can with these
13248 All this should happen automatically for you, and you will be presented
13249 with something that looks very much like a newsgroup. Totally like a
13250 newsgroup, to be precise. If you select an article, it will be displayed
13251 in the article buffer, just as usual.
13253 If you select a line that represents a directory, Gnus will pop you into
13254 a new summary buffer for this @code{nneething} group. And so on. You can
13255 traverse the entire disk this way, if you feel like, but remember that
13256 Gnus is not dired, really, and does not intend to be, either.
13258 There are two overall modes to this action---ephemeral or solid. When
13259 doing the ephemeral thing (i.e., @kbd{G D} from the group buffer), Gnus
13260 will not store information on what files you have read, and what files
13261 are new, and so on. If you create a solid @code{nneething} group the
13262 normal way with @kbd{G m}, Gnus will store a mapping table between
13263 article numbers and file names, and you can treat this group like any
13264 other groups. When you activate a solid @code{nneething} group, you will
13265 be told how many unread articles it contains, etc., etc.
13270 @item nneething-map-file-directory
13271 @vindex nneething-map-file-directory
13272 All the mapping files for solid @code{nneething} groups will be stored
13273 in this directory, which defaults to @file{~/.nneething/}.
13275 @item nneething-exclude-files
13276 @vindex nneething-exclude-files
13277 All files that match this regexp will be ignored. Nice to use to exclude
13278 auto-save files and the like, which is what it does by default.
13280 @item nneething-include-files
13281 @vindex nneething-include-files
13282 Regexp saying what files to include in the group. If this variable is
13283 non-@code{nil}, only files matching this regexp will be included.
13285 @item nneething-map-file
13286 @vindex nneething-map-file
13287 Name of the map files.
13291 @node Document Groups
13292 @subsection Document Groups
13294 @cindex documentation group
13297 @code{nndoc} is a cute little thing that will let you read a single file
13298 as a newsgroup. Several files types are supported:
13305 The babyl (rmail) mail box.
13310 The standard Unix mbox file.
13312 @cindex MMDF mail box
13314 The MMDF mail box format.
13317 Several news articles appended into a file.
13320 @cindex rnews batch files
13321 The rnews batch transport format.
13322 @cindex forwarded messages
13325 Forwarded articles.
13328 Netscape mail boxes.
13331 MIME multipart messages.
13333 @item standard-digest
13334 The standard (RFC 1153) digest format.
13337 Non-standard digest format---matches most things, but does it badly.
13340 You can also use the special ``file type'' @code{guess}, which means
13341 that @code{nndoc} will try to guess what file type it is looking at.
13342 @code{digest} means that @code{nndoc} should guess what digest type the
13345 @code{nndoc} will not try to change the file or insert any extra headers into
13346 it---it will simply, like, let you use the file as the basis for a
13347 group. And that's it.
13349 If you have some old archived articles that you want to insert into your
13350 new & spiffy Gnus mail backend, @code{nndoc} can probably help you with
13351 that. Say you have an old @file{RMAIL} file with mail that you now want
13352 to split into your new @code{nnml} groups. You look at that file using
13353 @code{nndoc} (using the @kbd{G f} command in the group buffer
13354 (@pxref{Foreign Groups})), set the process mark on all the articles in
13355 the buffer (@kbd{M P b}, for instance), and then re-spool (@kbd{B r})
13356 using @code{nnml}. If all goes well, all the mail in the @file{RMAIL}
13357 file is now also stored in lots of @code{nnml} directories, and you can
13358 delete that pesky @file{RMAIL} file. If you have the guts!
13360 Virtual server variables:
13363 @item nndoc-article-type
13364 @vindex nndoc-article-type
13365 This should be one of @code{mbox}, @code{babyl}, @code{digest},
13366 @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{mmdf}, @code{forward}, @code{rfc934},
13367 @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{mime-parts}, @code{standard-digest},
13368 @code{slack-digest}, @code{clari-briefs}, @code{nsmail} or @code{guess}.
13370 @item nndoc-post-type
13371 @vindex nndoc-post-type
13372 This variable says whether Gnus is to consider the group a news group or
13373 a mail group. There are two valid values: @code{mail} (the default)
13378 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
13382 @node Document Server Internals
13383 @subsubsection Document Server Internals
13385 Adding new document types to be recognized by @code{nndoc} isn't
13386 difficult. You just have to whip up a definition of what the document
13387 looks like, write a predicate function to recognize that document type,
13388 and then hook into @code{nndoc}.
13390 First, here's an example document type definition:
13394 (article-begin . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n")
13395 (body-end . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n"))
13398 The definition is simply a unique @dfn{name} followed by a series of
13399 regexp pseudo-variable settings. Below are the possible
13400 variables---don't be daunted by the number of variables; most document
13401 types can be defined with very few settings:
13404 @item first-article
13405 If present, @code{nndoc} will skip past all text until it finds
13406 something that match this regexp. All text before this will be
13409 @item article-begin
13410 This setting has to be present in all document type definitions. It
13411 says what the beginning of each article looks like.
13413 @item head-begin-function
13414 If present, this should be a function that moves point to the head of
13417 @item nndoc-head-begin
13418 If present, this should be a regexp that matches the head of the
13421 @item nndoc-head-end
13422 This should match the end of the head of the article. It defaults to
13423 @samp{^$}---the empty line.
13425 @item body-begin-function
13426 If present, this function should move point to the beginning of the body
13430 This should match the beginning of the body of the article. It defaults
13433 @item body-end-function
13434 If present, this function should move point to the end of the body of
13438 If present, this should match the end of the body of the article.
13441 If present, this should match the end of the file. All text after this
13442 regexp will be totally ignored.
13446 So, using these variables @code{nndoc} is able to dissect a document
13447 file into a series of articles, each with a head and a body. However, a
13448 few more variables are needed since not all document types are all that
13449 news-like---variables needed to transform the head or the body into
13450 something that's palatable for Gnus:
13453 @item prepare-body-function
13454 If present, this function will be called when requesting an article. It
13455 will be called with point at the start of the body, and is useful if the
13456 document has encoded some parts of its contents.
13458 @item article-transform-function
13459 If present, this function is called when requesting an article. It's
13460 meant to be used for more wide-ranging transformation of both head and
13461 body of the article.
13463 @item generate-head-function
13464 If present, this function is called to generate a head that Gnus can
13465 understand. It is called with the article number as a parameter, and is
13466 expected to generate a nice head for the article in question. It is
13467 called when requesting the headers of all articles.
13471 Let's look at the most complicated example I can come up with---standard
13476 (first-article . ,(concat "^" (make-string 70 ?-) "\n\n+"))
13477 (article-begin . ,(concat "\n\n" (make-string 30 ?-) "\n\n+"))
13478 (prepare-body-function . nndoc-unquote-dashes)
13479 (body-end-function . nndoc-digest-body-end)
13480 (head-end . "^ ?$")
13481 (body-begin . "^ ?\n")
13482 (file-end . "^End of .*digest.*[0-9].*\n\\*\\*\\|^End of.*Digest *$")
13483 (subtype digest guess))
13486 We see that all text before a 70-width line of dashes is ignored; all
13487 text after a line that starts with that @samp{^End of} is also ignored;
13488 each article begins with a 30-width line of dashes; the line separating
13489 the head from the body may contain a single space; and that the body is
13490 run through @code{nndoc-unquote-dashes} before being delivered.
13492 To hook your own document definition into @code{nndoc}, use the
13493 @code{nndoc-add-type} function. It takes two parameters---the first is
13494 the definition itself and the second (optional) parameter says where in
13495 the document type definition alist to put this definition. The alist is
13496 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
13497 is of @code{mmdf} type, and so on. These type predicates should return
13498 @code{nil} if the document is not of the correct type; @code{t} if it is
13499 of the correct type; and a number if the document might be of the
13500 correct type. A high number means high probability; a low number means
13501 low probability with @samp{0} being the lowest valid number.
13509 In the PC world people often talk about ``offline'' newsreaders. These
13510 are thingies that are combined reader/news transport monstrosities.
13511 With built-in modem programs. Yecchh!
13513 Of course, us Unix Weenie types of human beans use things like
13514 @code{uucp} and, like, @code{nntpd} and set up proper news and mail
13515 transport things like Ghod intended. And then we just use normal
13518 However, it can sometimes be convenient to do something that's a bit
13519 easier on the brain if you have a very slow modem, and you're not really
13520 that interested in doing things properly.
13522 A file format called @sc{soup} has been developed for transporting news
13523 and mail from servers to home machines and back again. It can be a bit
13526 First some terminology:
13531 This is the machine that is connected to the outside world and where you
13532 get news and/or mail from.
13535 This is the machine that you want to do the actual reading and responding
13536 on. It is typically not connected to the rest of the world in any way.
13539 Something that contains messages and/or commands. There are two kinds
13543 @item message packets
13544 These are packets made at the server, and typically contain lots of
13545 messages for you to read. These are called @file{SoupoutX.tgz} by
13546 default, where @var{x} is a number.
13548 @item response packets
13549 These are packets made at the home machine, and typically contains
13550 replies that you've written. These are called @file{SoupinX.tgz} by
13551 default, where @var{x} is a number.
13561 You log in on the server and create a @sc{soup} packet. You can either
13562 use a dedicated @sc{soup} thingie (like the @code{awk} program), or you
13563 can use Gnus to create the packet with its @sc{soup} commands (@kbd{O
13564 s} and/or @kbd{G s b}; and then @kbd{G s p}) (@pxref{SOUP Commands}).
13567 You transfer the packet home. Rail, boat, car or modem will do fine.
13570 You put the packet in your home directory.
13573 You fire up Gnus on your home machine using the @code{nnsoup} backend as
13574 the native or secondary server.
13577 You read articles and mail and answer and followup to the things you
13578 want (@pxref{SOUP Replies}).
13581 You do the @kbd{G s r} command to pack these replies into a @sc{soup}
13585 You transfer this packet to the server.
13588 You use Gnus to mail this packet out with the @kbd{G s s} command.
13591 You then repeat until you die.
13595 So you basically have a bipartite system---you use @code{nnsoup} for
13596 reading and Gnus for packing/sending these @sc{soup} packets.
13599 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
13600 * SOUP Groups:: A backend for reading @sc{soup} packets.
13601 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
13605 @node SOUP Commands
13606 @subsubsection SOUP Commands
13608 These are commands for creating and manipulating @sc{soup} packets.
13612 @kindex G s b (Group)
13613 @findex gnus-group-brew-soup
13614 Pack all unread articles in the current group
13615 (@code{gnus-group-brew-soup}). This command understands the
13616 process/prefix convention.
13619 @kindex G s w (Group)
13620 @findex gnus-soup-save-areas
13621 Save all @sc{soup} data files (@code{gnus-soup-save-areas}).
13624 @kindex G s s (Group)
13625 @findex gnus-soup-send-replies
13626 Send all replies from the replies packet
13627 (@code{gnus-soup-send-replies}).
13630 @kindex G s p (Group)
13631 @findex gnus-soup-pack-packet
13632 Pack all files into a @sc{soup} packet (@code{gnus-soup-pack-packet}).
13635 @kindex G s r (Group)
13636 @findex nnsoup-pack-replies
13637 Pack all replies into a replies packet (@code{nnsoup-pack-replies}).
13640 @kindex O s (Summary)
13641 @findex gnus-soup-add-article
13642 This summary-mode command adds the current article to a @sc{soup} packet
13643 (@code{gnus-soup-add-article}). It understands the process/prefix
13644 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
13649 There are a few variables to customize where Gnus will put all these
13654 @item gnus-soup-directory
13655 @vindex gnus-soup-directory
13656 Directory where Gnus will save intermediate files while composing
13657 @sc{soup} packets. The default is @file{~/SoupBrew/}.
13659 @item gnus-soup-replies-directory
13660 @vindex gnus-soup-replies-directory
13661 This is what Gnus will use as a temporary directory while sending our
13662 reply packets. @file{~/SoupBrew/SoupReplies/} is the default.
13664 @item gnus-soup-prefix-file
13665 @vindex gnus-soup-prefix-file
13666 Name of the file where Gnus stores the last used prefix. The default is
13667 @samp{gnus-prefix}.
13669 @item gnus-soup-packer
13670 @vindex gnus-soup-packer
13671 A format string command for packing a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
13672 @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupout%d.tgz}.
13674 @item gnus-soup-unpacker
13675 @vindex gnus-soup-unpacker
13676 Format string command for unpacking a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
13677 @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
13679 @item gnus-soup-packet-directory
13680 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-directory
13681 Where Gnus will look for reply packets. The default is @file{~/}.
13683 @item gnus-soup-packet-regexp
13684 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-regexp
13685 Regular expression matching @sc{soup} reply packets in
13686 @code{gnus-soup-packet-directory}.
13692 @subsubsection @sc{soup} Groups
13695 @code{nnsoup} is the backend for reading @sc{soup} packets. It will
13696 read incoming packets, unpack them, and put them in a directory where
13697 you can read them at leisure.
13699 These are the variables you can use to customize its behavior:
13703 @item nnsoup-tmp-directory
13704 @vindex nnsoup-tmp-directory
13705 When @code{nnsoup} unpacks a @sc{soup} packet, it does it in this
13706 directory. (@file{/tmp/} by default.)
13708 @item nnsoup-directory
13709 @vindex nnsoup-directory
13710 @code{nnsoup} then moves each message and index file to this directory.
13711 The default is @file{~/SOUP/}.
13713 @item nnsoup-replies-directory
13714 @vindex nnsoup-replies-directory
13715 All replies will be stored in this directory before being packed into a
13716 reply packet. The default is @file{~/SOUP/replies/"}.
13718 @item nnsoup-replies-format-type
13719 @vindex nnsoup-replies-format-type
13720 The @sc{soup} format of the replies packets. The default is @samp{?n}
13721 (rnews), and I don't think you should touch that variable. I probably
13722 shouldn't even have documented it. Drats! Too late!
13724 @item nnsoup-replies-index-type
13725 @vindex nnsoup-replies-index-type
13726 The index type of the replies packet. The default is @samp{?n}, which
13727 means ``none''. Don't fiddle with this one either!
13729 @item nnsoup-active-file
13730 @vindex nnsoup-active-file
13731 Where @code{nnsoup} stores lots of information. This is not an ``active
13732 file'' in the @code{nntp} sense; it's an Emacs Lisp file. If you lose
13733 this file or mess it up in any way, you're dead. The default is
13734 @file{~/SOUP/active}.
13736 @item nnsoup-packer
13737 @vindex nnsoup-packer
13738 Format string command for packing a reply @sc{soup} packet. The default
13739 is @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupin%d.tgz}.
13741 @item nnsoup-unpacker
13742 @vindex nnsoup-unpacker
13743 Format string command for unpacking incoming @sc{soup} packets. The
13744 default is @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
13746 @item nnsoup-packet-directory
13747 @vindex nnsoup-packet-directory
13748 Where @code{nnsoup} will look for incoming packets. The default is
13751 @item nnsoup-packet-regexp
13752 @vindex nnsoup-packet-regexp
13753 Regular expression matching incoming @sc{soup} packets. The default is
13756 @item nnsoup-always-save
13757 @vindex nnsoup-always-save
13758 If non-@code{nil}, save the replies buffer after each posted message.
13764 @subsubsection SOUP Replies
13766 Just using @code{nnsoup} won't mean that your postings and mailings end
13767 up in @sc{soup} reply packets automagically. You have to work a bit
13768 more for that to happen.
13770 @findex nnsoup-set-variables
13771 The @code{nnsoup-set-variables} command will set the appropriate
13772 variables to ensure that all your followups and replies end up in the
13775 In specific, this is what it does:
13778 (setq message-send-news-function 'nnsoup-request-post)
13779 (setq message-send-mail-function 'nnsoup-request-mail)
13782 And that's it, really. If you only want news to go into the @sc{soup}
13783 system you just use the first line. If you only want mail to be
13784 @sc{soup}ed you use the second.
13787 @node Mail-To-News Gateways
13788 @subsection Mail-To-News Gateways
13789 @cindex mail-to-news gateways
13792 If your local @code{nntp} server doesn't allow posting, for some reason
13793 or other, you can post using one of the numerous mail-to-news gateways.
13794 The @code{nngateway} backend provides the interface.
13796 Note that you can't read anything from this backend---it can only be
13802 @item nngateway-address
13803 @vindex nngateway-address
13804 This is the address of the mail-to-news gateway.
13806 @item nngateway-header-transformation
13807 @vindex nngateway-header-transformation
13808 News headers often have to be transformed in some odd way or other
13809 for the mail-to-news gateway to accept it. This variable says what
13810 transformation should be called, and defaults to
13811 @code{nngateway-simple-header-transformation}. The function is called
13812 narrowed to the headers to be transformed and with one parameter---the
13815 This default function just inserts a new @code{To} header based on the
13816 @code{Newsgroups} header and the gateway address.
13817 For instance, an article with this @code{Newsgroups} header:
13820 Newsgroups: alt.religion.emacs
13823 will get this @code{From} header inserted:
13826 To: alt-religion-emacs@@GATEWAY
13829 The following pre-defined functions exist:
13831 @findex nngateway-simple-header-transformation
13834 @item nngateway-simple-header-transformation
13835 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
13836 @var{newsgroup}@@@code{nngateway-address}.
13838 @findex nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
13840 @item nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
13841 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
13842 @code{nngateway-address}.
13847 (setq gnus-post-method
13848 '(nngateway "mail2news@@replay.com"
13849 (nngateway-header-transformation
13850 nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation)))
13858 So, to use this, simply say something like:
13861 (setq gnus-post-method '(nngateway "GATEWAY.ADDRESS"))
13867 @subsection @sc{imap}
13871 @sc{imap} is a network protocol for reading mail (or news, or ...),
13872 think of it as a modernized @sc{nntp}. Connecting to a @sc{imap}
13873 server is much similar to connecting to a news server, you just
13874 specify the network address of the server.
13876 @sc{imap} has two properties. First, @sc{imap} can do everything that
13877 POP can, it can hence be viewed as POP++. Secondly, @sc{imap} is a
13878 mail storage protocol, similar to @sc{nntp} being a news storage
13879 protocol. (@sc{imap} offers more features than @sc{nntp} because news
13880 is more or less read-only whereas mail is read-write.)
13882 If you want to use @sc{imap} as POP++, use an imap entry in
13883 mail-sources. With this, Gnus will fetch mails from the @sc{imap}
13884 server and store them on the local disk. This is not the usage
13885 described in this section. @xref{Mail Sources}.
13887 If you want to use @sc{imap} as a mail storage protocol, use an nnimap
13888 entry in gnus-secondary-select-methods. With this, Gnus will
13889 manipulate mails stored on the @sc{imap} server. This is the kind of
13890 usage explained in this section.
13892 A server configuration in @code{~/.gnus} with a few @sc{imap} servers
13893 might look something like this:
13896 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
13897 '((nnimap "simpleserver") ; no special configuration
13898 ; perhaps a ssh port forwarded server:
13900 (nnimap-address "localhost")
13901 (nnimap-server-port 1430))
13902 ; a UW server running on localhost
13904 (nnimap-server-port 143)
13905 (nnimap-address "localhost")
13906 (nnimap-list-pattern ("INBOX" "mail/*")))
13907 ; anonymous public cyrus server:
13908 (nnimap "cyrus.andrew.cmu.edu"
13909 (nnimap-authenticator anonymous)
13910 (nnimap-list-pattern "archive.*")
13911 (nnimap-stream network))
13912 ; a ssl server on a non-standard port:
13914 (nnimap-address "vic20.somewhere.com")
13915 (nnimap-server-port 9930)
13916 (nnimap-stream ssl))))
13919 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nnimap}
13924 @item nnimap-address
13925 @vindex nnimap-address
13927 The address of the remote @sc{imap} server. Defaults to the virtual
13928 server name if not specified.
13930 @item nnimap-server-port
13931 @vindex nnimap-server-port
13932 Port on server to contact. Defaults to port 143, or 993 for SSL.
13934 Note that this should be a integer, example server specification:
13937 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
13938 (nnimap-server-port 4711))
13941 @item nnimap-list-pattern
13942 @vindex nnimap-list-pattern
13943 String or list of strings of mailboxes to limit available groups to.
13944 This is used when the server has very many mailboxes and you're only
13945 interested in a few -- some servers export your home directory via
13946 @sc{imap}, you'll probably want to limit the mailboxes to those in
13947 @file{~/Mail/*} then.
13949 The string can also be a cons of REFERENCE and the string as above, what
13950 REFERENCE is used for is server specific, but on the University of
13951 Washington server it's a directory that will be concatenated with the
13954 Example server specification:
13957 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
13958 (nnimap-list-pattern ("INBOX" "Mail/*" "alt.sex.*"
13959 ("~friend/Mail/" . "list/*"))))
13962 @item nnimap-stream
13963 @vindex nnimap-stream
13964 The type of stream used to connect to your server. By default, nnimap
13965 will detect and automatically use all of the below, with the exception
13966 of SSL. (SSL is being replaced by STARTTLS, which can be automatically
13967 detected, but it's not widely deployed yet).
13969 Example server specification:
13972 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
13973 (nnimap-stream ssl))
13976 Please note that the value of @code{nnimap-stream} is a symbol!
13980 @dfn{gssapi:} Connect with GSSAPI (usually kerberos 5). Require the
13981 @samp{imtest} program.
13983 @dfn{kerberos4:} Connect with kerberos 4. Require the @samp{imtest} program.
13985 @dfn{starttls:} Connect via the STARTTLS extension (similar to
13986 SSL). Require the external library @samp{starttls.el} and program
13989 @dfn{ssl:} Connect through SSL. Require OpenSSL (the
13990 program @samp{openssl}) or SSLeay (@samp{s_client}).
13992 @dfn{shell:} Use a shell command to start @sc{imap} connection.
13994 @dfn{network:} Plain, TCP/IP network connection.
13997 @vindex imap-kerberos4-program
13998 The @samp{imtest} program is shipped with Cyrus IMAPD, nnimap support
13999 both @samp{imtest} version 1.5.x and version 1.6.x. The variable
14000 @code{imap-kerberos4-program} contain parameters to pass to the imtest
14003 @vindex imap-ssl-program
14004 For SSL connections, the OpenSSL program is available from
14005 @uref{http://www.openssl.org/}. OpenSSL was formerly known as SSLeay,
14006 and nnimap support it too - altough the most recent versions of
14007 SSLeay, 0.9.x, are known to have serious bugs making it
14008 useless. Earlier versions, especially 0.8.x, of SSLeay are known to
14009 work. The variable @code{imap-ssl-program} contain parameters to pass
14012 @vindex imap-shell-program
14013 @vindex imap-shell-host
14014 For @sc{imap} connections using the @code{shell} stream, the variable
14015 @code{imap-shell-program} specify what program to call.
14017 @item nnimap-authenticator
14018 @vindex nnimap-authenticator
14020 The authenticator used to connect to the server. By default, nnimap
14021 will use the most secure authenticator your server is capable of.
14023 Example server specification:
14026 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
14027 (nnimap-authenticator anonymous))
14030 Please note that the value of @code{nnimap-authenticator} is a symbol!
14034 @dfn{gssapi:} GSSAPI (usually kerberos 5) authentication. Require
14035 external program @code{imtest}.
14037 @dfn{kerberos4:} Kerberos authentication. Require external program
14040 @dfn{digest-md5:} Encrypted username/password via DIGEST-MD5. Require
14041 external library @code{digest-md5.el}.
14043 @dfn{cram-md5:} Encrypted username/password via CRAM-MD5.
14045 @dfn{login:} Plain-text username/password via LOGIN.
14047 @dfn{anonymous:} Login as `anonymous', supplying your emailadress as password.
14050 @item nnimap-expunge-on-close
14052 @vindex nnimap-expunge-on-close
14053 Unlike Parmenides the @sc{imap} designers has decided that things that
14054 doesn't exist actually does exist. More specifically, @sc{imap} has
14055 this concept of marking articles @code{Deleted} which doesn't actually
14056 delete them, and this (marking them @code{Deleted}, that is) is what
14057 nnimap does when you delete a article in Gnus (with @kbd{G DEL} or
14060 Since the articles aren't really removed when we mark them with the
14061 @code{Deleted} flag we'll need a way to actually delete them. Feel like
14062 running in circles yet?
14064 Traditionally, nnimap has removed all articles marked as @code{Deleted}
14065 when closing a mailbox but this is now configurable by this server
14068 The possible options are:
14073 The default behavior, delete all articles marked as "Deleted" when
14076 Never actually delete articles. Currently there is no way of showing
14077 the articles marked for deletion in nnimap, but other @sc{imap} clients
14078 may allow you to do this. If you ever want to run the EXPUNGE command
14079 manually, @xref{Expunging mailboxes}.
14081 When closing mailboxes, nnimap will ask if you wish to expunge deleted
14086 @item nnimap-authinfo-file
14087 @vindex nnimap-authinfo-file
14089 A file containing credentials used to log in on servers. The format
14090 is (almost) the same as the @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file. See
14091 `nntp-authinfo-file' for exact syntax.
14093 A file containing credentials used to log in on servers. The format is
14094 (almost) the same as the @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file. See the
14095 variable @code{nntp-authinfo-file} for exact syntax; also see
14101 * Splitting in IMAP:: Splitting mail with nnimap.
14102 * Editing IMAP ACLs:: Limiting/enabling other users access to a mailbox.
14103 * Expunging mailboxes:: Equivalent of a "compress mailbox" button.
14108 @node Splitting in IMAP
14109 @subsubsection Splitting in @sc{imap}
14110 @cindex splitting imap mail
14112 Splitting is something Gnus users has loved and used for years, and now
14113 the rest of the world is catching up. Yeah, dream on, not many
14114 @sc{imap} server has server side splitting and those that have splitting
14115 seem to use some non-standard protocol. This means that @sc{imap}
14116 support for Gnus has to do it's own splitting.
14120 Here are the variables of interest:
14124 @item nnimap-split-crosspost
14125 @cindex splitting, crosspost
14127 @vindex nnimap-split-crosspost
14129 If non-nil, do crossposting if several split methods match the mail. If
14130 nil, the first match in @code{nnimap-split-rule} found will be used.
14132 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-crosspost}.
14134 @item nnimap-split-inbox
14135 @cindex splitting, inbox
14137 @vindex nnimap-split-inbox
14139 A string or a list of strings that gives the name(s) of @sc{imap}
14140 mailboxes to split from. Defaults to nil, which means that splitting is
14144 (setq nnimap-split-inbox
14145 '("INBOX" ("~/friend/Mail" . "lists/*") "lists.imap"))
14148 No nnmail equivalent.
14150 @item nnimap-split-rule
14151 @cindex Splitting, rules
14152 @vindex nnimap-split-rule
14154 New mail found in @code{nnimap-split-inbox} will be split according to
14157 This variable contains a list of lists, where the first element in the
14158 sublist gives the name of the @sc{imap} mailbox to move articles
14159 matching the regexp in the second element in the sublist. Got that?
14160 Neither did I, we need examples.
14163 (setq nnimap-split-rule
14164 '(("INBOX.nnimap" "^Sender: owner-nnimap@@vic20.globalcom.se")
14165 ("INBOX.junk" "^Subject:.*MAKE MONEY")
14166 ("INBOX.private" "")))
14169 This will put all articles from the nnimap mailing list into mailbox
14170 INBOX.nnimap, all articles containing MAKE MONEY in the Subject: line
14171 into INBOX.spam and everything else in INBOX.private.
14173 The first string may contain `\\1' forms, like the ones used by
14174 replace-match to insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For
14178 ("INBOX.lists.\\1" "^Sender: owner-\\([a-z-]+\\)@@")
14181 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
14182 called with the first element of the rule as the argument, in a buffer
14183 containing the headers of the article. It should return a non-nil value
14184 if it thinks that the mail belongs in that group.
14186 Nnmail users might recollect that the last regexp had to be empty to
14187 match all articles (like in the example above). This is not required in
14188 nnimap. Articles not matching any of the regexps will not be moved out
14189 of your inbox. (This might affect performance if you keep lots of
14190 unread articles in your inbox, since the splitting code would go over
14191 them every time you fetch new mail.)
14193 These rules are processed from the beginning of the alist toward the
14194 end. The first rule to make a match will "win", unless you have
14195 crossposting enabled. In that case, all matching rules will "win".
14197 This variable can also have a function as its value, the function will
14198 be called with the headers narrowed and should return a group where it
14199 thinks the article should be split to. See @code{nnimap-split-fancy}.
14201 The splitting code tries to create mailboxes if it need too.
14203 To allow for different split rules on different virtual servers, and
14204 even different split rules in different inboxes on the same server,
14205 the syntax of this variable have been extended along the lines of:
14208 (setq nnimap-split-rule
14209 '(("my1server" (".*" (("ding" "ding@@gnus.org")
14210 ("junk" "From:.*Simon")))
14211 ("my2server" ("INBOX" nnimap-split-fancy))
14212 ("my[34]server" (".*" (("private" "To:.*Simon")
14213 ("junk" my-junk-func)))))
14216 The virtual server name is in fact a regexp, so that the same rules
14217 may apply to several servers. In the example, the servers
14218 @code{my3server} and @code{my4server} both use the same rules.
14219 Similarly, the inbox string is also a regexp. The actual splitting
14220 rules are as before, either a function, or a list with group/regexp or
14221 group/function elements.
14223 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-split-methods}.
14225 @item nnimap-split-predicate
14227 @vindex nnimap-split-predicate
14229 Mail matching this predicate in @code{nnimap-split-inbox} will be
14230 split, it is a string and the default is @samp{UNSEEN UNDELETED}.
14232 This might be useful if you use another @sc{imap} client to read mail in
14233 your inbox but would like Gnus to split all articles in the inbox
14234 regardless of readedness. Then you might change this to
14237 @item nnimap-split-fancy
14238 @cindex splitting, fancy
14239 @findex nnimap-split-fancy
14240 @vindex nnimap-split-fancy
14242 It's possible to set @code{nnimap-split-rule} to
14243 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} if you want to use fancy
14244 splitting. @xref{Fancy Mail Splitting}.
14246 However, to be able to have different fancy split rules for nnmail and
14247 nnimap backends you can set @code{nnimap-split-rule} to
14248 @code{nnimap-split-fancy} and define the nnimap specific fancy split
14249 rule in @code{nnimap-split-fancy}.
14254 (setq nnimap-split-rule 'nnimap-split-fancy
14255 nnimap-split-fancy ...)
14258 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-split-fancy}.
14262 @node Editing IMAP ACLs
14263 @subsubsection Editing @sc{imap} ACLs
14264 @cindex editing imap acls
14265 @cindex Access Control Lists
14266 @cindex Editing @sc{imap} ACLs
14268 @findex gnus-group-nnimap-edit-acl
14270 ACL stands for Access Control List. ACLs are used in @sc{imap} for
14271 limiting (or enabling) other users access to your mail boxes. Not all
14272 @sc{imap} servers support this, this function will give an error if it
14275 To edit a ACL for a mailbox, type @kbd{G l}
14276 (@code{gnus-group-edit-nnimap-acl}) and you'll be presented with a ACL
14277 editing window with detailed instructions.
14279 Some possible uses:
14283 Giving "anyone" the "lrs" rights (lookup, read, keep seen/unseen flags)
14284 on your mailing list mailboxes enables other users on the same server to
14285 follow the list without subscribing to it.
14287 At least with the Cyrus server, you are required to give the user
14288 "anyone" posting ("p") capabilities to have "plussing" work (that is,
14289 mail sent to user+mailbox@@domain ending up in the @sc{imap} mailbox
14293 @node Expunging mailboxes
14294 @subsubsection Expunging mailboxes
14298 @cindex Manual expunging
14300 @findex gnus-group-nnimap-expunge
14302 If you're using the @code{never} setting of @code{nnimap-expunge-close},
14303 you may want the option of expunging all deleted articles in a mailbox
14304 manually. This is exactly what @kbd{G x} does.
14306 Currently there is no way of showing deleted articles, you can just
14311 @node Combined Groups
14312 @section Combined Groups
14314 Gnus allows combining a mixture of all the other group types into bigger
14318 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
14319 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
14323 @node Virtual Groups
14324 @subsection Virtual Groups
14326 @cindex virtual groups
14327 @cindex merging groups
14329 An @dfn{nnvirtual group} is really nothing more than a collection of
14332 For instance, if you are tired of reading many small groups, you can
14333 put them all in one big group, and then grow tired of reading one
14334 big, unwieldy group. The joys of computing!
14336 You specify @code{nnvirtual} as the method. The address should be a
14337 regexp to match component groups.
14339 All marks in the virtual group will stick to the articles in the
14340 component groups. So if you tick an article in a virtual group, the
14341 article will also be ticked in the component group from whence it came.
14342 (And vice versa---marks from the component groups will also be shown in
14343 the virtual group.)
14345 Here's an example @code{nnvirtual} method that collects all Andrea Dworkin
14346 newsgroups into one, big, happy newsgroup:
14349 (nnvirtual "^alt\\.fan\\.andrea-dworkin$\\|^rec\\.dworkin.*")
14352 The component groups can be native or foreign; everything should work
14353 smoothly, but if your computer explodes, it was probably my fault.
14355 Collecting the same group from several servers might actually be a good
14356 idea if users have set the Distribution header to limit distribution.
14357 If you would like to read @samp{soc.motss} both from a server in Japan
14358 and a server in Norway, you could use the following as the group regexp:
14361 "^nntp\\+server\\.jp:soc\\.motss$\\|^nntp\\+server\\.no:soc\\.motss$"
14364 (Remember, though, that if you're creating the group with @kbd{G m}, you
14365 shouldn't double the backslashes, and you should leave off the quote
14366 characters at the beginning and the end of the string.)
14368 This should work kinda smoothly---all articles from both groups should
14369 end up in this one, and there should be no duplicates. Threading (and
14370 the rest) will still work as usual, but there might be problems with the
14371 sequence of articles. Sorting on date might be an option here
14372 (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
14374 One limitation, however---all groups included in a virtual
14375 group have to be alive (i.e., subscribed or unsubscribed). Killed or
14376 zombie groups can't be component groups for @code{nnvirtual} groups.
14378 @vindex nnvirtual-always-rescan
14379 If the @code{nnvirtual-always-rescan} is non-@code{nil},
14380 @code{nnvirtual} will always scan groups for unread articles when
14381 entering a virtual group. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
14382 default) and you read articles in a component group after the virtual
14383 group has been activated, the read articles from the component group
14384 will show up when you enter the virtual group. You'll also see this
14385 effect if you have two virtual groups that have a component group in
14386 common. If that's the case, you should set this variable to @code{t}.
14387 Or you can just tap @code{M-g} on the virtual group every time before
14388 you enter it---it'll have much the same effect.
14390 @code{nnvirtual} can have both mail and news groups as component groups.
14391 When responding to articles in @code{nnvirtual} groups, @code{nnvirtual}
14392 has to ask the backend of the component group the article comes from
14393 whether it is a news or mail backend. However, when you do a @kbd{^},
14394 there is typically no sure way for the component backend to know this,
14395 and in that case @code{nnvirtual} tells Gnus that the article came from a
14396 not-news backend. (Just to be on the safe side.)
14398 @kbd{C-c C-t} in the message buffer will insert the @code{Newsgroups}
14399 line from the article you respond to in these cases.
14403 @node Kibozed Groups
14404 @subsection Kibozed Groups
14408 @dfn{Kibozing} is defined by @sc{oed} as ``grepping through (parts of)
14409 the news feed''. @code{nnkiboze} is a backend that will do this for
14410 you. Oh joy! Now you can grind any @sc{nntp} server down to a halt
14411 with useless requests! Oh happiness!
14413 @kindex G k (Group)
14414 To create a kibozed group, use the @kbd{G k} command in the group
14417 The address field of the @code{nnkiboze} method is, as with
14418 @code{nnvirtual}, a regexp to match groups to be ``included'' in the
14419 @code{nnkiboze} group. That's where most similarities between @code{nnkiboze}
14420 and @code{nnvirtual} end.
14422 In addition to this regexp detailing component groups, an @code{nnkiboze} group
14423 must have a score file to say what articles are to be included in
14424 the group (@pxref{Scoring}).
14426 @kindex M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups
14427 @findex nnkiboze-generate-groups
14428 You must run @kbd{M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups} after creating the
14429 @code{nnkiboze} groups you want to have. This command will take time. Lots of
14430 time. Oodles and oodles of time. Gnus has to fetch the headers from
14431 all the articles in all the component groups and run them through the
14432 scoring process to determine if there are any articles in the groups
14433 that are to be part of the @code{nnkiboze} groups.
14435 Please limit the number of component groups by using restrictive
14436 regexps. Otherwise your sysadmin may become annoyed with you, and the
14437 @sc{nntp} site may throw you off and never let you back in again.
14438 Stranger things have happened.
14440 @code{nnkiboze} component groups do not have to be alive---they can be dead,
14441 and they can be foreign. No restrictions.
14443 @vindex nnkiboze-directory
14444 The generation of an @code{nnkiboze} group means writing two files in
14445 @code{nnkiboze-directory}, which is @file{~/News/} by default. One
14446 contains the @sc{nov} header lines for all the articles in the group,
14447 and the other is an additional @file{.newsrc} file to store information
14448 on what groups have been searched through to find component articles.
14450 Articles marked as read in the @code{nnkiboze} group will have
14451 their @sc{nov} lines removed from the @sc{nov} file.
14454 @node Gnus Unplugged
14455 @section Gnus Unplugged
14460 @cindex Gnus Unplugged
14462 In olden times (ca. February '88), people used to run their newsreaders
14463 on big machines with permanent connections to the net. News transport
14464 was dealt with by news servers, and all the newsreaders had to do was to
14465 read news. Believe it or not.
14467 Nowadays most people read news and mail at home, and use some sort of
14468 modem to connect to the net. To avoid running up huge phone bills, it
14469 would be nice to have a way to slurp down all the news and mail, hang up
14470 the phone, read for several hours, and then upload any responses you
14471 have to make. And then you repeat the procedure.
14473 Of course, you can use news servers for doing this as well. I've used
14474 @code{inn} together with @code{slurp}, @code{pop} and @code{sendmail}
14475 for some years, but doing that's a bore. Moving the news server
14476 functionality up to the newsreader makes sense if you're the only person
14477 reading news on a machine.
14479 Using Gnus as an ``offline'' newsreader is quite simple.
14483 First, set up Gnus as you would do if you were running it on a machine
14484 that has full connection to the net. Go ahead. I'll still be waiting
14488 Then, put the following magical incantation at the end of your
14489 @file{.gnus.el} file:
14496 That's it. Gnus is now an ``offline'' newsreader.
14498 Of course, to use it as such, you have to learn a few new commands.
14501 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
14502 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
14503 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
14504 * Agent Expiry:: How to make old articles go away.
14505 * Agent and IMAP:: How to use the Agent with IMAP.
14506 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
14507 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
14508 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
14509 * Batching Agents:: How to fetch news from a @code{cron} job.
14510 * Agent Caveats:: What you think it'll do and what it does.
14515 @subsection Agent Basics
14517 First, let's get some terminology out of the way.
14519 The Gnus Agent is said to be @dfn{unplugged} when you have severed the
14520 connection to the net (and notified the Agent that this is the case).
14521 When the connection to the net is up again (and Gnus knows this), the
14522 Agent is @dfn{plugged}.
14524 The @dfn{local} machine is the one you're running on, and which isn't
14525 connected to the net continuously.
14527 @dfn{Downloading} means fetching things from the net to your local
14528 machine. @dfn{Uploading} is doing the opposite.
14530 Let's take a typical Gnus session using the Agent.
14535 You start Gnus with @code{gnus-unplugged}. This brings up the Gnus
14536 Agent in a disconnected state. You can read all the news that you have
14537 already fetched while in this mode.
14540 You then decide to see whether any new news has arrived. You connect
14541 your machine to the net (using PPP or whatever), and then hit @kbd{J j}
14542 to make Gnus become @dfn{plugged} and use @kbd{g} to check for new mail
14543 as usual. To check for new mail in unplugged mode, see (@pxref{Mail
14544 Source Specifiers}).
14547 You can then read the new news immediately, or you can download the news
14548 onto your local machine. If you want to do the latter, you press @kbd{g}
14549 to check if there are any new news and then @kbd{J
14550 s} to fetch all the eligible articles in all the groups. (To let Gnus
14551 know which articles you want to download, @pxref{Agent Categories}.)
14554 After fetching the articles, you press @kbd{J j} to make Gnus become
14555 unplugged again, and you shut down the PPP thing (or whatever). And
14556 then you read the news offline.
14559 And then you go to step 2.
14562 Here are some things you should do the first time (or so) that you use
14568 Decide which servers should be covered by the Agent. If you have a mail
14569 backend, it would probably be nonsensical to have it covered by the
14570 Agent. Go to the server buffer (@kbd{^} in the group buffer) and press
14571 @kbd{J a} the server (or servers) that you wish to have covered by the
14572 Agent (@pxref{Server Agent Commands}). This will typically be only the
14573 primary select method, which is listed on the bottom in the buffer.
14576 Decide on download policy. @xref{Agent Categories}.
14583 @node Agent Categories
14584 @subsection Agent Categories
14586 One of the main reasons to integrate the news transport layer into the
14587 newsreader is to allow greater control over what articles to download.
14588 There's not much point in downloading huge amounts of articles, just to
14589 find out that you're not interested in reading any of them. It's better
14590 to be somewhat more conservative in choosing what to download, and then
14591 mark the articles for downloading manually if it should turn out that
14592 you're interested in the articles anyway.
14594 The main way to control what is to be downloaded is to create a
14595 @dfn{category} and then assign some (or all) groups to this category.
14596 Groups that do not belong in any other category belong to the
14597 @code{default} category. Gnus has its own buffer for creating and
14598 managing categories.
14601 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
14602 * The Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
14603 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
14607 @node Category Syntax
14608 @subsubsection Category Syntax
14610 A category consists of two things.
14614 A predicate which (generally) gives a rough outline of which articles
14615 are eligible for downloading; and
14618 a score rule which (generally) gives you a finer granularity when
14619 deciding what articles to download. (Note that this @dfn{download
14620 score} is not necessarily related to normal scores.)
14623 A predicate in its simplest form can be a single predicate such as
14624 @code{true} or @code{false}. These two will download every available
14625 article or nothing respectively. In the case of these two special
14626 predicates an additional score rule is superfluous.
14628 Predicates of @code{high} or @code{low} download articles in respect of
14629 their scores in relationship to @code{gnus-agent-high-score} and
14630 @code{gnus-agent-low-score} as described below.
14632 To gain even finer control of what is to be regarded eligible for
14633 download a predicate can consist of a number of predicates with logical
14634 operators sprinkled in between.
14636 Perhaps some examples are in order.
14638 Here's a simple predicate. (It's the default predicate, in fact, used
14639 for all groups that don't belong to any other category.)
14645 Quite simple, eh? This predicate is true if and only if the article is
14646 short (for some value of ``short'').
14648 Here's a more complex predicate:
14657 This means that an article should be downloaded if it has a high score,
14658 or if the score is not low and the article is not long. You get the
14661 The available logical operators are @code{or}, @code{and} and
14662 @code{not}. (If you prefer, you can use the more ``C''-ish operators
14663 @samp{|}, @code{&} and @code{!} instead.)
14665 The following predicates are pre-defined, but if none of these fit what
14666 you want to do, you can write your own.
14670 True iff the article is shorter than @code{gnus-agent-short-article}
14671 lines; default 100.
14674 True iff the article is longer than @code{gnus-agent-long-article}
14675 lines; default 200.
14678 True iff the article has a download score less than
14679 @code{gnus-agent-low-score}; default 0.
14682 True iff the article has a download score greater than
14683 @code{gnus-agent-high-score}; default 0.
14686 True iff the Gnus Agent guesses that the article is spam. The
14687 heuristics may change over time, but at present it just computes a
14688 checksum and sees whether articles match.
14697 If you want to create your own predicate function, here's what you have
14698 to know: The functions are called with no parameters, but the
14699 @code{gnus-headers} and @code{gnus-score} dynamic variables are bound to
14702 For example, you could decide that you don't want to download articles
14703 that were posted more than a certain number of days ago (e.g. posted
14704 more than @code{gnus-agent-expire-days} ago) you might write a function
14705 something along the lines of the following:
14708 (defun my-article-old-p ()
14709 "Say whether an article is old."
14710 (< (time-to-days (date-to-time (mail-header-date gnus-headers)))
14711 (- (time-to-days (current-time)) gnus-agent-expire-days)))
14714 with the predicate then defined as:
14717 (not my-article-old-p)
14720 or you could append your predicate to the predefined
14721 @code{gnus-category-predicate-alist} in your @file{~/.gnus.el} or
14722 wherever. (Note: this would have to be at a point *after*
14723 @code{gnus-agent} has been loaded via @code{(gnus-agentize)})
14726 (setq gnus-category-predicate-alist
14727 (append gnus-category-predicate-alist
14728 '((old . my-article-old-p))))
14731 and simply specify your predicate as:
14737 If/when using something like the above, be aware that there are many
14738 misconfigured systems/mailers out there and so an article's date is not
14739 always a reliable indication of when it was posted. Hell, some people
14740 just don't give a damn.
14742 The above predicates apply to *all* the groups which belong to the
14743 category. However, if you wish to have a specific predicate for an
14744 individual group within a category, or you're just too lazy to set up a
14745 new category, you can enter a group's individual predicate in it's group
14746 parameters like so:
14749 (agent-predicate . short)
14752 This is the group parameter equivalent of the agent category default.
14753 Note that when specifying a single word predicate like this, the
14754 @code{agent-predicate} specification must be in dotted pair notation.
14756 The equivalent of the longer example from above would be:
14759 (agent-predicate or high (and (not low) (not long)))
14762 The outer parenthesis required in the category specification are not
14763 entered here as, not being in dotted pair notation, the value of the
14764 predicate is assumed to be a list.
14767 Now, the syntax of the download score is the same as the syntax of
14768 normal score files, except that all elements that require actually
14769 seeing the article itself are verboten. This means that only the
14770 following headers can be scored on: @code{Subject}, @code{From},
14771 @code{Date}, @code{Message-ID}, @code{References}, @code{Chars},
14772 @code{Lines}, and @code{Xref}.
14774 As with predicates, the specification of the @code{download score rule}
14775 to use in respect of a group can be in either the category definition if
14776 it's to be applicable to all groups in therein, or a group's parameters
14777 if it's to be specific to that group.
14779 In both of these places the @code{download score rule} can take one of
14786 This has the same syntax as a normal gnus score file except only a
14787 subset of scoring keywords are available as mentioned above.
14793 Category specification
14797 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" 1000000 nil s))
14803 Group Parameter specification
14806 (agent-score ("from"
14807 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" 1000000 nil s))
14812 Again, note the omission of the outermost parenthesis here.
14818 These score files must *only* contain the permitted scoring keywords
14825 Category specification
14828 ("~/News/agent.SCORE")
14834 ("~/News/agent.SCORE" "~/News/agent.group.SCORE")
14838 Group Parameter specification
14841 (agent-score "~/News/agent.SCORE")
14844 Additional score files can be specified as above. Need I say anything
14849 Use @code{normal} score files
14851 If you don't want to maintain two sets of scoring rules for a group, and
14852 your desired @code{downloading} criteria for a group are the same as your
14853 @code{reading} criteria then you can tell the agent to refer to your
14854 @code{normal} score files when deciding what to download.
14856 These directives in either the category definition or a group's
14857 parameters will cause the agent to read in all the applicable score
14858 files for a group, *filtering out* those sections that do not
14859 relate to one of the permitted subset of scoring keywords.
14863 Category Specification
14870 Group Parameter specification
14873 (agent-score . file)
14878 @node The Category Buffer
14879 @subsubsection The Category Buffer
14881 You'd normally do all category maintenance from the category buffer.
14882 When you enter it for the first time (with the @kbd{J c} command from
14883 the group buffer), you'll only see the @code{default} category.
14885 The following commands are available in this buffer:
14889 @kindex q (Category)
14890 @findex gnus-category-exit
14891 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-category-exit}).
14894 @kindex k (Category)
14895 @findex gnus-category-kill
14896 Kill the current category (@code{gnus-category-kill}).
14899 @kindex c (Category)
14900 @findex gnus-category-copy
14901 Copy the current category (@code{gnus-category-copy}).
14904 @kindex a (Category)
14905 @findex gnus-category-add
14906 Add a new category (@code{gnus-category-add}).
14909 @kindex p (Category)
14910 @findex gnus-category-edit-predicate
14911 Edit the predicate of the current category
14912 (@code{gnus-category-edit-predicate}).
14915 @kindex g (Category)
14916 @findex gnus-category-edit-groups
14917 Edit the list of groups belonging to the current category
14918 (@code{gnus-category-edit-groups}).
14921 @kindex s (Category)
14922 @findex gnus-category-edit-score
14923 Edit the download score rule of the current category
14924 (@code{gnus-category-edit-score}).
14927 @kindex l (Category)
14928 @findex gnus-category-list
14929 List all the categories (@code{gnus-category-list}).
14933 @node Category Variables
14934 @subsubsection Category Variables
14937 @item gnus-category-mode-hook
14938 @vindex gnus-category-mode-hook
14939 Hook run in category buffers.
14941 @item gnus-category-line-format
14942 @vindex gnus-category-line-format
14943 Format of the lines in the category buffer (@pxref{Formatting
14944 Variables}). Valid elements are:
14948 The name of the category.
14951 The number of groups in the category.
14954 @item gnus-category-mode-line-format
14955 @vindex gnus-category-mode-line-format
14956 Format of the category mode line (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}).
14958 @item gnus-agent-short-article
14959 @vindex gnus-agent-short-article
14960 Articles that have fewer lines than this are short. Default 100.
14962 @item gnus-agent-long-article
14963 @vindex gnus-agent-long-article
14964 Articles that have more lines than this are long. Default 200.
14966 @item gnus-agent-low-score
14967 @vindex gnus-agent-low-score
14968 Articles that have a score lower than this have a low score. Default
14971 @item gnus-agent-high-score
14972 @vindex gnus-agent-high-score
14973 Articles that have a score higher than this have a high score. Default
14979 @node Agent Commands
14980 @subsection Agent Commands
14982 All the Gnus Agent commands are on the @kbd{J} submap. The @kbd{J j}
14983 (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-plugged} command works in all modes, and
14984 toggles the plugged/unplugged state of the Gnus Agent.
14988 * Group Agent Commands::
14989 * Summary Agent Commands::
14990 * Server Agent Commands::
14993 You can run a complete batch fetch from the command line with the
14994 following incantation:
14996 @cindex gnus-agent-batch-fetch
14998 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-agent-batch-fetch
15003 @node Group Agent Commands
15004 @subsubsection Group Agent Commands
15008 @kindex J u (Agent Group)
15009 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-groups
15010 Fetch all eligible articles in the current group
15011 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-groups}).
15014 @kindex J c (Agent Group)
15015 @findex gnus-enter-category-buffer
15016 Enter the Agent category buffer (@code{gnus-enter-category-buffer}).
15019 @kindex J s (Agent Group)
15020 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-session
15021 Fetch all eligible articles in all groups
15022 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-session}).
15025 @kindex J S (Agent Group)
15026 @findex gnus-group-send-drafts
15027 Send all sendable messages in the draft group
15028 (@code{gnus-group-send-drafts}). @xref{Drafts}.
15031 @kindex J a (Agent Group)
15032 @findex gnus-agent-add-group
15033 Add the current group to an Agent category
15034 (@code{gnus-agent-add-group}). This command understands the
15035 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
15038 @kindex J r (Agent Group)
15039 @findex gnus-agent-remove-group
15040 Remove the current group from its category, if any
15041 (@code{gnus-agent-remove-group}). This command understands the
15042 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
15045 @kindex J Y (Agent Group)
15046 @findex gnus-agent-synchronize-flags
15047 Synchronize flags changed while unplugged with remote server, if any.
15053 @node Summary Agent Commands
15054 @subsubsection Summary Agent Commands
15058 @kindex J # (Agent Summary)
15059 @findex gnus-agent-mark-article
15060 Mark the article for downloading (@code{gnus-agent-mark-article}).
15063 @kindex J M-# (Agent Summary)
15064 @findex gnus-agent-unmark-article
15065 Remove the downloading mark from the article
15066 (@code{gnus-agent-unmark-article}).
15069 @kindex @@ (Agent Summary)
15070 @findex gnus-agent-toggle-mark
15071 Toggle whether to download the article (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-mark}).
15074 @kindex J c (Agent Summary)
15075 @findex gnus-agent-catchup
15076 Mark all undownloaded articles as read (@code{gnus-agent-catchup}).
15081 @node Server Agent Commands
15082 @subsubsection Server Agent Commands
15086 @kindex J a (Agent Server)
15087 @findex gnus-agent-add-server
15088 Add the current server to the list of servers covered by the Gnus Agent
15089 (@code{gnus-agent-add-server}).
15092 @kindex J r (Agent Server)
15093 @findex gnus-agent-remove-server
15094 Remove the current server from the list of servers covered by the Gnus
15095 Agent (@code{gnus-agent-remove-server}).
15101 @subsection Agent Expiry
15103 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-days
15104 @findex gnus-agent-expire
15105 @kindex M-x gnus-agent-expire
15106 @cindex Agent expiry
15107 @cindex Gnus Agent expiry
15110 @code{nnagent} doesn't handle expiry. Instead, there's a special
15111 @code{gnus-agent-expire} command that will expire all read articles that
15112 are older than @code{gnus-agent-expire-days} days. It can be run
15113 whenever you feel that you're running out of space. It's not
15114 particularly fast or efficient, and it's not a particularly good idea to
15115 interrupt it (with @kbd{C-g} or anything else) once you've started it.
15117 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-all
15118 if @code{gnus-agent-expire-all} is non-@code{nil}, this command will
15119 expire all articles---unread, read, ticked and dormant. If @code{nil}
15120 (which is the default), only read articles are eligible for expiry, and
15121 unread, ticked and dormant articles will be kept indefinitely.
15124 @node Agent and IMAP
15125 @subsection Agent and IMAP
15127 The Agent work with any Gnus backend, including nnimap. However,
15128 since there are some conceptual differences between @sc{nntp} and
15129 @sc{imap}, this section (should) provide you with some information to
15130 make Gnus Agent work smoother as a @sc{imap} Disconnected Mode client.
15132 The first thing to keep in mind is that all flags (read, ticked, etc)
15133 are kept on the @sc{imap} server, rather than in @code{.newsrc} as is the
15134 case for nntp. Thus Gnus need to remember flag changes when
15135 disconnected, and synchronize these flags when you plug back in.
15137 Gnus keep track of flag changes when reading nnimap groups under the
15138 Agent by default. When you plug back in, by default Gnus will check if
15139 you have any changed any flags and ask if you wish to synchronize these
15140 with the server. This behavior is customizable with
15141 @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags}.
15143 @vindex gnus-agent-synchronize-flags
15144 If @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags} is @code{nil}, the Agent will
15145 never automatically synchronize flags. If it is @code{ask}, the
15146 default, the Agent will check if you made any changes and if so ask if
15147 you wish to synchronize these when you re-connect. If it has any other
15148 value, all flags will be synchronized automatically.
15150 If you do not wish to automatically synchronize flags when you
15151 re-connect, this can be done manually with the
15152 @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags} command that is bound to @kbd{J Y}
15153 in the group buffer by default.
15155 Some things are currently not implemented in the Agent that you'd might
15156 expect from a disconnected @sc{imap} client, including:
15161 Copying/moving articles into nnimap groups when unplugged.
15164 Creating/deleting nnimap groups when unplugged.
15168 Technical note: the synchronization algorithm does not work by "pushing"
15169 all local flags to the server, but rather incrementally update the
15170 server view of flags by changing only those flags that were changed by
15171 the user. Thus, if you set one flag on a article, quit the group and
15172 re-select the group and remove the flag; the flag will be set and
15173 removed from the server when you "synchronize". The queued flag
15174 operations can be found in the per-server @code{flags} file in the Agent
15175 directory. It's emptied when you synchronize flags.
15178 @node Outgoing Messages
15179 @subsection Outgoing Messages
15181 When Gnus is unplugged, all outgoing messages (both mail and news) are
15182 stored in the draft groups (@pxref{Drafts}). You can view them there
15183 after posting, and edit them at will.
15185 When Gnus is plugged again, you can send the messages either from the
15186 draft group with the special commands available there, or you can use
15187 the @kbd{J S} command in the group buffer to send all the sendable
15188 messages in the draft group.
15192 @node Agent Variables
15193 @subsection Agent Variables
15196 @item gnus-agent-directory
15197 @vindex gnus-agent-directory
15198 Where the Gnus Agent will store its files. The default is
15199 @file{~/News/agent/}.
15201 @item gnus-agent-handle-level
15202 @vindex gnus-agent-handle-level
15203 Groups on levels (@pxref{Group Levels}) higher than this variable will
15204 be ignored by the Agent. The default is @code{gnus-level-subscribed},
15205 which means that only subscribed group will be considered by the Agent
15208 @item gnus-agent-plugged-hook
15209 @vindex gnus-agent-plugged-hook
15210 Hook run when connecting to the network.
15212 @item gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
15213 @vindex gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
15214 Hook run when disconnecting from the network.
15219 @node Example Setup
15220 @subsection Example Setup
15222 If you don't want to read this manual, and you have a fairly standard
15223 setup, you may be able to use something like the following as your
15224 @file{.gnus.el} file to get started.
15227 ;;; Define how Gnus is to fetch news. We do this over @sc{nntp}
15228 ;;; from your ISP's server.
15229 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.your-isp.com"))
15231 ;;; Define how Gnus is to read your mail. We read mail from
15232 ;;; your ISP's POP server.
15233 (setq mail-sources '((pop :server "pop.your-isp.com")))
15235 ;;; Say how Gnus is to store the mail. We use nnml groups.
15236 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
15238 ;;; Make Gnus into an offline newsreader.
15242 That should be it, basically. Put that in your @file{~/.gnus.el} file,
15243 edit to suit your needs, start up PPP (or whatever), and type @kbd{M-x
15246 If this is the first time you've run Gnus, you will be subscribed
15247 automatically to a few default newsgroups. You'll probably want to
15248 subscribe to more groups, and to do that, you have to query the
15249 @sc{nntp} server for a complete list of groups with the @kbd{A A}
15250 command. This usually takes quite a while, but you only have to do it
15253 After reading and parsing a while, you'll be presented with a list of
15254 groups. Subscribe to the ones you want to read with the @kbd{u}
15255 command. @kbd{l} to make all the killed groups disappear after you've
15256 subscribe to all the groups you want to read. (@kbd{A k} will bring
15257 back all the killed groups.)
15259 You can now read the groups at once, or you can download the articles
15260 with the @kbd{J s} command. And then read the rest of this manual to
15261 find out which of the other gazillion things you want to customize.
15264 @node Batching Agents
15265 @subsection Batching Agents
15267 Having the Gnus Agent fetch articles (and post whatever messages you've
15268 written) is quite easy once you've gotten things set up properly. The
15269 following shell script will do everything that is necessary:
15273 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -f gnus-agent-batch >/dev/null
15277 @node Agent Caveats
15278 @subsection Agent Caveats
15280 The Gnus Agent doesn't seem to work like most other offline
15281 newsreaders. Here are some common questions that some imaginary people
15285 @item If I read an article while plugged, do they get entered into the
15290 @item If I read an article while plugged, and the article already exists
15291 in the Agent, will it get downloaded once more?
15297 In short, when Gnus is unplugged, it only looks into the locally stored
15298 articles; when it's plugged, it only talks to your ISP.
15305 Other people use @dfn{kill files}, but we here at Gnus Towers like
15306 scoring better than killing, so we'd rather switch than fight. They do
15307 something completely different as well, so sit up straight and pay
15310 @vindex gnus-summary-mark-below
15311 All articles have a default score (@code{gnus-summary-default-score}),
15312 which is 0 by default. This score may be raised or lowered either
15313 interactively or by score files. Articles that have a score lower than
15314 @code{gnus-summary-mark-below} are marked as read.
15316 Gnus will read any @dfn{score files} that apply to the current group
15317 before generating the summary buffer.
15319 There are several commands in the summary buffer that insert score
15320 entries based on the current article. You can, for instance, ask Gnus to
15321 lower or increase the score of all articles with a certain subject.
15323 There are two sorts of scoring entries: Permanent and temporary.
15324 Temporary score entries are self-expiring entries. Any entries that are
15325 temporary and have not been used for, say, a week, will be removed
15326 silently to help keep the sizes of the score files down.
15329 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
15330 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
15331 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
15332 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
15333 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
15334 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
15335 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
15336 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
15337 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
15338 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
15339 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
15340 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
15341 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
15342 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
15343 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
15344 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
15348 @node Summary Score Commands
15349 @section Summary Score Commands
15350 @cindex score commands
15352 The score commands that alter score entries do not actually modify real
15353 score files. That would be too inefficient. Gnus maintains a cache of
15354 previously loaded score files, one of which is considered the
15355 @dfn{current score file alist}. The score commands simply insert
15356 entries into this list, and upon group exit, this list is saved.
15358 The current score file is by default the group's local score file, even
15359 if no such score file actually exists. To insert score commands into
15360 some other score file (e.g. @file{all.SCORE}), you must first make this
15361 score file the current one.
15363 General score commands that don't actually change the score file:
15368 @kindex V s (Summary)
15369 @findex gnus-summary-set-score
15370 Set the score of the current article (@code{gnus-summary-set-score}).
15373 @kindex V S (Summary)
15374 @findex gnus-summary-current-score
15375 Display the score of the current article
15376 (@code{gnus-summary-current-score}).
15379 @kindex V t (Summary)
15380 @findex gnus-score-find-trace
15381 Display all score rules that have been used on the current article
15382 (@code{gnus-score-find-trace}).
15385 @kindex V R (Summary)
15386 @findex gnus-summary-rescore
15387 Run the current summary through the scoring process
15388 (@code{gnus-summary-rescore}). This might be useful if you're playing
15389 around with your score files behind Gnus' back and want to see the
15390 effect you're having.
15393 @kindex V c (Summary)
15394 @findex gnus-score-change-score-file
15395 Make a different score file the current
15396 (@code{gnus-score-change-score-file}).
15399 @kindex V e (Summary)
15400 @findex gnus-score-edit-current-scores
15401 Edit the current score file (@code{gnus-score-edit-current-scores}).
15402 You will be popped into a @code{gnus-score-mode} buffer (@pxref{Score
15406 @kindex V f (Summary)
15407 @findex gnus-score-edit-file
15408 Edit a score file and make this score file the current one
15409 (@code{gnus-score-edit-file}).
15412 @kindex V F (Summary)
15413 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
15414 Flush the score cache (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}). This is useful
15415 after editing score files.
15418 @kindex V C (Summary)
15419 @findex gnus-score-customize
15420 Customize a score file in a visually pleasing manner
15421 (@code{gnus-score-customize}).
15425 The rest of these commands modify the local score file.
15430 @kindex V m (Summary)
15431 @findex gnus-score-set-mark-below
15432 Prompt for a score, and mark all articles with a score below this as
15433 read (@code{gnus-score-set-mark-below}).
15436 @kindex V x (Summary)
15437 @findex gnus-score-set-expunge-below
15438 Prompt for a score, and add a score rule to the current score file to
15439 expunge all articles below this score
15440 (@code{gnus-score-set-expunge-below}).
15443 The keystrokes for actually making score entries follow a very regular
15444 pattern, so there's no need to list all the commands. (Hundreds of
15447 @findex gnus-summary-increase-score
15448 @findex gnus-summary-lower-score
15452 The first key is either @kbd{I} (upper case i) for increasing the score
15453 or @kbd{L} for lowering the score.
15455 The second key says what header you want to score on. The following
15456 keys are available:
15460 Score on the author name.
15463 Score on the subject line.
15466 Score on the @code{Xref} line---i.e., the cross-posting line.
15469 Score on the @code{References} line.
15475 Score on the number of lines.
15478 Score on the @code{Message-ID} header.
15481 Score on followups---this matches the author name, and adds scores to
15482 the followups to this author.
15496 The third key is the match type. Which match types are valid depends on
15497 what headers you are scoring on.
15509 Substring matching.
15512 Fuzzy matching (@pxref{Fuzzy Matching}).
15541 Greater than number.
15546 The fourth and final key says whether this is a temporary (i.e., expiring)
15547 score entry, or a permanent (i.e., non-expiring) score entry, or whether
15548 it is to be done immediately, without adding to the score file.
15552 Temporary score entry.
15555 Permanent score entry.
15558 Immediately scoring.
15563 So, let's say you want to increase the score on the current author with
15564 exact matching permanently: @kbd{I a e p}. If you want to lower the
15565 score based on the subject line, using substring matching, and make a
15566 temporary score entry: @kbd{L s s t}. Pretty easy.
15568 To make things a bit more complicated, there are shortcuts. If you use
15569 a capital letter on either the second or third keys, Gnus will use
15570 defaults for the remaining one or two keystrokes. The defaults are
15571 ``substring'' and ``temporary''. So @kbd{I A} is the same as @kbd{I a s
15572 t}, and @kbd{I a R} is the same as @kbd{I a r t}.
15574 These functions take both the numerical prefix and the symbolic prefix
15575 (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}). A numerical prefix says how much to lower
15576 (or increase) the score of the article. A symbolic prefix of @code{a}
15577 says to use the @file{all.SCORE} file for the command instead of the
15578 current score file.
15580 @vindex gnus-score-mimic-keymap
15581 The @code{gnus-score-mimic-keymap} says whether these commands will
15582 pretend they are keymaps or not.
15585 @node Group Score Commands
15586 @section Group Score Commands
15587 @cindex group score commands
15589 There aren't many of these as yet, I'm afraid.
15594 @kindex W f (Group)
15595 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
15596 Gnus maintains a cache of score alists to avoid having to reload them
15597 all the time. This command will flush the cache
15598 (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}).
15602 You can do scoring from the command line by saying something like:
15604 @findex gnus-batch-score
15605 @cindex batch scoring
15607 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-batch-score
15611 @node Score Variables
15612 @section Score Variables
15613 @cindex score variables
15617 @item gnus-use-scoring
15618 @vindex gnus-use-scoring
15619 If @code{nil}, Gnus will not check for score files, and will not, in
15620 general, do any score-related work. This is @code{t} by default.
15622 @item gnus-kill-killed
15623 @vindex gnus-kill-killed
15624 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will never apply score files to
15625 articles that have already been through the kill process. While this
15626 may save you lots of time, it also means that if you apply a kill file
15627 to a group, and then change the kill file and want to run it over you
15628 group again to kill more articles, it won't work. You have to set this
15629 variable to @code{t} to do that. (It is @code{t} by default.)
15631 @item gnus-kill-files-directory
15632 @vindex gnus-kill-files-directory
15633 All kill and score files will be stored in this directory, which is
15634 initialized from the @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable by default.
15635 This is @file{~/News/} by default.
15637 @item gnus-score-file-suffix
15638 @vindex gnus-score-file-suffix
15639 Suffix to add to the group name to arrive at the score file name
15640 (@samp{SCORE} by default.)
15642 @item gnus-score-uncacheable-files
15643 @vindex gnus-score-uncacheable-files
15644 @cindex score cache
15645 All score files are normally cached to avoid excessive re-loading of
15646 score files. However, if this might make your Emacs grow big and
15647 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
15648 @file{all.SCORE}, while it might be a good idea to not cache
15649 @file{comp.infosystems.www.authoring.misc.ADAPT}. In fact, this
15650 variable is @samp{ADAPT$} by default, so no adaptive score files will
15653 @item gnus-save-score
15654 @vindex gnus-save-score
15655 If you have really complicated score files, and do lots of batch
15656 scoring, then you might set this variable to @code{t}. This will make
15657 Gnus save the scores into the @file{.newsrc.eld} file.
15659 If you do not set this to @code{t}, then manual scores (like those set
15660 with @kbd{V s} (@code{gnus-summary-set-score})) will not be preserved
15661 across group visits.
15663 @item gnus-score-interactive-default-score
15664 @vindex gnus-score-interactive-default-score
15665 Score used by all the interactive raise/lower commands to raise/lower
15666 score with. Default is 1000, which may seem excessive, but this is to
15667 ensure that the adaptive scoring scheme gets enough room to play with.
15668 We don't want the small changes from the adaptive scoring to overwrite
15669 manually entered data.
15671 @item gnus-summary-default-score
15672 @vindex gnus-summary-default-score
15673 Default score of an article, which is 0 by default.
15675 @item gnus-summary-expunge-below
15676 @vindex gnus-summary-expunge-below
15677 Don't display the summary lines of articles that have scores lower than
15678 this variable. This is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
15679 articles will be hidden. This variable is local to the summary buffers,
15680 and has to be set from @code{gnus-summary-mode-hook}.
15682 @item gnus-score-over-mark
15683 @vindex gnus-score-over-mark
15684 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score over the
15685 default. Default is @samp{+}.
15687 @item gnus-score-below-mark
15688 @vindex gnus-score-below-mark
15689 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score below the
15690 default. Default is @samp{-}.
15692 @item gnus-score-find-score-files-function
15693 @vindex gnus-score-find-score-files-function
15694 Function used to find score files for the current group. This function
15695 is called with the name of the group as the argument.
15697 Predefined functions available are:
15700 @item gnus-score-find-single
15701 @findex gnus-score-find-single
15702 Only apply the group's own score file.
15704 @item gnus-score-find-bnews
15705 @findex gnus-score-find-bnews
15706 Apply all score files that match, using bnews syntax. This is the
15707 default. If the current group is @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}, for instance,
15708 @file{all.emacs.all.SCORE}, @file{not.alt.all.SCORE} and
15709 @file{gnu.all.SCORE} would all apply. In short, the instances of
15710 @samp{all} in the score file names are translated into @samp{.*}, and
15711 then a regexp match is done.
15713 This means that if you have some score entries that you want to apply to
15714 all groups, then you put those entries in the @file{all.SCORE} file.
15716 The score files are applied in a semi-random order, although Gnus will
15717 try to apply the more general score files before the more specific score
15718 files. It does this by looking at the number of elements in the score
15719 file names---discarding the @samp{all} elements.
15721 @item gnus-score-find-hierarchical
15722 @findex gnus-score-find-hierarchical
15723 Apply all score files from all the parent groups. This means that you
15724 can't have score files like @file{all.SCORE}, but you can have
15725 @file{SCORE}, @file{comp.SCORE} and @file{comp.emacs.SCORE} for each
15729 This variable can also be a list of functions. In that case, all these
15730 functions will be called with the group name as argument, and all the
15731 returned lists of score files will be applied. These functions can also
15732 return lists of score alists directly. In that case, the functions that
15733 return these non-file score alists should probably be placed before the
15734 ``real'' score file functions, to ensure that the last score file
15735 returned is the local score file. Phu.
15737 For example, to do hierarchical scoring but use a non-server-specific
15738 overall score file, you could use the value
15740 (list (lambda (group) ("all.SCORE")) 'gnus-score-find-hierarchical)
15743 @item gnus-score-expiry-days
15744 @vindex gnus-score-expiry-days
15745 This variable says how many days should pass before an unused score file
15746 entry is expired. If this variable is @code{nil}, no score file entries
15747 are expired. It's 7 by default.
15749 @item gnus-update-score-entry-dates
15750 @vindex gnus-update-score-entry-dates
15751 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, matching score entries will have
15752 their dates updated. (This is how Gnus controls expiry---all
15753 non-matching entries will become too old while matching entries will
15754 stay fresh and young.) However, if you set this variable to @code{nil},
15755 even matching entries will grow old and will have to face that oh-so
15758 @item gnus-score-after-write-file-function
15759 @vindex gnus-score-after-write-file-function
15760 Function called with the name of the score file just written.
15762 @item gnus-score-thread-simplify
15763 @vindex gnus-score-thread-simplify
15764 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, article subjects will be simplified
15765 for subject scoring purposes in the same manner as with
15766 threading---according to the current value of
15767 gnus-simplify-subject-functions. If the scoring entry uses
15768 @code{substring} or @code{exact} matching, the match will also be
15769 simplified in this manner.
15774 @node Score File Format
15775 @section Score File Format
15776 @cindex score file format
15778 A score file is an @code{emacs-lisp} file that normally contains just a
15779 single form. Casual users are not expected to edit these files;
15780 everything can be changed from the summary buffer.
15782 Anyway, if you'd like to dig into it yourself, here's an example:
15786 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" -10000)
15788 ("larsi\\|lmi" -50000 nil R))
15790 ("Ding is Badd" nil 728373))
15792 ("alt.politics" -1000 728372 s))
15797 (mark-and-expunge -10)
15801 (files "/hom/larsi/News/gnu.SCORE")
15802 (exclude-files "all.SCORE")
15803 (local (gnus-newsgroup-auto-expire t)
15804 (gnus-summary-make-false-root empty))
15808 This example demonstrates most score file elements. For a different
15809 approach, see @pxref{Advanced Scoring}.
15811 Even though this looks much like lisp code, nothing here is actually
15812 @code{eval}ed. The lisp reader is used to read this form, though, so it
15813 has to be valid syntactically, if not semantically.
15815 Six keys are supported by this alist:
15820 If the key is a string, it is the name of the header to perform the
15821 match on. Scoring can only be performed on these eight headers:
15822 @code{From}, @code{Subject}, @code{References}, @code{Message-ID},
15823 @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars} and @code{Date}. In addition to
15824 these headers, there are three strings to tell Gnus to fetch the entire
15825 article and do the match on larger parts of the article: @code{Body}
15826 will perform the match on the body of the article, @code{Head} will
15827 perform the match on the head of the article, and @code{All} will
15828 perform the match on the entire article. Note that using any of these
15829 last three keys will slow down group entry @emph{considerably}. The
15830 final ``header'' you can score on is @code{Followup}. These score
15831 entries will result in new score entries being added for all follow-ups
15832 to articles that matches these score entries.
15834 Following this key is a arbitrary number of score entries, where each
15835 score entry has one to four elements.
15839 The first element is the @dfn{match element}. On most headers this will
15840 be a string, but on the Lines and Chars headers, this must be an
15844 If the second element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{score
15845 element}. This number should be an integer in the neginf to posinf
15846 interval. This number is added to the score of the article if the match
15847 is successful. If this element is not present, the
15848 @code{gnus-score-interactive-default-score} number will be used
15849 instead. This is 1000 by default.
15852 If the third element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{date
15853 element}. This date says when the last time this score entry matched,
15854 which provides a mechanism for expiring the score entries. It this
15855 element is not present, the score entry is permanent. The date is
15856 represented by the number of days since December 31, 1 BCE.
15859 If the fourth element is present, it should be a symbol---the @dfn{type
15860 element}. This element specifies what function should be used to see
15861 whether this score entry matches the article. What match types that can
15862 be used depends on what header you wish to perform the match on.
15865 @item From, Subject, References, Xref, Message-ID
15866 For most header types, there are the @code{r} and @code{R} (regexp), as
15867 well as @code{s} and @code{S} (substring) types, and @code{e} and
15868 @code{E} (exact match), and @code{w} (word match) types. If this
15869 element is not present, Gnus will assume that substring matching should
15870 be used. @code{R}, @code{S}, and @code{E} differ from the others in
15871 that the matches will be done in a case-sensitive manner. All these
15872 one-letter types are really just abbreviations for the @code{regexp},
15873 @code{string}, @code{exact}, and @code{word} types, which you can use
15874 instead, if you feel like.
15877 These two headers use different match types: @code{<}, @code{>},
15878 @code{=}, @code{>=} and @code{<=}.
15880 These predicates are true if
15883 (PREDICATE HEADER MATCH)
15886 evaluates to non-@code{nil}. For instance, the advanced match
15887 @code{("lines" 4 <)} (@pxref{Advanced Scoring}) will result in the
15894 Or to put it another way: When using @code{<} on @code{Lines} with 4 as
15895 the match, we get the score added if the article has less than 4 lines.
15896 (It's easy to get confused and think it's the other way around. But
15897 it's not. I think.)
15899 When matching on @code{Lines}, be careful because some backends (like
15900 @code{nndir}) do not generate @code{Lines} header, so every article ends
15901 up being marked as having 0 lines. This can lead to strange results if
15902 you happen to lower score of the articles with few lines.
15905 For the Date header we have three kinda silly match types:
15906 @code{before}, @code{at} and @code{after}. I can't really imagine this
15907 ever being useful, but, like, it would feel kinda silly not to provide
15908 this function. Just in case. You never know. Better safe than sorry.
15909 Once burnt, twice shy. Don't judge a book by its cover. Never not have
15910 sex on a first date. (I have been told that at least one person, and I
15911 quote, ``found this function indispensable'', however.)
15915 A more useful match type is @code{regexp}. With it, you can match the
15916 date string using a regular expression. The date is normalized to
15917 ISO8601 compact format first---@var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS}. If
15918 you want to match all articles that have been posted on April 1st in
15919 every year, you could use @samp{....0401.........} as a match string,
15920 for instance. (Note that the date is kept in its original time zone, so
15921 this will match articles that were posted when it was April 1st where
15922 the article was posted from. Time zones are such wholesome fun for the
15925 @item Head, Body, All
15926 These three match keys use the same match types as the @code{From} (etc)
15930 This match key is somewhat special, in that it will match the
15931 @code{From} header, and affect the score of not only the matching
15932 articles, but also all followups to the matching articles. This allows
15933 you e.g. increase the score of followups to your own articles, or
15934 decrease the score of followups to the articles of some known
15935 trouble-maker. Uses the same match types as the @code{From} header
15936 uses. (Using this match key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT}
15940 This match key works along the same lines as the @code{Followup} match
15941 key. If you say that you want to score on a (sub-)thread started by an
15942 article with a @code{Message-ID} @var{x}, then you add a @samp{thread}
15943 match. This will add a new @samp{thread} match for each article that
15944 has @var{x} in its @code{References} header. (These new @samp{thread}
15945 matches will use the @code{Message-ID}s of these matching articles.)
15946 This will ensure that you can raise/lower the score of an entire thread,
15947 even though some articles in the thread may not have complete
15948 @code{References} headers. Note that using this may lead to
15949 undeterministic scores of the articles in the thread. (Using this match
15950 key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT} files.)
15954 @cindex Score File Atoms
15956 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
15957 lower than this number will be marked as read.
15960 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
15961 lower than this number will be removed from the summary buffer.
15963 @item mark-and-expunge
15964 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
15965 lower than this number will be marked as read and removed from the
15968 @item thread-mark-and-expunge
15969 The value of this entry should be a number. All articles that belong to
15970 a thread that has a total score below this number will be marked as read
15971 and removed from the summary buffer. @code{gnus-thread-score-function}
15972 says how to compute the total score for a thread.
15975 The value of this entry should be any number of file names. These files
15976 are assumed to be score files as well, and will be loaded the same way
15979 @item exclude-files
15980 The clue of this entry should be any number of files. These files will
15981 not be loaded, even though they would normally be so, for some reason or
15985 The value of this entry will be @code{eval}el. This element will be
15986 ignored when handling global score files.
15989 Read-only score files will not be updated or saved. Global score files
15990 should feature this atom (@pxref{Global Score Files}). (Note:
15991 @dfn{Global} here really means @dfn{global}; not your personal
15992 apply-to-all-groups score files.)
15995 The value of this entry should be a number. Articles that do not have
15996 parents will get this number added to their scores. Imagine you follow
15997 some high-volume newsgroup, like @samp{comp.lang.c}. Most likely you
15998 will only follow a few of the threads, also want to see any new threads.
16000 You can do this with the following two score file entries:
16004 (mark-and-expunge -100)
16007 When you enter the group the first time, you will only see the new
16008 threads. You then raise the score of the threads that you find
16009 interesting (with @kbd{I T} or @kbd{I S}), and ignore (@kbd{C y}) the
16010 rest. Next time you enter the group, you will see new articles in the
16011 interesting threads, plus any new threads.
16013 I.e.---the orphan score atom is for high-volume groups where there
16014 exist a few interesting threads which can't be found automatically by
16015 ordinary scoring rules.
16018 This entry controls the adaptive scoring. If it is @code{t}, the
16019 default adaptive scoring rules will be used. If it is @code{ignore}, no
16020 adaptive scoring will be performed on this group. If it is a list, this
16021 list will be used as the adaptive scoring rules. If it isn't present,
16022 or is something other than @code{t} or @code{ignore}, the default
16023 adaptive scoring rules will be used. If you want to use adaptive
16024 scoring on most groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
16025 @code{t}, and insert an @code{(adapt ignore)} in the groups where you do
16026 not want adaptive scoring. If you only want adaptive scoring in a few
16027 groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to @code{nil}, and
16028 insert @code{(adapt t)} in the score files of the groups where you want
16032 All adaptive score entries will go to the file named by this entry. It
16033 will also be applied when entering the group. This atom might be handy
16034 if you want to adapt on several groups at once, using the same adaptive
16035 file for a number of groups.
16038 @cindex local variables
16039 The value of this entry should be a list of @code{(VAR VALUE)} pairs.
16040 Each @var{var} will be made buffer-local to the current summary buffer,
16041 and set to the value specified. This is a convenient, if somewhat
16042 strange, way of setting variables in some groups if you don't like hooks
16043 much. Note that the @var{value} won't be evaluated.
16047 @node Score File Editing
16048 @section Score File Editing
16050 You normally enter all scoring commands from the summary buffer, but you
16051 might feel the urge to edit them by hand as well, so we've supplied you
16052 with a mode for that.
16054 It's simply a slightly customized @code{emacs-lisp} mode, with these
16055 additional commands:
16060 @kindex C-c C-c (Score)
16061 @findex gnus-score-edit-done
16062 Save the changes you have made and return to the summary buffer
16063 (@code{gnus-score-edit-done}).
16066 @kindex C-c C-d (Score)
16067 @findex gnus-score-edit-insert-date
16068 Insert the current date in numerical format
16069 (@code{gnus-score-edit-insert-date}). This is really the day number, if
16070 you were wondering.
16073 @kindex C-c C-p (Score)
16074 @findex gnus-score-pretty-print
16075 The adaptive score files are saved in an unformatted fashion. If you
16076 intend to read one of these files, you want to @dfn{pretty print} it
16077 first. This command (@code{gnus-score-pretty-print}) does that for
16082 Type @kbd{M-x gnus-score-mode} to use this mode.
16084 @vindex gnus-score-mode-hook
16085 @code{gnus-score-menu-hook} is run in score mode buffers.
16087 In the summary buffer you can use commands like @kbd{V f} and @kbd{V
16088 e} to begin editing score files.
16091 @node Adaptive Scoring
16092 @section Adaptive Scoring
16093 @cindex adaptive scoring
16095 If all this scoring is getting you down, Gnus has a way of making it all
16096 happen automatically---as if by magic. Or rather, as if by artificial
16097 stupidity, to be precise.
16099 @vindex gnus-use-adaptive-scoring
16100 When you read an article, or mark an article as read, or kill an
16101 article, you leave marks behind. On exit from the group, Gnus can sniff
16102 these marks and add score elements depending on what marks it finds.
16103 You turn on this ability by setting @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
16104 @code{t} or @code{(line)}. If you want score adaptively on separate
16105 words appearing in the subjects, you should set this variable to
16106 @code{(word)}. If you want to use both adaptive methods, set this
16107 variable to @code{(word line)}.
16109 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
16110 To give you complete control over the scoring process, you can customize
16111 the @code{gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist} variable. For instance, it
16112 might look something like this:
16115 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
16116 '((gnus-unread-mark)
16117 (gnus-ticked-mark (from 4))
16118 (gnus-dormant-mark (from 5))
16119 (gnus-del-mark (from -4) (subject -1))
16120 (gnus-read-mark (from 4) (subject 2))
16121 (gnus-expirable-mark (from -1) (subject -1))
16122 (gnus-killed-mark (from -1) (subject -3))
16123 (gnus-kill-file-mark)
16124 (gnus-ancient-mark)
16125 (gnus-low-score-mark)
16126 (gnus-catchup-mark (from -1) (subject -1))))
16129 As you see, each element in this alist has a mark as a key (either a
16130 variable name or a ``real'' mark---a character). Following this key is
16131 a arbitrary number of header/score pairs. If there are no header/score
16132 pairs following the key, no adaptive scoring will be done on articles
16133 that have that key as the article mark. For instance, articles with
16134 @code{gnus-unread-mark} in the example above will not get adaptive score
16137 Each article can have only one mark, so just a single of these rules
16138 will be applied to each article.
16140 To take @code{gnus-del-mark} as an example---this alist says that all
16141 articles that have that mark (i.e., are marked with @samp{D}) will have a
16142 score entry added to lower based on the @code{From} header by -4, and
16143 lowered by @code{Subject} by -1. Change this to fit your prejudices.
16145 If you have marked 10 articles with the same subject with
16146 @code{gnus-del-mark}, the rule for that mark will be applied ten times.
16147 That means that that subject will get a score of ten times -1, which
16148 should be, unless I'm much mistaken, -10.
16150 If you have auto-expirable (mail) groups (@pxref{Expiring Mail}), all
16151 the read articles will be marked with the @samp{E} mark. This'll
16152 probably make adaptive scoring slightly impossible, so auto-expiring and
16153 adaptive scoring doesn't really mix very well.
16155 The headers you can score on are @code{from}, @code{subject},
16156 @code{message-id}, @code{references}, @code{xref}, @code{lines},
16157 @code{chars} and @code{date}. In addition, you can score on
16158 @code{followup}, which will create an adaptive score entry that matches
16159 on the @code{References} header using the @code{Message-ID} of the
16160 current article, thereby matching the following thread.
16162 You can also score on @code{thread}, which will try to score all
16163 articles that appear in a thread. @code{thread} matches uses a
16164 @code{Message-ID} to match on the @code{References} header of the
16165 article. If the match is made, the @code{Message-ID} of the article is
16166 added to the @code{thread} rule. (Think about it. I'd recommend two
16167 aspirins afterwards.)
16169 If you use this scheme, you should set the score file atom @code{mark}
16170 to something small---like -300, perhaps, to avoid having small random
16171 changes result in articles getting marked as read.
16173 After using adaptive scoring for a week or so, Gnus should start to
16174 become properly trained and enhance the authors you like best, and kill
16175 the authors you like least, without you having to say so explicitly.
16177 You can control what groups the adaptive scoring is to be performed on
16178 by using the score files (@pxref{Score File Format}). This will also
16179 let you use different rules in different groups.
16181 @vindex gnus-adaptive-file-suffix
16182 The adaptive score entries will be put into a file where the name is the
16183 group name with @code{gnus-adaptive-file-suffix} appended. The default
16186 @vindex gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit
16187 When doing adaptive scoring, substring or fuzzy matching would probably
16188 give you the best results in most cases. However, if the header one
16189 matches is short, the possibility for false positives is great, so if
16190 the length of the match is less than
16191 @code{gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit}, exact matching will be used. If
16192 this variable is @code{nil}, exact matching will always be used to avoid
16195 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
16196 As mentioned above, you can adapt either on individual words or entire
16197 headers. If you adapt on words, the
16198 @code{gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist} variable says what score
16199 each instance of a word should add given a mark.
16202 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
16203 `((,gnus-read-mark . 30)
16204 (,gnus-catchup-mark . -10)
16205 (,gnus-killed-mark . -20)
16206 (,gnus-del-mark . -15)))
16209 This is the default value. If you have adaption on words enabled, every
16210 word that appears in subjects of articles marked with
16211 @code{gnus-read-mark} will result in a score rule that increase the
16212 score with 30 points.
16214 @vindex gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words
16215 @vindex gnus-ignored-adaptive-words
16216 Words that appear in the @code{gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words} list
16217 will be ignored. If you wish to add more words to be ignored, use the
16218 @code{gnus-ignored-adaptive-words} list instead.
16220 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-length-limit
16221 Some may feel that short words shouldn't count when doing adaptive
16222 scoring. If so, you may set @code{gnus-adaptive-word-length-limit} to
16223 an integer. Words shorter than this number will be ignored. This
16224 variable defaults til @code{nil}.
16226 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table
16227 When the scoring is done, @code{gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table} is the
16228 syntax table in effect. It is similar to the standard syntax table, but
16229 it considers numbers to be non-word-constituent characters.
16231 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-minimum
16232 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} is set to a number, the adaptive
16233 word scoring process will never bring down the score of an article to
16234 below this number. The default is @code{nil}.
16236 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-no-group-words
16237 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-no-group-words} is set to @code{t}, gnus
16238 won't adaptively word score any of the words in the group name. Useful
16239 for groups like @samp{comp.editors.emacs}, where most of the subject
16240 lines contain the word @samp{emacs}.
16242 After using this scheme for a while, it might be nice to write a
16243 @code{gnus-psychoanalyze-user} command to go through the rules and see
16244 what words you like and what words you don't like. Or perhaps not.
16246 Note that the adaptive word scoring thing is highly experimental and is
16247 likely to change in the future. Initial impressions seem to indicate
16248 that it's totally useless as it stands. Some more work (involving more
16249 rigorous statistical methods) will have to be done to make this useful.
16252 @node Home Score File
16253 @section Home Score File
16255 The score file where new score file entries will go is called the
16256 @dfn{home score file}. This is normally (and by default) the score file
16257 for the group itself. For instance, the home score file for
16258 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} is @file{gnu.emacs.gnus.SCORE}.
16260 However, this may not be what you want. It is often convenient to share
16261 a common home score file among many groups---all @samp{emacs} groups
16262 could perhaps use the same home score file.
16264 @vindex gnus-home-score-file
16265 The variable that controls this is @code{gnus-home-score-file}. It can
16270 A string. Then this file will be used as the home score file for all
16274 A function. The result of this function will be used as the home score
16275 file. The function will be called with the name of the group as the
16279 A list. The elements in this list can be:
16283 @code{(@var{regexp} @var{file-name})}. If the @var{regexp} matches the
16284 group name, the @var{file-name} will be used as the home score file.
16287 A function. If the function returns non-nil, the result will be used as
16288 the home score file.
16291 A string. Use the string as the home score file.
16294 The list will be traversed from the beginning towards the end looking
16299 So, if you want to use just a single score file, you could say:
16302 (setq gnus-home-score-file
16303 "my-total-score-file.SCORE")
16306 If you want to use @file{gnu.SCORE} for all @samp{gnu} groups and
16307 @file{rec.SCORE} for all @samp{rec} groups (and so on), you can say:
16309 @findex gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file
16311 (setq gnus-home-score-file
16312 'gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file)
16315 This is a ready-made function provided for your convenience.
16316 Other functions include
16319 @item gnus-current-home-score-file
16320 @findex gnus-current-home-score-file
16321 Return the ``current'' regular score file. This will make scoring
16322 commands add entry to the ``innermost'' matching score file.
16326 If you want to have one score file for the @samp{emacs} groups and
16327 another for the @samp{comp} groups, while letting all other groups use
16328 their own home score files:
16331 (setq gnus-home-score-file
16332 ;; All groups that match the regexp "\\.emacs"
16333 '(("\\.emacs" "emacs.SCORE")
16334 ;; All the comp groups in one score file
16335 ("^comp" "comp.SCORE")))
16338 @vindex gnus-home-adapt-file
16339 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file} works exactly the same way as
16340 @code{gnus-home-score-file}, but says what the home adaptive score file
16341 is instead. All new adaptive file entries will go into the file
16342 specified by this variable, and the same syntax is allowed.
16344 In addition to using @code{gnus-home-score-file} and
16345 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file}, you can also use group parameters
16346 (@pxref{Group Parameters}) and topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
16347 Parameters}) to achieve much the same. Group and topic parameters take
16348 precedence over this variable.
16351 @node Followups To Yourself
16352 @section Followups To Yourself
16354 Gnus offers two commands for picking out the @code{Message-ID} header in
16355 the current buffer. Gnus will then add a score rule that scores using
16356 this @code{Message-ID} on the @code{References} header of other
16357 articles. This will, in effect, increase the score of all articles that
16358 respond to the article in the current buffer. Quite useful if you want
16359 to easily note when people answer what you've said.
16363 @item gnus-score-followup-article
16364 @findex gnus-score-followup-article
16365 This will add a score to articles that directly follow up your own
16368 @item gnus-score-followup-thread
16369 @findex gnus-score-followup-thread
16370 This will add a score to all articles that appear in a thread ``below''
16374 @vindex message-sent-hook
16375 These two functions are both primarily meant to be used in hooks like
16376 @code{message-sent-hook}, like this:
16378 (add-hook 'message-sent-hook 'gnus-score-followup-thread)
16382 If you look closely at your own @code{Message-ID}, you'll notice that
16383 the first two or three characters are always the same. Here's two of
16387 <x6u3u47icf.fsf@@eyesore.no>
16388 <x6sp9o7ibw.fsf@@eyesore.no>
16391 So ``my'' ident on this machine is @samp{x6}. This can be
16392 exploited---the following rule will raise the score on all followups to
16397 ("<x6[0-9a-z]+\\.fsf\\(_-_\\)?@@.*eyesore\\.no>"
16401 Whether it's the first two or first three characters that are ``yours''
16402 is system-dependent.
16406 @section Scoring Tips
16407 @cindex scoring tips
16413 @cindex scoring crossposts
16414 If you want to lower the score of crossposts, the line to match on is
16415 the @code{Xref} header.
16417 ("xref" (" talk.politics.misc:" -1000))
16420 @item Multiple crossposts
16421 If you want to lower the score of articles that have been crossposted to
16422 more than, say, 3 groups:
16424 ("xref" ("[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+" -1000 nil r))
16427 @item Matching on the body
16428 This is generally not a very good idea---it takes a very long time.
16429 Gnus actually has to fetch each individual article from the server. But
16430 you might want to anyway, I guess. Even though there are three match
16431 keys (@code{Head}, @code{Body} and @code{All}), you should choose one
16432 and stick with it in each score file. If you use any two, each article
16433 will be fetched @emph{twice}. If you want to match a bit on the
16434 @code{Head} and a bit on the @code{Body}, just use @code{All} for all
16437 @item Marking as read
16438 You will probably want to mark articles that have scores below a certain
16439 number as read. This is most easily achieved by putting the following
16440 in your @file{all.SCORE} file:
16444 You may also consider doing something similar with @code{expunge}.
16446 @item Negated character classes
16447 If you say stuff like @code{[^abcd]*}, you may get unexpected results.
16448 That will match newlines, which might lead to, well, The Unknown. Say
16449 @code{[^abcd\n]*} instead.
16453 @node Reverse Scoring
16454 @section Reverse Scoring
16455 @cindex reverse scoring
16457 If you want to keep just articles that have @samp{Sex with Emacs} in the
16458 subject header, and expunge all other articles, you could put something
16459 like this in your score file:
16463 ("Sex with Emacs" 2))
16468 So, you raise all articles that match @samp{Sex with Emacs} and mark the
16469 rest as read, and expunge them to boot.
16472 @node Global Score Files
16473 @section Global Score Files
16474 @cindex global score files
16476 Sure, other newsreaders have ``global kill files''. These are usually
16477 nothing more than a single kill file that applies to all groups, stored
16478 in the user's home directory. Bah! Puny, weak newsreaders!
16480 What I'm talking about here are Global Score Files. Score files from
16481 all over the world, from users everywhere, uniting all nations in one
16482 big, happy score file union! Ange-score! New and untested!
16484 @vindex gnus-global-score-files
16485 All you have to do to use other people's score files is to set the
16486 @code{gnus-global-score-files} variable. One entry for each score file,
16487 or each score file directory. Gnus will decide by itself what score
16488 files are applicable to which group.
16490 Say you want to use the score file
16491 @file{/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE} and
16492 all score files in the @file{/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score} directory:
16495 (setq gnus-global-score-files
16496 '("/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE"
16497 "/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score/"))
16500 @findex gnus-score-search-global-directories
16501 Simple, eh? Directory names must end with a @samp{/}. These
16502 directories are typically scanned only once during each Gnus session.
16503 If you feel the need to manually re-scan the remote directories, you can
16504 use the @code{gnus-score-search-global-directories} command.
16506 Note that, at present, using this option will slow down group entry
16507 somewhat. (That is---a lot.)
16509 If you want to start maintaining score files for other people to use,
16510 just put your score file up for anonymous ftp and announce it to the
16511 world. Become a retro-moderator! Participate in the retro-moderator
16512 wars sure to ensue, where retro-moderators battle it out for the
16513 sympathy of the people, luring them to use their score files on false
16514 premises! Yay! The net is saved!
16516 Here are some tips for the would-be retro-moderator, off the top of my
16522 Articles heavily crossposted are probably junk.
16524 To lower a single inappropriate article, lower by @code{Message-ID}.
16526 Particularly brilliant authors can be raised on a permanent basis.
16528 Authors that repeatedly post off-charter for the group can safely be
16529 lowered out of existence.
16531 Set the @code{mark} and @code{expunge} atoms to obliterate the nastiest
16532 articles completely.
16535 Use expiring score entries to keep the size of the file down. You
16536 should probably have a long expiry period, though, as some sites keep
16537 old articles for a long time.
16540 ... I wonder whether other newsreaders will support global score files
16541 in the future. @emph{Snicker}. Yup, any day now, newsreaders like Blue
16542 Wave, xrn and 1stReader are bound to implement scoring. Should we start
16543 holding our breath yet?
16547 @section Kill Files
16550 Gnus still supports those pesky old kill files. In fact, the kill file
16551 entries can now be expiring, which is something I wrote before Daniel
16552 Quinlan thought of doing score files, so I've left the code in there.
16554 In short, kill processing is a lot slower (and I do mean @emph{a lot})
16555 than score processing, so it might be a good idea to rewrite your kill
16556 files into score files.
16558 Anyway, a kill file is a normal @code{emacs-lisp} file. You can put any
16559 forms into this file, which means that you can use kill files as some
16560 sort of primitive hook function to be run on group entry, even though
16561 that isn't a very good idea.
16563 Normal kill files look like this:
16566 (gnus-kill "From" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
16567 (gnus-kill "Subject" "ding")
16571 This will mark every article written by me as read, and remove the
16572 marked articles from the summary buffer. Very useful, you'll agree.
16574 Other programs use a totally different kill file syntax. If Gnus
16575 encounters what looks like a @code{rn} kill file, it will take a stab at
16578 Two summary functions for editing a GNUS kill file:
16583 @kindex M-k (Summary)
16584 @findex gnus-summary-edit-local-kill
16585 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-local-kill}).
16588 @kindex M-K (Summary)
16589 @findex gnus-summary-edit-global-kill
16590 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-global-kill}).
16593 Two group mode functions for editing the kill files:
16598 @kindex M-k (Group)
16599 @findex gnus-group-edit-local-kill
16600 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-local-kill}).
16603 @kindex M-K (Group)
16604 @findex gnus-group-edit-global-kill
16605 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-global-kill}).
16608 Kill file variables:
16611 @item gnus-kill-file-name
16612 @vindex gnus-kill-file-name
16613 A kill file for the group @samp{soc.motss} is normally called
16614 @file{soc.motss.KILL}. The suffix appended to the group name to get
16615 this file name is detailed by the @code{gnus-kill-file-name} variable.
16616 The ``global'' kill file (not in the score file sense of ``global'', of
16617 course) is just called @file{KILL}.
16619 @vindex gnus-kill-save-kill-file
16620 @item gnus-kill-save-kill-file
16621 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will save the
16622 kill file after processing, which is necessary if you use expiring
16625 @item gnus-apply-kill-hook
16626 @vindex gnus-apply-kill-hook
16627 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored
16628 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file
16629 A hook called to apply kill files to a group. It is
16630 @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file)} by default. If you want to ignore the
16631 kill file if you have a score file for the same group, you can set this
16632 hook to @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored)}. If you don't want
16633 kill files to be processed, you should set this variable to @code{nil}.
16635 @item gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
16636 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
16637 A hook called in kill-file mode buffers.
16642 @node Converting Kill Files
16643 @section Converting Kill Files
16645 @cindex converting kill files
16647 If you have loads of old kill files, you may want to convert them into
16648 score files. If they are ``regular'', you can use
16649 the @file{gnus-kill-to-score.el} package; if not, you'll have to do it
16652 The kill to score conversion package isn't included in Gnus by default.
16653 You can fetch it from
16654 @uref{http://www.stud.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/ding-various/gnus-kill-to-score.el}.
16656 If your old kill files are very complex---if they contain more
16657 non-@code{gnus-kill} forms than not, you'll have to convert them by
16658 hand. Or just let them be as they are. Gnus will still use them as
16666 GroupLens is a collaborative filtering system that helps you work
16667 together with other people to find the quality news articles out of the
16668 huge volume of news articles generated every day.
16670 To accomplish this the GroupLens system combines your opinions about
16671 articles you have already read with the opinions of others who have done
16672 likewise and gives you a personalized prediction for each unread news
16673 article. Think of GroupLens as a matchmaker. GroupLens watches how you
16674 rate articles, and finds other people that rate articles the same way.
16675 Once it has found some people you agree with it tells you, in the form
16676 of a prediction, what they thought of the article. You can use this
16677 prediction to help you decide whether or not you want to read the
16681 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
16682 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
16683 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
16684 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
16688 @node Using GroupLens
16689 @subsection Using GroupLens
16691 To use GroupLens you must register a pseudonym with your local Better
16693 @uref{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/bbb.html} is the only
16694 better bit in town at the moment.
16696 Once you have registered you'll need to set a couple of variables.
16700 @item gnus-use-grouplens
16701 @vindex gnus-use-grouplens
16702 Setting this variable to a non-@code{nil} value will make Gnus hook into
16703 all the relevant GroupLens functions.
16705 @item grouplens-pseudonym
16706 @vindex grouplens-pseudonym
16707 This variable should be set to the pseudonym you got when registering
16708 with the Better Bit Bureau.
16710 @item grouplens-newsgroups
16711 @vindex grouplens-newsgroups
16712 A list of groups that you want to get GroupLens predictions for.
16716 That's the minimum of what you need to get up and running with GroupLens.
16717 Once you've registered, GroupLens will start giving you scores for
16718 articles based on the average of what other people think. But, to get
16719 the real benefit of GroupLens you need to start rating articles
16720 yourself. Then the scores GroupLens gives you will be personalized for
16721 you, based on how the people you usually agree with have already rated.
16724 @node Rating Articles
16725 @subsection Rating Articles
16727 In GroupLens, an article is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, inclusive.
16728 Where 1 means something like this article is a waste of bandwidth and 5
16729 means that the article was really good. The basic question to ask
16730 yourself is, "on a scale from 1 to 5 would I like to see more articles
16733 There are four ways to enter a rating for an article in GroupLens.
16738 @kindex r (GroupLens)
16739 @findex bbb-summary-rate-article
16740 This function will prompt you for a rating on a scale of one to five.
16743 @kindex k (GroupLens)
16744 @findex grouplens-score-thread
16745 This function will prompt you for a rating, and rate all the articles in
16746 the thread. This is really useful for some of those long running giant
16747 threads in rec.humor.
16751 The next two commands, @kbd{n} and @kbd{,} take a numerical prefix to be
16752 the score of the article you're reading.
16757 @kindex n (GroupLens)
16758 @findex grouplens-next-unread-article
16759 Rate the article and go to the next unread article.
16762 @kindex , (GroupLens)
16763 @findex grouplens-best-unread-article
16764 Rate the article and go to the next unread article with the highest score.
16768 If you want to give the current article a score of 4 and then go to the
16769 next article, just type @kbd{4 n}.
16772 @node Displaying Predictions
16773 @subsection Displaying Predictions
16775 GroupLens makes a prediction for you about how much you will like a
16776 news article. The predictions from GroupLens are on a scale from 1 to
16777 5, where 1 is the worst and 5 is the best. You can use the predictions
16778 from GroupLens in one of three ways controlled by the variable
16779 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring}.
16781 @vindex gnus-grouplens-override-scoring
16782 There are three ways to display predictions in grouplens. You may
16783 choose to have the GroupLens scores contribute to, or override the
16784 regular gnus scoring mechanism. override is the default; however, some
16785 people prefer to see the Gnus scores plus the grouplens scores. To get
16786 the separate scoring behavior you need to set
16787 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'separate}. To have the
16788 GroupLens predictions combined with the grouplens scores set it to
16789 @code{'override} and to combine the scores set
16790 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'combine}. When you use
16791 the combine option you will also want to set the values for
16792 @code{grouplens-prediction-offset} and
16793 @code{grouplens-score-scale-factor}.
16795 @vindex grouplens-prediction-display
16796 In either case, GroupLens gives you a few choices for how you would like
16797 to see your predictions displayed. The display of predictions is
16798 controlled by the @code{grouplens-prediction-display} variable.
16800 The following are valid values for that variable.
16803 @item prediction-spot
16804 The higher the prediction, the further to the right an @samp{*} is
16807 @item confidence-interval
16808 A numeric confidence interval.
16810 @item prediction-bar
16811 The higher the prediction, the longer the bar.
16813 @item confidence-bar
16814 Numerical confidence.
16816 @item confidence-spot
16817 The spot gets bigger with more confidence.
16819 @item prediction-num
16820 Plain-old numeric value.
16822 @item confidence-plus-minus
16823 Prediction +/- confidence.
16828 @node GroupLens Variables
16829 @subsection GroupLens Variables
16833 @item gnus-summary-grouplens-line-format
16834 The summary line format used in GroupLens-enhanced summary buffers. It
16835 accepts the same specs as the normal summary line format (@pxref{Summary
16836 Buffer Lines}). The default is @samp{%U%R%z%l%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%)
16839 @item grouplens-bbb-host
16840 Host running the bbbd server. @samp{grouplens.cs.umn.edu} is the
16843 @item grouplens-bbb-port
16844 Port of the host running the bbbd server. The default is 9000.
16846 @item grouplens-score-offset
16847 Offset the prediction by this value. In other words, subtract the
16848 prediction value by this number to arrive at the effective score. The
16851 @item grouplens-score-scale-factor
16852 This variable allows the user to magnify the effect of GroupLens scores.
16853 The scale factor is applied after the offset. The default is 1.
16858 @node Advanced Scoring
16859 @section Advanced Scoring
16861 Scoring on Subjects and From headers is nice enough, but what if you're
16862 really interested in what a person has to say only when she's talking
16863 about a particular subject? Or what if you really don't want to
16864 read what person A has to say when she's following up to person B, but
16865 want to read what she says when she's following up to person C?
16867 By using advanced scoring rules you may create arbitrarily complex
16871 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
16872 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
16873 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
16877 @node Advanced Scoring Syntax
16878 @subsection Advanced Scoring Syntax
16880 Ordinary scoring rules have a string as the first element in the rule.
16881 Advanced scoring rules have a list as the first element. The second
16882 element is the score to be applied if the first element evaluated to a
16883 non-@code{nil} value.
16885 These lists may consist of three logical operators, one redirection
16886 operator, and various match operators.
16893 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
16894 one that evaluates to @code{false}, and then it'll stop. If all arguments
16895 evaluate to @code{true} values, then this operator will return
16900 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
16901 one that evaluates to @code{true}. If no arguments are @code{true},
16902 then this operator will return @code{false}.
16907 This logical operator only takes a single argument. It returns the
16908 logical negation of the value of its argument.
16912 There is an @dfn{indirection operator} that will make its arguments
16913 apply to the ancestors of the current article being scored. For
16914 instance, @code{1-} will make score rules apply to the parent of the
16915 current article. @code{2-} will make score rules apply to the
16916 grandparent of the current article. Alternatively, you can write
16917 @code{^^}, where the number of @code{^}s (carets) says how far back into
16918 the ancestry you want to go.
16920 Finally, we have the match operators. These are the ones that do the
16921 real work. Match operators are header name strings followed by a match
16922 and a match type. A typical match operator looks like @samp{("from"
16923 "Lars Ingebrigtsen" s)}. The header names are the same as when using
16924 simple scoring, and the match types are also the same.
16927 @node Advanced Scoring Examples
16928 @subsection Advanced Scoring Examples
16930 Let's say you want to increase the score of articles written by Lars
16931 when he's talking about Gnus:
16935 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
16936 ("subject" "Gnus"))
16942 When he writes long articles, he sometimes has something nice to say:
16946 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
16953 However, when he responds to things written by Reig Eigil Logge, you
16954 really don't want to read what he's written:
16958 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
16959 (1- ("from" "Reig Eigir Logge")))
16963 Everybody that follows up Redmondo when he writes about disappearing
16964 socks should have their scores raised, but only when they talk about
16965 white socks. However, when Lars talks about socks, it's usually not
16972 ("from" "redmondo@@.*no" r)
16973 ("body" "disappearing.*socks" t)))
16974 (! ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen"))
16975 ("body" "white.*socks"))
16979 The possibilities are endless.
16982 @node Advanced Scoring Tips
16983 @subsection Advanced Scoring Tips
16985 The @code{&} and @code{|} logical operators do short-circuit logic.
16986 That is, they stop processing their arguments when it's clear what the
16987 result of the operation will be. For instance, if one of the arguments
16988 of an @code{&} evaluates to @code{false}, there's no point in evaluating
16989 the rest of the arguments. This means that you should put slow matches
16990 (@samp{body}, @samp{header}) last and quick matches (@samp{from},
16991 @samp{subject}) first.
16993 The indirection arguments (@code{1-} and so on) will make their
16994 arguments work on previous generations of the thread. If you say
17005 Then that means "score on the from header of the grandparent of the
17006 current article". An indirection is quite fast, but it's better to say:
17012 ("subject" "Gnus")))
17019 (1- ("from" "Lars"))
17020 (1- ("subject" "Gnus")))
17025 @section Score Decays
17026 @cindex score decays
17029 You may find that your scores have a tendency to grow without
17030 bounds, especially if you're using adaptive scoring. If scores get too
17031 big, they lose all meaning---they simply max out and it's difficult to
17032 use them in any sensible way.
17034 @vindex gnus-decay-scores
17035 @findex gnus-decay-score
17036 @vindex gnus-decay-score-function
17037 Gnus provides a mechanism for decaying scores to help with this problem.
17038 When score files are loaded and @code{gnus-decay-scores} is
17039 non-@code{nil}, Gnus will run the score files through the decaying
17040 mechanism thereby lowering the scores of all non-permanent score rules.
17041 The decay itself if performed by the @code{gnus-decay-score-function}
17042 function, which is @code{gnus-decay-score} by default. Here's the
17043 definition of that function:
17046 (defun gnus-decay-score (score)
17048 This is done according to `gnus-score-decay-constant'
17049 and `gnus-score-decay-scale'."
17052 (* (if (< score 0) 1 -1)
17054 (max gnus-score-decay-constant
17056 gnus-score-decay-scale)))))))
17059 @vindex gnus-score-decay-scale
17060 @vindex gnus-score-decay-constant
17061 @code{gnus-score-decay-constant} is 3 by default and
17062 @code{gnus-score-decay-scale} is 0.05. This should cause the following:
17066 Scores between -3 and 3 will be set to 0 when this function is called.
17069 Scores with magnitudes between 3 and 60 will be shrunk by 3.
17072 Scores with magnitudes greater than 60 will be shrunk by 5% of the
17076 If you don't like this decay function, write your own. It is called
17077 with the score to be decayed as its only parameter, and it should return
17078 the new score, which should be an integer.
17080 Gnus will try to decay scores once a day. If you haven't run Gnus for
17081 four days, Gnus will decay the scores four times, for instance.
17088 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
17089 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
17090 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
17091 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
17092 * Windows Configuration:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
17093 * Faces and Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
17094 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
17095 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
17096 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
17097 * Buttons:: Get tendinitis in ten easy steps!
17098 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
17099 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
17100 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
17101 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
17102 * XEmacs Enhancements:: There are more pictures and stuff under XEmacs.
17103 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
17104 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolicited commercial email.
17105 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
17109 @node Process/Prefix
17110 @section Process/Prefix
17111 @cindex process/prefix convention
17113 Many functions, among them functions for moving, decoding and saving
17114 articles, use what is known as the @dfn{Process/Prefix convention}.
17116 This is a method for figuring out what articles the user wants the
17117 command to be performed on.
17121 If the numeric prefix is N, perform the operation on the next N
17122 articles, starting with the current one. If the numeric prefix is
17123 negative, perform the operation on the previous N articles, starting
17124 with the current one.
17126 @vindex transient-mark-mode
17127 If @code{transient-mark-mode} in non-@code{nil} and the region is
17128 active, all articles in the region will be worked upon.
17130 If there is no numeric prefix, but some articles are marked with the
17131 process mark, perform the operation on the articles marked with
17134 If there is neither a numeric prefix nor any articles marked with the
17135 process mark, just perform the operation on the current article.
17137 Quite simple, really, but it needs to be made clear so that surprises
17140 Commands that react to the process mark will push the current list of
17141 process marked articles onto a stack and will then clear all process
17142 marked articles. You can restore the previous configuration with the
17143 @kbd{M P y} command (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
17145 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
17146 One thing that seems to shock & horrify lots of people is that, for
17147 instance, @kbd{3 d} does exactly the same as @kbd{d} @kbd{d} @kbd{d}.
17148 Since each @kbd{d} (which marks the current article as read) by default
17149 goes to the next unread article after marking, this means that @kbd{3 d}
17150 will mark the next three unread articles as read, no matter what the
17151 summary buffer looks like. Set @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} to
17152 @code{nil} for a more straightforward action.
17154 Many commands do not use the process/prefix convention. All commands
17155 that do explicitly say so in this manual. To apply the process/prefix
17156 convention to commands that do not use it, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
17157 command. For instance, to mark all the articles in the group as
17158 expirable, you could say `M P b M-& E'.
17162 @section Interactive
17163 @cindex interaction
17167 @item gnus-novice-user
17168 @vindex gnus-novice-user
17169 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you are either a newcomer to the
17170 World of Usenet, or you are very cautious, which is a nice thing to be,
17171 really. You will be given questions of the type ``Are you sure you want
17172 to do this?'' before doing anything dangerous. This is @code{t} by
17175 @item gnus-expert-user
17176 @vindex gnus-expert-user
17177 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you will seldom be asked any
17178 questions by Gnus. It will simply assume you know what you're doing, no
17179 matter how strange.
17181 @item gnus-interactive-catchup
17182 @vindex gnus-interactive-catchup
17183 Require confirmation before catching up a group if non-@code{nil}. It
17184 is @code{t} by default.
17186 @item gnus-interactive-exit
17187 @vindex gnus-interactive-exit
17188 Require confirmation before exiting Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
17193 @node Symbolic Prefixes
17194 @section Symbolic Prefixes
17195 @cindex symbolic prefixes
17197 Quite a lot of Emacs commands react to the (numeric) prefix. For
17198 instance, @kbd{C-u 4 C-f} moves point four characters forward, and
17199 @kbd{C-u 9 0 0 I s s p} adds a permanent @code{Subject} substring score
17200 rule of 900 to the current article.
17202 This is all nice and well, but what if you want to give a command some
17203 additional information? Well, what most commands do is interpret the
17204 ``raw'' prefix in some special way. @kbd{C-u 0 C-x C-s} means that one
17205 doesn't want a backup file to be created when saving the current buffer,
17206 for instance. But what if you want to save without making a backup
17207 file, and you want Emacs to flash lights and play a nice tune at the
17208 same time? You can't, and you're probably perfectly happy that way.
17210 @kindex M-i (Summary)
17211 @findex gnus-symbolic-argument
17212 I'm not, so I've added a second prefix---the @dfn{symbolic prefix}. The
17213 prefix key is @kbd{M-i} (@code{gnus-symbolic-argument}), and the next
17214 character typed in is the value. You can stack as many @kbd{M-i}
17215 prefixes as you want. @kbd{M-i a M-C-u} means ``feed the @kbd{M-C-u}
17216 command the symbolic prefix @code{a}''. @kbd{M-i a M-i b M-C-u} means
17217 ``feed the @kbd{M-C-u} command the symbolic prefixes @code{a} and
17218 @code{b}''. You get the drift.
17220 Typing in symbolic prefixes to commands that don't accept them doesn't
17221 hurt, but it doesn't do any good either. Currently not many Gnus
17222 functions make use of the symbolic prefix.
17224 If you're interested in how Gnus implements this, @pxref{Extended
17228 @node Formatting Variables
17229 @section Formatting Variables
17230 @cindex formatting variables
17232 Throughout this manual you've probably noticed lots of variables called
17233 things like @code{gnus-group-line-format} and
17234 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. These control how Gnus is to
17235 output lines in the various buffers. There's quite a lot of them.
17236 Fortunately, they all use the same syntax, so there's not that much to
17239 Here's an example format spec (from the group buffer): @samp{%M%S%5y:
17240 %(%g%)\n}. We see that it is indeed extremely ugly, and that there are
17241 lots of percentages everywhere.
17244 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
17245 * Mode Line Formatting:: Some rules about mode line formatting variables.
17246 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
17247 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
17248 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
17251 Currently Gnus uses the following formatting variables:
17252 @code{gnus-group-line-format}, @code{gnus-summary-line-format},
17253 @code{gnus-server-line-format}, @code{gnus-topic-line-format},
17254 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format},
17255 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format},
17256 @code{gnus-article-mode-line-format},
17257 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format}, and
17258 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format}.
17260 All these format variables can also be arbitrary elisp forms. In that
17261 case, they will be @code{eval}ed to insert the required lines.
17263 @kindex M-x gnus-update-format
17264 @findex gnus-update-format
17265 Gnus includes a command to help you while creating your own format
17266 specs. @kbd{M-x gnus-update-format} will @code{eval} the current form,
17267 update the spec in question and pop you to a buffer where you can
17268 examine the resulting lisp code to be run to generate the line.
17272 @node Formatting Basics
17273 @subsection Formatting Basics
17275 Each @samp{%} element will be replaced by some string or other when the
17276 buffer in question is generated. @samp{%5y} means ``insert the @samp{y}
17277 spec, and pad with spaces to get a 5-character field''.
17279 As with normal C and Emacs Lisp formatting strings, the numerical
17280 modifier between the @samp{%} and the formatting type character will
17281 @dfn{pad} the output so that it is always at least that long.
17282 @samp{%5y} will make the field always (at least) five characters wide by
17283 padding with spaces to the left. If you say @samp{%-5y}, it will pad to
17286 You may also wish to limit the length of the field to protect against
17287 particularly wide values. For that you can say @samp{%4,6y}, which
17288 means that the field will never be more than 6 characters wide and never
17289 less than 4 characters wide.
17292 @node Mode Line Formatting
17293 @subsection Mode Line Formatting
17295 Mode line formatting variables (e.g.,
17296 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}) follow the same rules as other,
17297 buffer line oriented formatting variables (@pxref{Formatting Basics})
17298 with the following two differences:
17303 There must be no newline (@samp{\n}) at the end.
17306 The special @samp{%%b} spec can be used to display the buffer name.
17307 Well, it's no spec at all, really---@samp{%%} is just a way to quote
17308 @samp{%} to allow it to pass through the formatting machinery unmangled,
17309 so that Emacs receives @samp{%b}, which is something the Emacs mode line
17310 display interprets to mean ``show the buffer name''. For a full list of
17311 mode line specs Emacs understands, see the documentation of the
17312 @code{mode-line-format} variable.
17317 @node Advanced Formatting
17318 @subsection Advanced Formatting
17320 It is frequently useful to post-process the fields in some way.
17321 Padding, limiting, cutting off parts and suppressing certain values can
17322 be achieved by using @dfn{tilde modifiers}. A typical tilde spec might
17323 look like @samp{%~(cut 3)~(ignore "0")y}.
17325 These are the valid modifiers:
17330 Pad the field to the left with spaces until it reaches the required
17334 Pad the field to the right with spaces until it reaches the required
17339 Cut off characters from the left until it reaches the specified length.
17342 Cut off characters from the right until it reaches the specified
17347 Cut off the specified number of characters from the left.
17350 Cut off the specified number of characters from the right.
17353 Return an empty string if the field is equal to the specified value.
17356 Use the specified form as the field value when the @samp{@@} spec is
17360 Let's take an example. The @samp{%o} spec in the summary mode lines
17361 will return a date in compact ISO8601 format---@samp{19960809T230410}.
17362 This is quite a mouthful, so we want to shave off the century number and
17363 the time, leaving us with a six-character date. That would be
17364 @samp{%~(cut-left 2)~(max-right 6)~(pad 6)o}. (Cutting is done before
17365 maxing, and we need the padding to ensure that the date is never less
17366 than 6 characters to make it look nice in columns.)
17368 Ignoring is done first; then cutting; then maxing; and then as the very
17369 last operation, padding.
17371 If you use lots of these advanced thingies, you'll find that Gnus gets
17372 quite slow. This can be helped enormously by running @kbd{M-x
17373 gnus-compile} when you are satisfied with the look of your lines.
17374 @xref{Compilation}.
17377 @node User-Defined Specs
17378 @subsection User-Defined Specs
17380 All the specs allow for inserting user defined specifiers---@samp{u}.
17381 The next character in the format string should be a letter. Gnus
17382 will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where
17383 @samp{X} is the letter following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed
17384 a single parameter---what the parameter means depends on what buffer
17385 it's being called from. The function should return a string, which will
17386 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
17387 specifier. This function may also be called with dummy values, so it
17388 should protect against that.
17390 You can also use tilde modifiers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting} to achieve
17391 much the same without defining new functions. Here's an example:
17392 @samp{%~(form (count-lines (point-min) (point)))@@}. The form
17393 given here will be evaluated to yield the current line number, and then
17397 @node Formatting Fonts
17398 @subsection Formatting Fonts
17400 There are specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the format
17401 variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers will get
17402 the special @code{mouse-face} property set, which means that it will be
17403 highlighted (with @code{gnus-mouse-face}) when you put the mouse pointer
17406 Text inside the @samp{%@{} and @samp{%@}} specifiers will have their
17407 normal faces set using @code{gnus-face-0}, which is @code{bold} by
17408 default. If you say @samp{%1@{}, you'll get @code{gnus-face-1} instead,
17409 and so on. Create as many faces as you wish. The same goes for the
17410 @code{mouse-face} specs---you can say @samp{%3(hello%)} to have
17411 @samp{hello} mouse-highlighted with @code{gnus-mouse-face-3}.
17413 Text inside the @samp{%<} and @samp{%>} specifiers will get the special
17414 @code{balloon-help} property set to @code{gnus-balloon-face-0}. If you
17415 say @samp{%1<}, you'll get @code{gnus-balloon-face-1} and so on. The
17416 @code{gnus-balloon-face-*} variables should be either strings or symbols
17417 naming functions that return a string. Under @code{balloon-help-mode},
17418 when the mouse passes over text with this property set, a balloon window
17419 will appear and display the string. Please refer to the doc string of
17420 @code{balloon-help-mode} for more information on this.
17422 Here's an alternative recipe for the group buffer:
17425 ;; Create three face types.
17426 (setq gnus-face-1 'bold)
17427 (setq gnus-face-3 'italic)
17429 ;; We want the article count to be in
17430 ;; a bold and green face. So we create
17431 ;; a new face called `my-green-bold'.
17432 (copy-face 'bold 'my-green-bold)
17434 (set-face-foreground 'my-green-bold "ForestGreen")
17435 (setq gnus-face-2 'my-green-bold)
17437 ;; Set the new & fancy format.
17438 (setq gnus-group-line-format
17439 "%M%S%3@{%5y%@}%2[:%] %(%1@{%g%@}%)\n")
17442 I'm sure you'll be able to use this scheme to create totally unreadable
17443 and extremely vulgar displays. Have fun!
17445 Note that the @samp{%(} specs (and friends) do not make any sense on the
17446 mode-line variables.
17449 @node Windows Configuration
17450 @section Windows Configuration
17451 @cindex windows configuration
17453 No, there's nothing here about X, so be quiet.
17455 @vindex gnus-use-full-window
17456 If @code{gnus-use-full-window} non-@code{nil}, Gnus will delete all
17457 other windows and occupy the entire Emacs screen by itself. It is
17458 @code{t} by default.
17460 Setting this variable to @code{nil} kinda works, but there are
17461 glitches. Use at your own peril.
17463 @vindex gnus-buffer-configuration
17464 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} describes how much space each Gnus
17465 buffer should be given. Here's an excerpt of this variable:
17468 ((group (vertical 1.0 (group 1.0 point)
17469 (if gnus-carpal (group-carpal 4))))
17470 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
17474 This is an alist. The @dfn{key} is a symbol that names some action or
17475 other. For instance, when displaying the group buffer, the window
17476 configuration function will use @code{group} as the key. A full list of
17477 possible names is listed below.
17479 The @dfn{value} (i.e., the @dfn{split}) says how much space each buffer
17480 should occupy. To take the @code{article} split as an example -
17483 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
17487 This @dfn{split} says that the summary buffer should occupy 25% of upper
17488 half of the screen, and that it is placed over the article buffer. As
17489 you may have noticed, 100% + 25% is actually 125% (yup, I saw y'all
17490 reaching for that calculator there). However, the special number
17491 @code{1.0} is used to signal that this buffer should soak up all the
17492 rest of the space available after the rest of the buffers have taken
17493 whatever they need. There should be only one buffer with the @code{1.0}
17494 size spec per split.
17496 Point will be put in the buffer that has the optional third element
17497 @code{point}. In a @code{frame} split, the last subsplit having a leaf
17498 split where the tag @code{frame-focus} is a member (i.e. is the third or
17499 fourth element in the list, depending on whether the @code{point} tag is
17500 present) gets focus.
17502 Here's a more complicated example:
17505 (article (vertical 1.0 (group 4)
17506 (summary 0.25 point)
17507 (if gnus-carpal (summary-carpal 4))
17511 If the size spec is an integer instead of a floating point number,
17512 then that number will be used to say how many lines a buffer should
17513 occupy, not a percentage.
17515 If the @dfn{split} looks like something that can be @code{eval}ed (to be
17516 precise---if the @code{car} of the split is a function or a subr), this
17517 split will be @code{eval}ed. If the result is non-@code{nil}, it will
17518 be used as a split. This means that there will be three buffers if
17519 @code{gnus-carpal} is @code{nil}, and four buffers if @code{gnus-carpal}
17522 Not complicated enough for you? Well, try this on for size:
17525 (article (horizontal 1.0
17530 (summary 0.25 point)
17535 Whoops. Two buffers with the mystery 100% tag. And what's that
17536 @code{horizontal} thingie?
17538 If the first element in one of the split is @code{horizontal}, Gnus will
17539 split the window horizontally, giving you two windows side-by-side.
17540 Inside each of these strips you may carry on all you like in the normal
17541 fashion. The number following @code{horizontal} says what percentage of
17542 the screen is to be given to this strip.
17544 For each split, there @emph{must} be one element that has the 100% tag.
17545 The splitting is never accurate, and this buffer will eat any leftover
17546 lines from the splits.
17548 To be slightly more formal, here's a definition of what a valid split
17552 split = frame | horizontal | vertical | buffer | form
17553 frame = "(frame " size *split ")"
17554 horizontal = "(horizontal " size *split ")"
17555 vertical = "(vertical " size *split ")"
17556 buffer = "(" buffer-name " " size *[ "point" ] *[ "frame-focus"] ")"
17557 size = number | frame-params
17558 buffer-name = group | article | summary ...
17561 The limitations are that the @code{frame} split can only appear as the
17562 top-level split. @var{form} should be an Emacs Lisp form that should
17563 return a valid split. We see that each split is fully recursive, and
17564 may contain any number of @code{vertical} and @code{horizontal} splits.
17566 @vindex gnus-window-min-width
17567 @vindex gnus-window-min-height
17568 @cindex window height
17569 @cindex window width
17570 Finding the right sizes can be a bit complicated. No window may be less
17571 than @code{gnus-window-min-height} (default 1) characters high, and all
17572 windows must be at least @code{gnus-window-min-width} (default 1)
17573 characters wide. Gnus will try to enforce this before applying the
17574 splits. If you want to use the normal Emacs window width/height limit,
17575 you can just set these two variables to @code{nil}.
17577 If you're not familiar with Emacs terminology, @code{horizontal} and
17578 @code{vertical} splits may work the opposite way of what you'd expect.
17579 Windows inside a @code{horizontal} split are shown side-by-side, and
17580 windows within a @code{vertical} split are shown above each other.
17582 @findex gnus-configure-frame
17583 If you want to experiment with window placement, a good tip is to call
17584 @code{gnus-configure-frame} directly with a split. This is the function
17585 that does all the real work when splitting buffers. Below is a pretty
17586 nonsensical configuration with 5 windows; two for the group buffer and
17587 three for the article buffer. (I said it was nonsensical.) If you
17588 @code{eval} the statement below, you can get an idea of how that would
17589 look straight away, without going through the normal Gnus channels.
17590 Play with it until you're satisfied, and then use
17591 @code{gnus-add-configuration} to add your new creation to the buffer
17592 configuration list.
17595 (gnus-configure-frame
17599 (article 0.3 point))
17607 You might want to have several frames as well. No prob---just use the
17608 @code{frame} split:
17611 (gnus-configure-frame
17614 (summary 0.25 point frame-focus)
17616 (vertical ((height . 5) (width . 15)
17617 (user-position . t)
17618 (left . -1) (top . 1))
17623 This split will result in the familiar summary/article window
17624 configuration in the first (or ``main'') frame, while a small additional
17625 frame will be created where picons will be shown. As you can see,
17626 instead of the normal @code{1.0} top-level spec, each additional split
17627 should have a frame parameter alist as the size spec.
17628 @xref{Frame Parameters, , Frame Parameters, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
17629 Reference Manual}. Under XEmacs, a frame property list will be
17630 accepted, too---for instance, @code{(height 5 width 15 left -1 top 1)}
17632 The list of all possible keys for @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} can
17633 be found in its default value.
17635 Note that the @code{message} key is used for both
17636 @code{gnus-group-mail} and @code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}. If
17637 it is desirable to distinguish between the two, something like this
17641 (message (horizontal 1.0
17642 (vertical 1.0 (message 1.0 point))
17644 (if (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer)
17649 One common desire for a multiple frame split is to have a separate frame
17650 for composing mail and news while leaving the original frame intact. To
17651 accomplish that, something like the following can be done:
17654 (message (frame 1.0
17655 (if (not (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer))
17656 (car (cdr (assoc 'group gnus-buffer-configuration)))
17657 (car (cdr (assoc 'summary gnus-buffer-configuration))))
17658 (vertical ((user-position . t) (top . 1) (left . 1)
17659 (name . "Message"))
17660 (message 1.0 point))))
17663 @findex gnus-add-configuration
17664 Since the @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} variable is so long and
17665 complicated, there's a function you can use to ease changing the config
17666 of a single setting: @code{gnus-add-configuration}. If, for instance,
17667 you want to change the @code{article} setting, you could say:
17670 (gnus-add-configuration
17671 '(article (vertical 1.0
17673 (summary .25 point)
17677 You'd typically stick these @code{gnus-add-configuration} calls in your
17678 @file{.gnus.el} file or in some startup hook---they should be run after
17679 Gnus has been loaded.
17681 @vindex gnus-always-force-window-configuration
17682 If all windows mentioned in the configuration are already visible, Gnus
17683 won't change the window configuration. If you always want to force the
17684 ``right'' window configuration, you can set
17685 @code{gnus-always-force-window-configuration} to non-@code{nil}.
17687 If you're using tree displays (@pxref{Tree Display}), and the tree
17688 window is displayed vertically next to another window, you may also want
17689 to fiddle with @code{gnus-tree-minimize-window} to avoid having the
17692 @subsection Example Window Configurations
17696 Narrow left hand side occupied by group buffer. Right hand side split
17697 between summary buffer (top one-sixth) and article buffer (bottom).
17712 (gnus-add-configuration
17715 (vertical 25 (group 1.0))
17717 (summary 0.16 point)
17720 (gnus-add-configuration
17723 (vertical 25 (group 1.0))
17724 (vertical 1.0 (summary 1.0 point)))))
17730 @node Faces and Fonts
17731 @section Faces and Fonts
17736 Fiddling with fonts and faces used to be very difficult, but these days
17737 it is very simple. You simply say @kbd{M-x customize-face}, pick out
17738 the face you want to alter, and alter it via the standard Customize
17743 @section Compilation
17744 @cindex compilation
17745 @cindex byte-compilation
17747 @findex gnus-compile
17749 Remember all those line format specification variables?
17750 @code{gnus-summary-line-format}, @code{gnus-group-line-format}, and so
17751 on. Now, Gnus will of course heed whatever these variables are, but,
17752 unfortunately, changing them will mean a quite significant slow-down.
17753 (The default values of these variables have byte-compiled functions
17754 associated with them, while the user-generated versions do not, of
17757 To help with this, you can run @kbd{M-x gnus-compile} after you've
17758 fiddled around with the variables and feel that you're (kind of)
17759 satisfied. This will result in the new specs being byte-compiled, and
17760 you'll get top speed again. Gnus will save these compiled specs in the
17761 @file{.newsrc.eld} file. (User-defined functions aren't compiled by
17762 this function, though---you should compile them yourself by sticking
17763 them into the @code{.gnus.el} file and byte-compiling that file.)
17767 @section Mode Lines
17770 @vindex gnus-updated-mode-lines
17771 @code{gnus-updated-mode-lines} says what buffers should keep their mode
17772 lines updated. It is a list of symbols. Supported symbols include
17773 @code{group}, @code{article}, @code{summary}, @code{server},
17774 @code{browse}, and @code{tree}. If the corresponding symbol is present,
17775 Gnus will keep that mode line updated with information that may be
17776 pertinent. If this variable is @code{nil}, screen refresh may be
17779 @cindex display-time
17781 @vindex gnus-mode-non-string-length
17782 By default, Gnus displays information on the current article in the mode
17783 lines of the summary and article buffers. The information Gnus wishes
17784 to display (e.g. the subject of the article) is often longer than the
17785 mode lines, and therefore have to be cut off at some point. The
17786 @code{gnus-mode-non-string-length} variable says how long the other
17787 elements on the line is (i.e., the non-info part). If you put
17788 additional elements on the mode line (e.g. a clock), you should modify
17791 @c Hook written by Francesco Potorti` <pot@cnuce.cnr.it>
17793 (add-hook 'display-time-hook
17794 (lambda () (setq gnus-mode-non-string-length
17796 (if line-number-mode 5 0)
17797 (if column-number-mode 4 0)
17798 (length display-time-string)))))
17801 If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the default), the mode line
17802 strings won't be chopped off, and they won't be padded either. Note
17803 that the default is unlikely to be desirable, as even the percentage
17804 complete in the buffer may be crowded off the mode line; the user should
17805 configure this variable appropriately for her configuration.
17808 @node Highlighting and Menus
17809 @section Highlighting and Menus
17811 @cindex highlighting
17814 @vindex gnus-visual
17815 The @code{gnus-visual} variable controls most of the Gnus-prettifying
17816 aspects. If @code{nil}, Gnus won't attempt to create menus or use fancy
17817 colors or fonts. This will also inhibit loading the @file{gnus-vis.el}
17820 This variable can be a list of visual properties that are enabled. The
17821 following elements are valid, and are all included by default:
17824 @item group-highlight
17825 Do highlights in the group buffer.
17826 @item summary-highlight
17827 Do highlights in the summary buffer.
17828 @item article-highlight
17829 Do highlights in the article buffer.
17831 Turn on highlighting in all buffers.
17833 Create menus in the group buffer.
17835 Create menus in the summary buffers.
17837 Create menus in the article buffer.
17839 Create menus in the browse buffer.
17841 Create menus in the server buffer.
17843 Create menus in the score buffers.
17845 Create menus in all buffers.
17848 So if you only want highlighting in the article buffer and menus in all
17849 buffers, you could say something like:
17852 (setq gnus-visual '(article-highlight menu))
17855 If you want highlighting only and no menus whatsoever, you'd say:
17858 (setq gnus-visual '(highlight))
17861 If @code{gnus-visual} is @code{t}, highlighting and menus will be used
17862 in all Gnus buffers.
17864 Other general variables that influence the look of all buffers include:
17867 @item gnus-mouse-face
17868 @vindex gnus-mouse-face
17869 This is the face (i.e., font) used for mouse highlighting in Gnus. No
17870 mouse highlights will be done if @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
17874 There are hooks associated with the creation of all the different menus:
17878 @item gnus-article-menu-hook
17879 @vindex gnus-article-menu-hook
17880 Hook called after creating the article mode menu.
17882 @item gnus-group-menu-hook
17883 @vindex gnus-group-menu-hook
17884 Hook called after creating the group mode menu.
17886 @item gnus-summary-menu-hook
17887 @vindex gnus-summary-menu-hook
17888 Hook called after creating the summary mode menu.
17890 @item gnus-server-menu-hook
17891 @vindex gnus-server-menu-hook
17892 Hook called after creating the server mode menu.
17894 @item gnus-browse-menu-hook
17895 @vindex gnus-browse-menu-hook
17896 Hook called after creating the browse mode menu.
17898 @item gnus-score-menu-hook
17899 @vindex gnus-score-menu-hook
17900 Hook called after creating the score mode menu.
17911 Those new-fangled @dfn{mouse} contraptions is very popular with the
17912 young, hep kids who don't want to learn the proper way to do things
17913 these days. Why, I remember way back in the summer of '89, when I was
17914 using Emacs on a Tops 20 system. Three hundred users on one single
17915 machine, and every user was running Simula compilers. Bah!
17919 @vindex gnus-carpal
17920 Well, you can make Gnus display bufferfuls of buttons you can click to
17921 do anything by setting @code{gnus-carpal} to @code{t}. Pretty simple,
17922 really. Tell the chiropractor I sent you.
17927 @item gnus-carpal-mode-hook
17928 @vindex gnus-carpal-mode-hook
17929 Hook run in all carpal mode buffers.
17931 @item gnus-carpal-button-face
17932 @vindex gnus-carpal-button-face
17933 Face used on buttons.
17935 @item gnus-carpal-header-face
17936 @vindex gnus-carpal-header-face
17937 Face used on carpal buffer headers.
17939 @item gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
17940 @vindex gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
17941 Buttons in the group buffer.
17943 @item gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
17944 @vindex gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
17945 Buttons in the summary buffer.
17947 @item gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
17948 @vindex gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
17949 Buttons in the server buffer.
17951 @item gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
17952 @vindex gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
17953 Buttons in the browse buffer.
17956 All the @code{buttons} variables are lists. The elements in these list
17957 are either cons cells where the @code{car} contains a text to be displayed and
17958 the @code{cdr} contains a function symbol, or a simple string.
17966 Gnus, being larger than any program ever written (allegedly), does lots
17967 of strange stuff that you may wish to have done while you're not
17968 present. For instance, you may want it to check for new mail once in a
17969 while. Or you may want it to close down all connections to all servers
17970 when you leave Emacs idle. And stuff like that.
17972 Gnus will let you do stuff like that by defining various
17973 @dfn{handlers}. Each handler consists of three elements: A
17974 @var{function}, a @var{time}, and an @var{idle} parameter.
17976 Here's an example of a handler that closes connections when Emacs has
17977 been idle for thirty minutes:
17980 (gnus-demon-close-connections nil 30)
17983 Here's a handler that scans for PGP headers every hour when Emacs is
17987 (gnus-demon-scan-pgp 60 t)
17990 This @var{time} parameter and than @var{idle} parameter work together
17991 in a strange, but wonderful fashion. Basically, if @var{idle} is
17992 @code{nil}, then the function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
17994 If @var{idle} is @code{t}, then the function will be called after
17995 @var{time} minutes only if Emacs is idle. So if Emacs is never idle,
17996 the function will never be called. But once Emacs goes idle, the
17997 function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
17999 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is a number, the function will
18000 be called every @var{time} minutes only when Emacs has been idle for
18001 @var{idle} minutes.
18003 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is @code{nil}, the function
18004 will be called once every time Emacs has been idle for @var{idle}
18007 And if @var{time} is a string, it should look like @samp{07:31}, and
18008 the function will then be called once every day somewhere near that
18009 time. Modified by the @var{idle} parameter, of course.
18011 @vindex gnus-demon-timestep
18012 (When I say ``minute'' here, I really mean @code{gnus-demon-timestep}
18013 seconds. This is 60 by default. If you change that variable,
18014 all the timings in the handlers will be affected.)
18016 So, if you want to add a handler, you could put something like this in
18017 your @file{.gnus} file:
18019 @findex gnus-demon-add-handler
18021 (gnus-demon-add-handler 'gnus-demon-close-connections 30 t)
18024 @findex gnus-demon-add-nocem
18025 @findex gnus-demon-add-scanmail
18026 @findex gnus-demon-add-rescan
18027 @findex gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps
18028 @findex gnus-demon-add-disconnection
18029 Some ready-made functions to do this have been created:
18030 @code{gnus-demon-add-nocem}, @code{gnus-demon-add-disconnection},
18031 @code{gnus-demon-add-nntp-close-connection},
18032 @code{gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps}, @code{gnus-demon-add-rescan}, and
18033 @code{gnus-demon-add-scanmail}. Just put those functions in your
18034 @file{.gnus} if you want those abilities.
18036 @findex gnus-demon-init
18037 @findex gnus-demon-cancel
18038 @vindex gnus-demon-handlers
18039 If you add handlers to @code{gnus-demon-handlers} directly, you should
18040 run @code{gnus-demon-init} to make the changes take hold. To cancel all
18041 daemons, you can use the @code{gnus-demon-cancel} function.
18043 Note that adding daemons can be pretty naughty if you over do it. Adding
18044 functions that scan all news and mail from all servers every two seconds
18045 is a sure-fire way of getting booted off any respectable system. So
18054 @dfn{Spamming} is posting the same article lots and lots of times.
18055 Spamming is bad. Spamming is evil.
18057 Spamming is usually canceled within a day or so by various anti-spamming
18058 agencies. These agencies usually also send out @dfn{NoCeM} messages.
18059 NoCeM is pronounced ``no see-'em'', and means what the name
18060 implies---these are messages that make the offending articles, like, go
18063 What use are these NoCeM messages if the articles are canceled anyway?
18064 Some sites do not honor cancel messages and some sites just honor cancels
18065 from a select few people. Then you may wish to make use of the NoCeM
18066 messages, which are distributed in the @samp{alt.nocem.misc} newsgroup.
18068 Gnus can read and parse the messages in this group automatically, and
18069 this will make spam disappear.
18071 There are some variables to customize, of course:
18074 @item gnus-use-nocem
18075 @vindex gnus-use-nocem
18076 Set this variable to @code{t} to set the ball rolling. It is @code{nil}
18079 @item gnus-nocem-groups
18080 @vindex gnus-nocem-groups
18081 Gnus will look for NoCeM messages in the groups in this list. The
18082 default is @code{("news.lists.filters" "news.admin.net-abuse.bulletins"
18083 "alt.nocem.misc" "news.admin.net-abuse.announce")}.
18085 @item gnus-nocem-issuers
18086 @vindex gnus-nocem-issuers
18087 There are many people issuing NoCeM messages. This list says what
18088 people you want to listen to. The default is @code{("Automoose-1"
18089 "clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" "cosmo.roadkill" "SpamHippo"
18090 "hweede@@snafu.de")}; fine, upstanding citizens all of them.
18092 Known despammers that you can put in this list are listed at
18093 @uref{http://www.xs4all.nl/~rosalind/nocemreg/nocemreg.html}.
18095 You do not have to heed NoCeM messages from all these people---just the
18096 ones you want to listen to. You also don't have to accept all NoCeM
18097 messages from the people you like. Each NoCeM message has a @dfn{type}
18098 header that gives the message a (more or less, usually less) rigorous
18099 definition. Common types are @samp{spam}, @samp{spew}, @samp{mmf},
18100 @samp{binary}, and @samp{troll}. To specify this, you have to use
18101 @code{(@var{issuer} @var{conditions} @dots{})} elements in the list.
18102 Each condition is either a string (which is a regexp that matches types
18103 you want to use) or a list on the form @code{(not @var{string})}, where
18104 @var{string} is a regexp that matches types you don't want to use.
18106 For instance, if you want all NoCeM messages from Chris Lewis except his
18107 @samp{troll} messages, you'd say:
18110 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" ".*" (not "troll"))
18113 On the other hand, if you just want nothing but his @samp{spam} and
18114 @samp{spew} messages, you'd say:
18117 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" (not ".*") "spew" "spam")
18120 The specs are applied left-to-right.
18123 @item gnus-nocem-verifyer
18124 @vindex gnus-nocem-verifyer
18126 This should be a function for verifying that the NoCeM issuer is who she
18127 says she is. The default is @code{mc-verify}, which is a Mailcrypt
18128 function. If this is too slow and you don't care for verification
18129 (which may be dangerous), you can set this variable to @code{nil}.
18131 If you want signed NoCeM messages to be verified and unsigned messages
18132 not to be verified (but used anyway), you could do something like:
18135 (setq gnus-nocem-verifyer 'my-gnus-mc-verify)
18137 (defun my-gnus-mc-verify ()
18145 This might be dangerous, though.
18147 @item gnus-nocem-directory
18148 @vindex gnus-nocem-directory
18149 This is where Gnus will store its NoCeM cache files. The default is
18150 @file{~/News/NoCeM/}.
18152 @item gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
18153 @vindex gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
18154 The number of days before removing old NoCeM entries from the cache.
18155 The default is 15. If you make it shorter Gnus will be faster, but you
18156 might then see old spam.
18158 @item gnus-nocem-check-from
18159 @vindex gnus-nocem-check-from
18160 Non-@code{nil} means check for valid issuers in message bodies.
18161 Otherwise don't bother fetching articles unless their author matches a
18162 valid issuer; that is much faster if you are selective about the
18165 @item gnus-nocem-check-article-limit
18166 @vindex gnus-nocem-check-article-limit
18167 If non-@code{nil}, the maximum number of articles to check in any NoCeM
18168 group. NoCeM groups can be huge and very slow to process.
18172 Using NoCeM could potentially be a memory hog. If you have many living
18173 (i. e., subscribed or unsubscribed groups), your Emacs process will grow
18174 big. If this is a problem, you should kill off all (or most) of your
18175 unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Subscription Commands}).
18182 It is very useful to be able to undo actions one has done. In normal
18183 Emacs buffers, it's easy enough---you just push the @code{undo} button.
18184 In Gnus buffers, however, it isn't that simple.
18186 The things Gnus displays in its buffer is of no value whatsoever to
18187 Gnus---it's all just data designed to look nice to the user.
18188 Killing a group in the group buffer with @kbd{C-k} makes the line
18189 disappear, but that's just a side-effect of the real action---the
18190 removal of the group in question from the internal Gnus structures.
18191 Undoing something like that can't be done by the normal Emacs
18192 @code{undo} function.
18194 Gnus tries to remedy this somewhat by keeping track of what the user
18195 does and coming up with actions that would reverse the actions the user
18196 takes. When the user then presses the @code{undo} key, Gnus will run
18197 the code to reverse the previous action, or the previous actions.
18198 However, not all actions are easily reversible, so Gnus currently offers
18199 a few key functions to be undoable. These include killing groups,
18200 yanking groups, and changing the list of read articles of groups.
18201 That's it, really. More functions may be added in the future, but each
18202 added function means an increase in data to be stored, so Gnus will
18203 never be totally undoable.
18205 @findex gnus-undo-mode
18206 @vindex gnus-use-undo
18208 The undoability is provided by the @code{gnus-undo-mode} minor mode. It
18209 is used if @code{gnus-use-undo} is non-@code{nil}, which is the
18210 default. The @kbd{M-C-_} key performs the @code{gnus-undo}
18211 command, which should feel kinda like the normal Emacs @code{undo}
18216 @section Moderation
18219 If you are a moderator, you can use the @file{gnus-mdrtn.el} package.
18220 It is not included in the standard Gnus package. Write a mail to
18221 @samp{larsi@@gnus.org} and state what group you moderate, and you'll
18224 The moderation package is implemented as a minor mode for summary
18228 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-moderate)
18231 in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
18233 If you are the moderator of @samp{rec.zoofle}, this is how it's
18238 You split your incoming mail by matching on
18239 @samp{Newsgroups:.*rec.zoofle}, which will put all the to-be-posted
18240 articles in some mail group---for instance, @samp{nnml:rec.zoofle}.
18243 You enter that group once in a while and post articles using the @kbd{e}
18244 (edit-and-post) or @kbd{s} (just send unedited) commands.
18247 If, while reading the @samp{rec.zoofle} newsgroup, you happen upon some
18248 articles that weren't approved by you, you can cancel them with the
18252 To use moderation mode in these two groups, say:
18255 (setq gnus-moderated-list
18256 "^nnml:rec.zoofle$\\|^rec.zoofle$")
18260 @node XEmacs Enhancements
18261 @section XEmacs Enhancements
18264 XEmacs is able to display pictures and stuff, so Gnus has taken
18268 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
18269 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
18270 * Toolbar:: Click'n'drool.
18271 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
18284 So@dots{} You want to slow down your news reader even more! This is a
18285 good way to do so. Its also a great way to impress people staring
18286 over your shoulder as you read news.
18289 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
18290 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
18291 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
18292 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
18293 * Picon Useless Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
18298 @subsubsection Picon Basics
18300 What are Picons? To quote directly from the Picons Web site:
18309 @dfn{Picons} is short for ``personal icons''. They're small,
18310 constrained images used to represent users and domains on the net,
18311 organized into databases so that the appropriate image for a given
18312 e-mail address can be found. Besides users and domains, there are picon
18313 databases for Usenet newsgroups and weather forecasts. The picons are
18314 in either monochrome @code{XBM} format or color @code{XPM} and
18315 @code{GIF} formats.
18318 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
18319 If you have a permanent connection to the Internet you can use Steve
18320 Kinzler's Picons Search engine by setting
18321 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} to the string @*
18322 @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/search.html}.
18324 @vindex gnus-picons-database
18325 Otherwise you need a local copy of his database. For instructions on
18326 obtaining and installing the picons databases, point your Web browser at @*
18327 @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/ftp/index.html}. Gnus expects
18328 picons to be installed into a location pointed to by
18329 @code{gnus-picons-database}.
18332 @node Picon Requirements
18333 @subsubsection Picon Requirements
18335 To have Gnus display Picons for you, you must be running XEmacs
18336 19.13 or greater since all other versions of Emacs aren't yet able to
18339 Additionally, you must have @code{x} support compiled into XEmacs. To
18340 display color picons which are much nicer than the black & white one,
18341 you also need one of @code{xpm} or @code{gif} compiled into XEmacs.
18343 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
18344 If you want to display faces from @code{X-Face} headers, you should have
18345 the @code{xface} support compiled into XEmacs. Otherwise you must have
18346 the @code{netpbm} utilities installed, or munge the
18347 @code{gnus-picons-convert-x-face} variable to use something else.
18351 @subsubsection Easy Picons
18353 To enable displaying picons, simply put the following line in your
18354 @file{~/.gnus} file and start Gnus.
18357 (setq gnus-use-picons t)
18358 (setq gnus-treat-display-picons t)
18361 and make sure @code{gnus-picons-database} points to the directory
18362 containing the Picons databases.
18364 Alternatively if you want to use the web piconsearch engine add this:
18367 (setq gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
18368 "http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch")
18373 @subsubsection Hard Picons
18381 Gnus can display picons for you as you enter and leave groups and
18382 articles. It knows how to interact with three sections of the picons
18383 database. Namely, it can display the picons newsgroup pictures,
18384 author's face picture(s), and the authors domain. To enable this
18385 feature, you need to select where to get the picons from, and where to
18390 @item gnus-picons-database
18391 @vindex gnus-picons-database
18392 The location of the picons database. Should point to a directory
18393 containing the @file{news}, @file{domains}, @file{users} (and so on)
18394 subdirectories. This is only useful if
18395 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} is @code{nil}. Defaults to
18396 @file{/usr/local/faces/}.
18398 @item gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
18399 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
18400 The URL for the web picons search engine. The only currently known
18401 engine is @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch}. To
18402 workaround network delays, icons will be fetched in the background. If
18403 this is @code{nil} 'the default), then picons are fetched from local
18404 database indicated by @code{gnus-picons-database}.
18406 @item gnus-picons-display-where
18407 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
18408 Where the picon images should be displayed. It is @code{picons} by
18409 default (which by default maps to the buffer @samp{*Picons*}). Other
18410 valid places could be @code{article}, @code{summary}, or
18411 @samp{*scratch*} for all I care. Just make sure that you've made the
18412 buffer visible using the standard Gnus window configuration
18413 routines---@pxref{Windows Configuration}.
18415 @item gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
18416 @vindex gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
18417 Groups that are matched by this regexp won't have their group icons
18422 Note: If you set @code{gnus-use-picons} to @code{t}, it will set up your
18423 window configuration for you to include the @code{picons} buffer.
18425 Now that you've made those decision, you need to add the following
18426 functions to the appropriate hooks so these pictures will get displayed
18429 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
18431 @item gnus-article-display-picons
18432 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
18433 Looks up and displays the picons for the author and the author's domain
18434 in the @code{gnus-picons-display-where} buffer.
18436 @item gnus-picons-article-display-x-face
18437 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
18438 Decodes and displays the X-Face header if present.
18444 @node Picon Useless Configuration
18445 @subsubsection Picon Useless Configuration
18453 The following variables offer further control over how things are
18454 done, where things are located, and other useless stuff you really
18455 don't need to worry about.
18459 @item gnus-picons-news-directories
18460 @vindex gnus-picons-news-directories
18461 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
18462 newsgroups faces. @code{("news")} is the default.
18464 @item gnus-picons-user-directories
18465 @vindex gnus-picons-user-directories
18466 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for user
18467 faces. @code{("local" "users" "usenix" "misc")} is the default.
18469 @item gnus-picons-domain-directories
18470 @vindex gnus-picons-domain-directories
18471 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
18472 domain name faces. Defaults to @code{("domains")}. Some people may
18473 want to add @samp{"unknown"} to this list.
18475 @item gnus-picons-convert-x-face
18476 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
18477 If you don't have @code{xface} support builtin XEmacs, this is the
18478 command to use to convert the @code{X-Face} header to an X bitmap
18479 (@code{xbm}). Defaults to @code{(format "@{ echo '/* Width=48,
18480 Height=48 */'; uncompface; @} | icontopbm | pbmtoxbm > %s"
18481 gnus-picons-x-face-file-name)}
18483 @item gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
18484 @vindex gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
18485 Names a temporary file to store the @code{X-Face} bitmap in. Defaults
18486 to @code{(format "/tmp/picon-xface.%s.xbm" (user-login-name))}.
18488 @item gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
18489 @vindex gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
18490 If you have set @code{gnus-picons-display-where} to @code{picons}, your
18491 XEmacs frame will become really cluttered. To alleviate this a bit you
18492 can set @code{gnus-picons-has-modeline-p} to @code{nil}; this will
18493 remove the mode line from the Picons buffer. This is only useful if
18494 @code{gnus-picons-display-where} is @code{picons}.
18496 @item gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
18497 @vindex gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
18498 If non-nil, display the article buffer before computing the picons.
18499 Defaults to @code{nil}.
18501 @item gnus-picons-display-as-address
18502 @vindex gnus-picons-display-as-address
18503 If @code{t} display textual email addresses along with pictures.
18504 Defaults to @code{t}.
18506 @item gnus-picons-file-suffixes
18507 @vindex gnus-picons-file-suffixes
18508 Ordered list of suffixes on picon file names to try. Defaults to
18509 @code{("xpm" "gif" "xbm")} minus those not builtin your XEmacs.
18511 @item gnus-picons-setup-hook
18512 @vindex gnus-picons-setup-hook
18513 Hook run in the picon buffer, if that is displayed.
18515 @item gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
18516 @vindex gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
18517 Whether to move point to first empty line when displaying picons. This
18518 has only an effect if `gnus-picons-display-where' has value `article'.
18520 If @code{nil}, display the picons in the @code{From} and
18521 @code{Newsgroups} lines. This is the default.
18523 @item gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
18524 @vindex gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
18525 Whether to clear the picons cache when exiting gnus. Gnus caches every
18526 picons it finds while it is running. This saves some time in the search
18527 process but eats some memory. If this variable is set to @code{nil},
18528 Gnus will never clear the cache itself; you will have to manually call
18529 @code{gnus-picons-clear-cache} to clear it. Otherwise the cache will be
18530 cleared every time you exit Gnus. Defaults to @code{t}.
18541 @subsection Smileys
18546 \gnusfig{-3cm}{0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/BigFace.ps,height=20cm}}
18551 @dfn{Smiley} is a package separate from Gnus, but since Gnus is
18552 currently the only package that uses Smiley, it is documented here.
18554 In short---to use Smiley in Gnus, put the following in your
18555 @file{.gnus.el} file:
18558 (setq gnus-treat-display-smileys t)
18561 Smiley maps text smiley faces---@samp{:-)}, @samp{:-=}, @samp{:-(} and
18562 the like---to pictures and displays those instead of the text smiley
18563 faces. The conversion is controlled by a list of regexps that matches
18564 text and maps that to file names.
18566 @vindex smiley-nosey-regexp-alist
18567 @vindex smiley-deformed-regexp-alist
18568 Smiley supplies two example conversion alists by default:
18569 @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist} (which matches @samp{:)}, @samp{:(}
18570 and so on), and @code{smiley-nosey-regexp-alist} (which matches
18571 @samp{:-)}, @samp{:-(} and so on).
18573 The alist used is specified by the @code{smiley-regexp-alist} variable,
18574 which defaults to the value of @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist}.
18576 The first item in each element is the regexp to be matched; the second
18577 element is the regexp match group that is to be replaced by the picture;
18578 and the third element is the name of the file to be displayed.
18580 The following variables customize where Smiley will look for these
18581 files, as well as the color to be used and stuff:
18585 @item smiley-data-directory
18586 @vindex smiley-data-directory
18587 Where Smiley will look for smiley faces files.
18589 @item smiley-flesh-color
18590 @vindex smiley-flesh-color
18591 Skin color. The default is @samp{yellow}, which is really racist.
18593 @item smiley-features-color
18594 @vindex smiley-features-color
18595 Color of the features of the face. The default is @samp{black}.
18597 @item smiley-tongue-color
18598 @vindex smiley-tongue-color
18599 Color of the tongue. The default is @samp{red}.
18601 @item smiley-circle-color
18602 @vindex smiley-circle-color
18603 Color of the circle around the face. The default is @samp{black}.
18605 @item smiley-mouse-face
18606 @vindex smiley-mouse-face
18607 Face used for mouse highlighting over the smiley face.
18613 @subsection Toolbar
18623 @item gnus-use-toolbar
18624 @vindex gnus-use-toolbar
18625 If @code{nil}, don't display toolbars. If non-@code{nil}, it should be
18626 one of @code{default-toolbar}, @code{top-toolbar}, @code{bottom-toolbar},
18627 @code{right-toolbar}, or @code{left-toolbar}.
18629 @item gnus-group-toolbar
18630 @vindex gnus-group-toolbar
18631 The toolbar in the group buffer.
18633 @item gnus-summary-toolbar
18634 @vindex gnus-summary-toolbar
18635 The toolbar in the summary buffer.
18637 @item gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
18638 @vindex gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
18639 The toolbar in the summary buffer of mail groups.
18645 @subsection Various XEmacs Variables
18648 @item gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
18649 @vindex gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
18650 This is where Gnus will look for pictures. Gnus will normally
18651 auto-detect this directory, but you may set it manually if you have an
18652 unusual directory structure.
18654 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
18655 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
18656 This is an alist where the key is a type symbol and the values are the
18657 foreground and background color of the splash page glyph.
18659 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
18660 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
18661 This is the key used to look up the color in the alist described above.
18662 Valid values include @code{flame}, @code{pine}, @code{moss},
18663 @code{irish}, @code{sky}, @code{tin}, @code{velvet}, @code{grape},
18664 @code{labia}, @code{berry}, @code{neutral}, and @code{september}.
18666 @item gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
18667 @vindex gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
18668 A glyph displayed in all Gnus mode lines. It is a tiny gnu head by
18682 @node Fuzzy Matching
18683 @section Fuzzy Matching
18684 @cindex fuzzy matching
18686 Gnus provides @dfn{fuzzy matching} of @code{Subject} lines when doing
18687 things like scoring, thread gathering and thread comparison.
18689 As opposed to regular expression matching, fuzzy matching is very fuzzy.
18690 It's so fuzzy that there's not even a definition of what @dfn{fuzziness}
18691 means, and the implementation has changed over time.
18693 Basically, it tries to remove all noise from lines before comparing.
18694 @samp{Re: }, parenthetical remarks, white space, and so on, are filtered
18695 out of the strings before comparing the results. This often leads to
18696 adequate results---even when faced with strings generated by text
18697 manglers masquerading as newsreaders.
18700 @node Thwarting Email Spam
18701 @section Thwarting Email Spam
18705 @cindex unsolicited commercial email
18707 In these last days of the Usenet, commercial vultures are hanging about
18708 and grepping through news like crazy to find email addresses they can
18709 foist off their scams and products to. As a reaction to this, many
18710 people have started putting nonsense addresses into their @code{From}
18711 lines. I think this is counterproductive---it makes it difficult for
18712 people to send you legitimate mail in response to things you write, as
18713 well as making it difficult to see who wrote what. This rewriting may
18714 perhaps be a bigger menace than the unsolicited commercial email itself
18717 The biggest problem I have with email spam is that it comes in under
18718 false pretenses. I press @kbd{g} and Gnus merrily informs me that I
18719 have 10 new emails. I say ``Golly gee! Happy is me!'' and select the
18720 mail group, only to find two pyramid schemes, seven advertisements
18721 (``New! Miracle tonic for growing full, lustrous hair on your toes!'')
18722 and one mail asking me to repent and find some god.
18726 The way to deal with this is having Gnus split out all spam into a
18727 @samp{spam} mail group (@pxref{Splitting Mail}).
18729 First, pick one (1) valid mail address that you can be reached at, and
18730 put it in your @code{From} header of all your news articles. (I've
18731 chosen @samp{larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no}, but for many addresses on the form
18732 @samp{larsi+usenet@@ifi.uio.no} will be a better choice. Ask your
18733 sysadmin whether your sendmail installation accepts keywords in the local
18734 part of the mail address.)
18737 (setq message-default-news-headers
18738 "From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no>\n")
18741 Then put the following split rule in @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
18742 (@pxref{Fancy Mail Splitting}):
18747 (to "larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no"
18748 (| ("subject" "re:.*" "misc")
18749 ("references" ".*@@.*" "misc")
18755 This says that all mail to this address is suspect, but if it has a
18756 @code{Subject} that starts with a @samp{Re:} or has a @code{References}
18757 header, it's probably ok. All the rest goes to the @samp{spam} group.
18758 (This idea probably comes from Tim Pierce.)
18760 In addition, many mail spammers talk directly to your @code{smtp} server
18761 and do not include your email address explicitly in the @code{To}
18762 header. Why they do this is unknown---perhaps it's to thwart this
18763 thwarting scheme? In any case, this is trivial to deal with---you just
18764 put anything not addressed to you in the @samp{spam} group by ending
18765 your fancy split rule in this way:
18770 (to "larsi" "misc")
18774 In my experience, this will sort virtually everything into the right
18775 group. You still have to check the @samp{spam} group from time to time to
18776 check for legitimate mail, though. If you feel like being a good net
18777 citizen, you can even send off complaints to the proper authorities on
18778 each unsolicited commercial email---at your leisure.
18780 If you are also a lazy net citizen, you will probably prefer complaining
18781 automatically with the @file{gnus-junk.el} package, available FOR FREE
18782 at @* @uref{http://stud2.tuwien.ac.at/~e9426626/gnus-junk.html}.
18783 Since most e-mail spam is sent automatically, this may reconcile the
18784 cosmic balance somewhat.
18786 This works for me. It allows people an easy way to contact me (they can
18787 just press @kbd{r} in the usual way), and I'm not bothered at all with
18788 spam. It's a win-win situation. Forging @code{From} headers to point
18789 to non-existent domains is yucky, in my opinion.
18792 @node Various Various
18793 @section Various Various
18799 @item gnus-home-directory
18800 All Gnus path variables will be initialized from this variable, which
18801 defaults to @file{~/}.
18803 @item gnus-directory
18804 @vindex gnus-directory
18805 Most Gnus storage path variables will be initialized from this variable,
18806 which defaults to the @samp{SAVEDIR} environment variable, or
18807 @file{~/News/} if that variable isn't set.
18809 Note that Gnus is mostly loaded when the @file{.gnus.el} file is read.
18810 This means that other directory variables that are initialized from this
18811 variable won't be set properly if you set this variable in
18812 @file{.gnus.el}. Set this variable in @file{.emacs} instead.
18814 @item gnus-default-directory
18815 @vindex gnus-default-directory
18816 Not related to the above variable at all---this variable says what the
18817 default directory of all Gnus buffers should be. If you issue commands
18818 like @kbd{C-x C-f}, the prompt you'll get starts in the current buffer's
18819 default directory. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
18820 default), the default directory will be the default directory of the
18821 buffer you were in when you started Gnus.
18824 @vindex gnus-verbose
18825 This variable is an integer between zero and ten. The higher the value,
18826 the more messages will be displayed. If this variable is zero, Gnus
18827 will never flash any messages, if it is seven (which is the default),
18828 most important messages will be shown, and if it is ten, Gnus won't ever
18829 shut up, but will flash so many messages it will make your head swim.
18831 @item gnus-verbose-backends
18832 @vindex gnus-verbose-backends
18833 This variable works the same way as @code{gnus-verbose}, but it applies
18834 to the Gnus backends instead of Gnus proper.
18836 @item nnheader-max-head-length
18837 @vindex nnheader-max-head-length
18838 When the backends read straight heads of articles, they all try to read
18839 as little as possible. This variable (default 4096) specifies
18840 the absolute max length the backends will try to read before giving up
18841 on finding a separator line between the head and the body. If this
18842 variable is @code{nil}, there is no upper read bound. If it is
18843 @code{t}, the backends won't try to read the articles piece by piece,
18844 but read the entire articles. This makes sense with some versions of
18845 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs}.
18847 @item nnheader-head-chop-length
18848 @vindex nnheader-head-chop-length
18849 This variable (default 2048) says how big a piece of each article to
18850 read when doing the operation described above.
18852 @item nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
18853 @vindex nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
18855 @cindex invalid characters in file names
18856 @cindex characters in file names
18857 This is an alist that says how to translate characters in file names.
18858 For instance, if @samp{:} is invalid as a file character in file names
18859 on your system (you OS/2 user you), you could say something like:
18862 (setq nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
18866 In fact, this is the default value for this variable on OS/2 and MS
18867 Windows (phooey) systems.
18869 @item gnus-hidden-properties
18870 @vindex gnus-hidden-properties
18871 This is a list of properties to use to hide ``invisible'' text. It is
18872 @code{(invisible t intangible t)} by default on most systems, which
18873 makes invisible text invisible and intangible.
18875 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
18876 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
18877 A hook called before parsing headers. It can be used, for instance, to
18878 gather statistics on the headers fetched, or perhaps you'd like to prune
18879 some headers. I don't see why you'd want that, though.
18881 @item gnus-shell-command-separator
18882 @vindex gnus-shell-command-separator
18883 String used to separate two shell commands. The default is @samp{;}.
18885 @item gnus-invalid-group-regexp
18886 @vindex gnus-invalid-group-regexp
18888 Regexp to match ``invalid'' group names when querying user for a group
18889 name. The default value catches some @strong{really} invalid group
18890 names who could possibly mess up Gnus internally (like allowing
18891 @samp{:} in a group name, which is normally used to delimit method and
18894 @sc{imap} users might want to allow @samp{/} in group names though.
18903 Well, that's the manual---you can get on with your life now. Keep in
18904 touch. Say hello to your cats from me.
18906 My @strong{ghod}---I just can't stand goodbyes. Sniffle.
18908 Ol' Charles Reznikoff said it pretty well, so I leave the floor to him:
18914 Not because of victories @*
18917 but for the common sunshine,@*
18919 the largess of the spring.
18923 but for the day's work done@*
18924 as well as I was able;@*
18925 not for a seat upon the dais@*
18926 but at the common table.@*
18931 @chapter Appendices
18934 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
18935 * On Writing Manuals:: Why this is not a beginner's guide.
18936 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
18937 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
18938 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
18939 * Gnus Reference Guide:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
18940 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
18941 * Frequently Asked Questions:: A question-and-answer session.
18949 @sc{gnus} was written by Masanobu @sc{Umeda}. When autumn crept up in
18950 '94, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen grew bored and decided to rewrite Gnus.
18952 If you want to investigate the person responsible for this outrage,
18953 you can point your (feh!) web browser to
18954 @uref{http://quimby.gnus.org/}. This is also the primary
18955 distribution point for the new and spiffy versions of Gnus, and is
18956 known as The Site That Destroys Newsrcs And Drives People Mad.
18958 During the first extended alpha period of development, the new Gnus was
18959 called ``(ding) Gnus''. @dfn{(ding)} is, of course, short for
18960 @dfn{ding is not Gnus}, which is a total and utter lie, but who cares?
18961 (Besides, the ``Gnus'' in this abbreviation should probably be
18962 pronounced ``news'' as @sc{Umeda} intended, which makes it a more
18963 appropriate name, don't you think?)
18965 In any case, after spending all that energy on coming up with a new and
18966 spunky name, we decided that the name was @emph{too} spunky, so we
18967 renamed it back again to ``Gnus''. But in mixed case. ``Gnus'' vs.
18968 ``@sc{gnus}''. New vs. old.
18971 * Gnus Versions:: What Gnus versions have been released.
18972 * Other Gnus Versions:: Other Gnus versions that also have been released.
18973 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
18974 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
18975 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
18976 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
18977 * Gnus Development:: How Gnus is developed.
18978 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
18979 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
18983 @node Gnus Versions
18984 @subsection Gnus Versions
18985 @cindex Pterodactyl Gnus
18987 @cindex September Gnus
18988 @cindex Quassia Gnus
18990 The first ``proper'' release of Gnus 5 was done in November 1995 when it
18991 was included in the Emacs 19.30 distribution (132 (ding) Gnus releases
18992 plus 15 Gnus 5.0 releases).
18994 In May 1996 the next Gnus generation (aka. ``September Gnus'' (after 99
18995 releases)) was released under the name ``Gnus 5.2'' (40 releases).
18997 On July 28th 1996 work on Red Gnus was begun, and it was released on
18998 January 25th 1997 (after 84 releases) as ``Gnus 5.4'' (67 releases).
19000 On September 13th 1997, Quassia Gnus was started and lasted 37 releases.
19001 If was released as ``Gnus 5.6'' on March 8th 1998 (46 releases).
19003 Gnus 5.6 begat Pterodactyl Gnus on August 29th 1998 and was released as
19004 ``Gnus 5.8'' (after 99 releases and a CVS repository) on December 3rd
19007 On the 26th of October 2000, Oort Gnus was begun.
19009 If you happen upon a version of Gnus that has a prefixed name --
19010 ``(ding) Gnus'', ``September Gnus'', ``Red Gnus'', ``Quassia Gnus'',
19011 ``Pterodactyl Gnus'', ``Oort Gnus'' -- don't panic. Don't let it know
19012 that you're frightened. Back away. Slowly. Whatever you do, don't
19013 run. Walk away, calmly, until you're out of its reach. Find a proper
19014 released version of Gnus and snuggle up to that instead.
19017 @node Other Gnus Versions
19018 @subsection Other Gnus Versions
19021 In addition to the versions of Gnus which have had their releases
19022 coordinated by Lars, one major development has been Semi-gnus from
19023 Japan. It's based on a library called @sc{semi}, which provides
19024 @sc{mime} capabilities.
19026 These Gnusae are based mainly on Gnus 5.6 and Pterodactyl Gnus.
19027 Collectively, they are called ``Semi-gnus'', and different strains are
19028 called T-gnus, ET-gnus, Nana-gnus and Chaos. These provide powerful
19029 @sc{mime} and multilingualization things, especially important for
19036 What's the point of Gnus?
19038 I want to provide a ``rad'', ``happening'', ``way cool'' and ``hep''
19039 newsreader, that lets you do anything you can think of. That was my
19040 original motivation, but while working on Gnus, it has become clear to
19041 me that this generation of newsreaders really belong in the stone age.
19042 Newsreaders haven't developed much since the infancy of the net. If the
19043 volume continues to rise with the current rate of increase, all current
19044 newsreaders will be pretty much useless. How do you deal with
19045 newsgroups that have thousands of new articles each day? How do you
19046 keep track of millions of people who post?
19048 Gnus offers no real solutions to these questions, but I would very much
19049 like to see Gnus being used as a testing ground for new methods of
19050 reading and fetching news. Expanding on @sc{Umeda}-san's wise decision
19051 to separate the newsreader from the backends, Gnus now offers a simple
19052 interface for anybody who wants to write new backends for fetching mail
19053 and news from different sources. I have added hooks for customizations
19054 everywhere I could imagine it being useful. By doing so, I'm inviting
19055 every one of you to explore and invent.
19057 May Gnus never be complete. @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-emacs} and
19058 @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-xemacs}.
19061 @node Compatibility
19062 @subsection Compatibility
19064 @cindex compatibility
19065 Gnus was designed to be fully compatible with @sc{gnus}. Almost all key
19066 bindings have been kept. More key bindings have been added, of course,
19067 but only in one or two obscure cases have old bindings been changed.
19072 @center In a cloud bones of steel.
19076 All commands have kept their names. Some internal functions have changed
19079 The @code{gnus-uu} package has changed drastically. @xref{Decoding
19082 One major compatibility question is the presence of several summary
19083 buffers. All variables relevant while reading a group are
19084 buffer-local to the summary buffer they belong in. Although many
19085 important variables have their values copied into their global
19086 counterparts whenever a command is executed in the summary buffer, this
19087 change might lead to incorrect values being used unless you are careful.
19089 All code that relies on knowledge of @sc{gnus} internals will probably
19090 fail. To take two examples: Sorting @code{gnus-newsrc-alist} (or
19091 changing it in any way, as a matter of fact) is strictly verboten. Gnus
19092 maintains a hash table that points to the entries in this alist (which
19093 speeds up many functions), and changing the alist directly will lead to
19097 @cindex highlighting
19098 Old hilit19 code does not work at all. In fact, you should probably
19099 remove all hilit code from all Gnus hooks
19100 (@code{gnus-group-prepare-hook} and @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook}).
19101 Gnus provides various integrated functions for highlighting. These are
19102 faster and more accurate. To make life easier for everybody, Gnus will
19103 by default remove all hilit calls from all hilit hooks. Uncleanliness!
19106 Packages like @code{expire-kill} will no longer work. As a matter of
19107 fact, you should probably remove all old @sc{gnus} packages (and other
19108 code) when you start using Gnus. More likely than not, Gnus already
19109 does what you have written code to make @sc{gnus} do. (Snicker.)
19111 Even though old methods of doing things are still supported, only the
19112 new methods are documented in this manual. If you detect a new method of
19113 doing something while reading this manual, that does not mean you have
19114 to stop doing it the old way.
19116 Gnus understands all @sc{gnus} startup files.
19118 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
19120 @cindex reporting bugs
19122 Overall, a casual user who hasn't written much code that depends on
19123 @sc{gnus} internals should suffer no problems. If problems occur,
19124 please let me know by issuing that magic command @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}.
19126 @vindex gnus-bug-create-help-buffer
19127 If you are in the habit of sending bug reports @emph{very} often, you
19128 may find the helpful help buffer annoying after a while. If so, set
19129 @code{gnus-bug-create-help-buffer} to @code{nil} to avoid having it pop
19134 @subsection Conformity
19136 No rebels without a clue here, ma'am. We conform to all standards known
19137 to (wo)man. Except for those standards and/or conventions we disagree
19144 There are no known breaches of this standard.
19148 There are no known breaches of this standard, either.
19150 @item Son-of-RFC 1036
19151 @cindex Son-of-RFC 1036
19152 We do have some breaches to this one.
19158 These are considered to be ``vanity headers'', while I consider them
19159 to be consumer information. After seeing so many badly formatted
19160 articles coming from @code{tin} and @code{Netscape} I know not to use
19161 either of those for posting articles. I would not have known that if
19162 it wasn't for the @code{X-Newsreader} header.
19167 USEFOR is an IETF working group writing a successor to RFC 1036, based
19168 on Son-of-RFC 1036. They have produced a number of drafts proposing
19169 various changes to the format of news articles. The Gnus towers will
19170 look into implementing the changes when the draft is accepted as an RFC.
19174 If you ever notice Gnus acting non-compliant with regards to the texts
19175 mentioned above, don't hesitate to drop a note to Gnus Towers and let us
19180 @subsection Emacsen
19186 Gnus should work on :
19194 XEmacs 20.4 and up.
19198 This Gnus version will absolutely not work on any Emacsen older than
19199 that. Not reliably, at least. Older versions of Gnus may work on older
19202 There are some vague differences between Gnus on the various
19203 platforms---XEmacs features more graphics (a logo and a toolbar)---but
19204 other than that, things should look pretty much the same under all
19208 @node Gnus Development
19209 @subsection Gnus Development
19211 Gnus is developed in a two-phased cycle. The first phase involves much
19212 discussion on the @samp{ding@@gnus.org} mailing list, where people
19213 propose changes and new features, post patches and new backends. This
19214 phase is called the @dfn{alpha} phase, since the Gnusae released in this
19215 phase are @dfn{alpha releases}, or (perhaps more commonly in other
19216 circles) @dfn{snapshots}. During this phase, Gnus is assumed to be
19217 unstable and should not be used by casual users. Gnus alpha releases
19218 have names like ``Red Gnus'' and ``Quassia Gnus''.
19220 After futzing around for 50-100 alpha releases, Gnus is declared
19221 @dfn{frozen}, and only bug fixes are applied. Gnus loses the prefix,
19222 and is called things like ``Gnus 5.6.32'' instead. Normal people are
19223 supposed to be able to use these, and these are mostly discussed on the
19224 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} newsgroup.
19227 @vindex mail-source-delete-incoming
19228 Some variable defaults differ between alpha Gnusae and released Gnusae.
19229 In particular, @code{mail-source-delete-incoming} defaults to @code{nil} in
19230 alpha Gnusae and @code{t} in released Gnusae. This is to prevent
19231 lossage of mail if an alpha release hiccups while handling the mail.
19233 The division of discussion between the ding mailing list and the Gnus
19234 newsgroup is not purely based on publicity concerns. It's true that
19235 having people write about the horrible things that an alpha Gnus release
19236 can do (sometimes) in a public forum may scare people off, but more
19237 importantly, talking about new experimental features that have been
19238 introduced may confuse casual users. New features are frequently
19239 introduced, fiddled with, and judged to be found wanting, and then
19240 either discarded or totally rewritten. People reading the mailing list
19241 usually keep up with these rapid changes, while people on the newsgroup
19242 can't be assumed to do so.
19247 @subsection Contributors
19248 @cindex contributors
19250 The new Gnus version couldn't have been done without the help of all the
19251 people on the (ding) mailing list. Every day for over a year I have
19252 gotten billions of nice bug reports from them, filling me with joy,
19253 every single one of them. Smooches. The people on the list have been
19254 tried beyond endurance, what with my ``oh, that's a neat idea <type
19255 type>, yup, I'll release it right away <ship off> no wait, that doesn't
19256 work at all <type type>, yup, I'll ship that one off right away <ship
19257 off> no, wait, that absolutely does not work'' policy for releases.
19258 Micro$oft---bah. Amateurs. I'm @emph{much} worse. (Or is that
19259 ``worser''? ``much worser''? ``worsest''?)
19261 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Academy for... oops,
19267 Masanobu @sc{Umeda}---the writer of the original @sc{gnus}.
19270 Shenghuo Zhu---uudecode.el, mm-uu.el, rfc1843.el, webmail.el,
19271 nnwarchive and many, many other things connected with @sc{mime} and
19272 other types of en/decoding, as well as general bug fixing, new
19273 functionality and stuff.
19276 Per Abrahamsen---custom, scoring, highlighting and @sc{soup} code (as
19277 well as numerous other things).
19280 Luis Fernandes---design and graphics.
19283 Justin Sheehy--the FAQ maintainer.
19286 Erik Naggum---help, ideas, support, code and stuff.
19289 Wes Hardaker---@file{gnus-picon.el} and the manual section on
19290 @dfn{picons} (@pxref{Picons}).
19293 Kim-Minh Kaplan---further work on the picon code.
19296 Brad Miller---@file{gnus-gl.el} and the GroupLens manual section
19297 (@pxref{GroupLens}).
19300 Sudish Joseph---innumerable bug fixes.
19303 Ilja Weis---@file{gnus-topic.el}.
19306 Steven L. Baur---lots and lots and lots of bugs detections and fixes.
19309 Vladimir Alexiev---the refcard and reference booklets.
19312 Felix Lee & Jamie Zawinski---I stole some pieces from the XGnus
19313 distribution by Felix Lee and JWZ.
19316 Scott Byer---@file{nnfolder.el} enhancements & rewrite.
19319 Peter Mutsaers---orphan article scoring code.
19322 Ken Raeburn---POP mail support.
19325 Hallvard B Furuseth---various bits and pieces, especially dealing with
19329 Brian Edmonds---@file{gnus-bbdb.el}.
19332 David Moore---rewrite of @file{nnvirtual.el} and many other things.
19335 Kevin Davidson---came up with the name @dfn{ding}, so blame him.
19338 François Pinard---many, many interesting and thorough bug reports, as
19339 well as autoconf support.
19343 This manual was proof-read by Adrian Aichner, with Ricardo Nassif, Mark
19344 Borges, and Jost Krieger proof-reading parts of the manual.
19346 The following people have contributed many patches and suggestions:
19355 Jason L. Tibbitts, III,
19359 Also thanks to the following for patches and stuff:
19369 Alexei V. Barantsev,
19384 Massimo Campostrini,
19389 Jae-you Chung, @c ?
19390 James H. Cloos, Jr.,
19394 Andrew J. Cosgriff,
19397 Geoffrey T. Dairiki,
19403 Michael Welsh Duggan,
19408 Enami Tsugutomo, @c Enami
19412 Nelson Jose dos Santos Ferreira,
19420 Arne Georg Gleditsch,
19422 Michelangelo Grigni,
19426 Kenichi Handa, @c Handa
19428 Yoshiki Hayashi, @c ?
19430 Hisashige Kenji, @c Hisashige
19437 François Felix Ingrand,
19438 Tatsuya Ichikawa, @c ?
19439 Ishikawa Ichiro, @c Ishikawa
19441 Iwamuro Motonori, @c Iwamuro
19452 Peter Skov Knudsen,
19453 Shuhei Kobayashi, @c Kobayashi
19455 Koseki Yoshinori, @c Koseki
19456 Thor Kristoffersen,
19459 Seokchan Lee, @c Lee
19477 Morioka Tomohiko, @c Morioka
19478 Erik Toubro Nielsen,
19485 Masaharu Onishi, @c Onishi
19490 Jens-Ulrik Holger Petersen,
19494 John McClary Prevost,
19500 Lars Balker Rasmussen,
19505 Christian von Roques,
19508 Wolfgang Rupprecht,
19515 Philippe Schnoebelen,
19517 Randal L. Schwartz,
19531 Kiyokazu Suto, @c Suto
19536 Tozawa Akihiko, @c Tozawa
19552 Katsumi Yamaoka @c Yamaoka
19557 For a full overview of what each person has done, the ChangeLogs
19558 included in the Gnus alpha distributions should give ample reading
19559 (550kB and counting).
19561 Apologies to everybody that I've forgotten, of which there are many, I'm
19564 Gee, that's quite a list of people. I guess that must mean that there
19565 actually are people who are using Gnus. Who'd'a thunk it!
19569 @subsection New Features
19570 @cindex new features
19573 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
19574 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.2/5.3.
19575 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
19576 * Quassia Gnus:: Two times two is four, or Gnus 5.6/5.7.
19577 * Pterodactyl Gnus:: Pentad also starts with P, AKA Gnus 5.8/5.9.
19580 These lists are, of course, just @emph{short} overviews of the
19581 @emph{most} important new features. No, really. There are tons more.
19582 Yes, we have feeping creaturism in full effect.
19585 @subsubsection (ding) Gnus
19587 New features in Gnus 5.0/5.1:
19592 The look of all buffers can be changed by setting format-like variables
19593 (@pxref{Group Buffer Format} and @pxref{Summary Buffer Format}).
19596 Local spool and several @sc{nntp} servers can be used at once
19597 (@pxref{Select Methods}).
19600 You can combine groups into virtual groups (@pxref{Virtual Groups}).
19603 You can read a number of different mail formats (@pxref{Getting Mail}).
19604 All the mail backends implement a convenient mail expiry scheme
19605 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
19608 Gnus can use various strategies for gathering threads that have lost
19609 their roots (thereby gathering loose sub-threads into one thread) or it
19610 can go back and retrieve enough headers to build a complete thread
19611 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
19614 Killed groups can be displayed in the group buffer, and you can read
19615 them as well (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
19618 Gnus can do partial group updates---you do not have to retrieve the
19619 entire active file just to check for new articles in a few groups
19620 (@pxref{The Active File}).
19623 Gnus implements a sliding scale of subscribedness to groups
19624 (@pxref{Group Levels}).
19627 You can score articles according to any number of criteria
19628 (@pxref{Scoring}). You can even get Gnus to find out how to score
19629 articles for you (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
19632 Gnus maintains a dribble buffer that is auto-saved the normal Emacs
19633 manner, so it should be difficult to lose much data on what you have
19634 read if your machine should go down (@pxref{Auto Save}).
19637 Gnus now has its own startup file (@file{.gnus}) to avoid cluttering up
19638 the @file{.emacs} file.
19641 You can set the process mark on both groups and articles and perform
19642 operations on all the marked items (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
19645 You can grep through a subset of groups and create a group from the
19646 results (@pxref{Kibozed Groups}).
19649 You can list subsets of groups according to, well, anything
19650 (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
19653 You can browse foreign servers and subscribe to groups from those
19654 servers (@pxref{Browse Foreign Server}).
19657 Gnus can fetch articles, asynchronously, on a second connection to the
19658 server (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
19661 You can cache articles locally (@pxref{Article Caching}).
19664 The uudecode functions have been expanded and generalized
19665 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
19668 You can still post uuencoded articles, which was a little-known feature
19669 of @sc{gnus}' past (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
19672 Fetching parents (and other articles) now actually works without
19673 glitches (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
19676 Gnus can fetch FAQs and group descriptions (@pxref{Group Information}).
19679 Digests (and other files) can be used as the basis for groups
19680 (@pxref{Document Groups}).
19683 Articles can be highlighted and customized (@pxref{Customizing
19687 URLs and other external references can be buttonized (@pxref{Article
19691 You can do lots of strange stuff with the Gnus window & frame
19692 configuration (@pxref{Windows Configuration}).
19695 You can click on buttons instead of using the keyboard
19701 @node September Gnus
19702 @subsubsection September Gnus
19706 \gnusfig{-28cm}{0cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/september.ps,height=20cm}}
19710 New features in Gnus 5.2/5.3:
19715 A new message composition mode is used. All old customization variables
19716 for @code{mail-mode}, @code{rnews-reply-mode} and @code{gnus-msg} are
19720 Gnus is now able to generate @dfn{sparse} threads---threads where
19721 missing articles are represented by empty nodes (@pxref{Customizing
19725 (setq gnus-build-sparse-threads 'some)
19729 Outgoing articles are stored on a special archive server
19730 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
19733 Partial thread regeneration now happens when articles are
19737 Gnus can make use of GroupLens predictions (@pxref{GroupLens}).
19740 Picons (personal icons) can be displayed under XEmacs (@pxref{Picons}).
19743 A @code{trn}-like tree buffer can be displayed (@pxref{Tree Display}).
19746 (setq gnus-use-trees t)
19750 An @code{nn}-like pick-and-read minor mode is available for the summary
19751 buffers (@pxref{Pick and Read}).
19754 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
19758 In binary groups you can use a special binary minor mode (@pxref{Binary
19762 Groups can be grouped in a folding topic hierarchy (@pxref{Group
19766 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
19770 Gnus can re-send and bounce mail (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
19773 Groups can now have a score, and bubbling based on entry frequency
19774 is possible (@pxref{Group Score}).
19777 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-exit-hook 'gnus-summary-bubble-group)
19781 Groups can be process-marked, and commands can be performed on
19782 groups of groups (@pxref{Marking Groups}).
19785 Caching is possible in virtual groups.
19788 @code{nndoc} now understands all kinds of digests, mail boxes, rnews
19789 news batches, ClariNet briefs collections, and just about everything
19790 else (@pxref{Document Groups}).
19793 Gnus has a new backend (@code{nnsoup}) to create/read SOUP packets
19797 The Gnus cache is much faster.
19800 Groups can be sorted according to many criteria (@pxref{Sorting
19804 New group parameters have been introduced to set list-addresses and
19805 expiry times (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
19808 All formatting specs allow specifying faces to be used
19809 (@pxref{Formatting Fonts}).
19812 There are several more commands for setting/removing/acting on process
19813 marked articles on the @kbd{M P} submap (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
19816 The summary buffer can be limited to show parts of the available
19817 articles based on a wide range of criteria. These commands have been
19818 bound to keys on the @kbd{/} submap (@pxref{Limiting}).
19821 Articles can be made persistent with the @kbd{*} command
19822 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
19825 All functions for hiding article elements are now toggles.
19828 Article headers can be buttonized (@pxref{Article Washing}).
19831 All mail backends support fetching articles by @code{Message-ID}.
19834 Duplicate mail can now be treated properly (@pxref{Duplicates}).
19837 All summary mode commands are available directly from the article
19838 buffer (@pxref{Article Keymap}).
19841 Frames can be part of @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} (@pxref{Windows
19845 Mail can be re-scanned by a daemonic process (@pxref{Daemons}).
19848 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=tmp/fseptember.ps,height=5cm}]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/fseptember.ps,height=5cm}}
19853 Gnus can make use of NoCeM files to weed out spam (@pxref{NoCeM}).
19856 (setq gnus-use-nocem t)
19860 Groups can be made permanently visible (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
19863 (setq gnus-permanently-visible-groups "^nnml:")
19867 Many new hooks have been introduced to make customizing easier.
19870 Gnus respects the @code{Mail-Copies-To} header.
19873 Threads can be gathered by looking at the @code{References} header
19874 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
19877 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
19878 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
19882 Read articles can be stored in a special backlog buffer to avoid
19883 refetching (@pxref{Article Backlog}).
19886 (setq gnus-keep-backlog 50)
19890 A clean copy of the current article is always stored in a separate
19891 buffer to allow easier treatment.
19894 Gnus can suggest where to save articles (@pxref{Saving Articles}).
19897 Gnus doesn't have to do as much prompting when saving (@pxref{Saving
19901 (setq gnus-prompt-before-saving t)
19905 @code{gnus-uu} can view decoded files asynchronously while fetching
19906 articles (@pxref{Other Decode Variables}).
19909 (setq gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions 'gnus-uu-grab-view)
19913 Filling in the article buffer now works properly on cited text
19914 (@pxref{Article Washing}).
19917 Hiding cited text adds buttons to toggle hiding, and how much
19918 cited text to hide is now customizable (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
19921 (setq gnus-cited-lines-visible 2)
19925 Boring headers can be hidden (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
19928 Default scoring values can now be set from the menu bar.
19931 Further syntax checking of outgoing articles have been added.
19937 @subsubsection Red Gnus
19939 New features in Gnus 5.4/5.5:
19943 \gnusfig{-5.5cm}{-4cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/red.ps,height=20cm}}
19950 @file{nntp.el} has been totally rewritten in an asynchronous fashion.
19953 Article prefetching functionality has been moved up into
19954 Gnus (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
19957 Scoring can now be performed with logical operators like @code{and},
19958 @code{or}, @code{not}, and parent redirection (@pxref{Advanced
19962 Article washing status can be displayed in the
19963 article mode line (@pxref{Misc Article}).
19966 @file{gnus.el} has been split into many smaller files.
19969 Suppression of duplicate articles based on Message-ID can be done
19970 (@pxref{Duplicate Suppression}).
19973 (setq gnus-suppress-duplicates t)
19977 New variables for specifying what score and adapt files are to be
19978 considered home score and adapt files (@pxref{Home Score File}) have
19982 @code{nndoc} was rewritten to be easily extendable (@pxref{Document
19983 Server Internals}).
19986 Groups can inherit group parameters from parent topics (@pxref{Topic
19990 Article editing has been revamped and is now actually usable.
19993 Signatures can be recognized in more intelligent fashions
19994 (@pxref{Article Signature}).
19997 Summary pick mode has been made to look more @code{nn}-like. Line
19998 numbers are displayed and the @kbd{.} command can be used to pick
19999 articles (@code{Pick and Read}).
20002 Commands for moving the @file{.newsrc.eld} from one server to
20003 another have been added (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
20006 There's a way now to specify that ``uninteresting'' fields be suppressed
20007 when generating lines in buffers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting}).
20010 Several commands in the group buffer can be undone with @kbd{M-C-_}
20014 Scoring can be done on words using the new score type @code{w}
20015 (@pxref{Score File Format}).
20018 Adaptive scoring can be done on a Subject word-by-word basis
20019 (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
20022 (setq gnus-use-adaptive-scoring '(word))
20026 Scores can be decayed (@pxref{Score Decays}).
20029 (setq gnus-decay-scores t)
20033 Scoring can be performed using a regexp on the Date header. The Date is
20034 normalized to compact ISO 8601 format first (@pxref{Score File Format}).
20037 A new command has been added to remove all data on articles from
20038 the native server (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
20041 A new command for reading collections of documents
20042 (@code{nndoc} with @code{nnvirtual} on top) has been added---@kbd{M-C-d}
20043 (@pxref{Really Various Summary Commands}).
20046 Process mark sets can be pushed and popped (@pxref{Setting Process
20050 A new mail-to-news backend makes it possible to post even when the @sc{nntp}
20051 server doesn't allow posting (@pxref{Mail-To-News Gateways}).
20054 A new backend for reading searches from Web search engines
20055 (@dfn{DejaNews}, @dfn{Alta Vista}, @dfn{InReference}) has been added
20056 (@pxref{Web Searches}).
20059 Groups inside topics can now be sorted using the standard sorting
20060 functions, and each topic can be sorted independently (@pxref{Topic
20064 Subsets of the groups can be sorted independently (@code{Sorting
20068 Cached articles can be pulled into the groups (@pxref{Summary Generation
20072 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=tmp/fred.ps,width=3cm}]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/fred.ps,width=3cm}}
20077 Score files are now applied in a more reliable order (@pxref{Score
20081 Reports on where mail messages end up can be generated (@pxref{Splitting
20085 More hooks and functions have been added to remove junk from incoming
20086 mail before saving the mail (@pxref{Washing Mail}).
20089 Emphasized text can be properly fontisized:
20095 @subsubsection Quassia Gnus
20097 New features in Gnus 5.6:
20102 New functionality for using Gnus as an offline newsreader has been
20103 added. A plethora of new commands and modes have been added. See
20104 @pxref{Gnus Unplugged} for the full story.
20107 The @code{nndraft} backend has returned, but works differently than
20108 before. All Message buffers are now also articles in the @code{nndraft}
20109 group, which is created automatically.
20112 @code{gnus-alter-header-function} can now be used to alter header
20116 @code{gnus-summary-goto-article} now accept Message-ID's.
20119 A new Message command for deleting text in the body of a message
20120 outside the region: @kbd{C-c C-v}.
20123 You can now post to component group in @code{nnvirtual} groups with
20127 @code{nntp-rlogin-program}---new variable to ease customization.
20130 @code{C-u C-c C-c} in @code{gnus-article-edit-mode} will now inhibit
20131 re-highlighting of the article buffer.
20134 New element in @code{gnus-boring-article-headers}---@code{long-to}.
20137 @kbd{M-i} symbolic prefix command. See the section "Symbolic
20138 Prefixes" in the Gnus manual for details.
20141 @kbd{L} and @kbd{I} in the summary buffer now take the symbolic prefix
20142 @kbd{a} to add the score rule to the "all.SCORE" file.
20145 @code{gnus-simplify-subject-functions} variable to allow greater
20146 control over simplification.
20149 @kbd{A T}---new command for fetching the current thread.
20152 @kbd{/ T}---new command for including the current thread in the
20156 @kbd{M-RET} is a new Message command for breaking cited text.
20159 @samp{\\1}-expressions are now valid in @code{nnmail-split-methods}.
20162 The @code{custom-face-lookup} function has been removed.
20163 If you used this function in your initialization files, you must
20164 rewrite them to use @code{face-spec-set} instead.
20167 Canceling now uses the current select method. Symbolic prefix
20168 @kbd{a} forces normal posting method.
20171 New command to translate M******** sm*rtq**t*s into proper
20175 For easier debugging of @code{nntp}, you can set
20176 @code{nntp-record-commands} to a non-@code{nil} value.
20179 @code{nntp} now uses @file{~/.authinfo}, a @file{.netrc}-like file, for
20180 controlling where and how to send @sc{authinfo} to @sc{nntp} servers.
20183 A command for editing group parameters from the summary buffer
20187 A history of where mails have been split is available.
20190 A new article date command has been added---@code{article-date-iso8601}.
20193 Subjects can be simplified when threading by setting
20194 @code{gnus-score-thread-simplify}.
20197 A new function for citing in Message has been
20198 added---@code{message-cite-original-without-signature}.
20201 @code{article-strip-all-blank-lines}---new article command.
20204 A new Message command to kill to the end of the article has
20208 A minimum adaptive score can be specified by using the
20209 @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} variable.
20212 The "lapsed date" article header can be kept continually
20213 updated by the @code{gnus-start-date-timer} command.
20216 Web listserv archives can be read with the @code{nnlistserv} backend.
20219 Old dejanews archives can now be read by @code{nnweb}.
20223 @node Pterodactyl Gnus
20224 @subsubsection Pterodactyl Gnus
20226 New features in Gnus 5.8:
20230 @item The mail-fetching functions have changed. See the manual for the
20231 many details. In particular, all procmail fetching variables are gone.
20233 If you used procmail like in
20236 (setq nnmail-use-procmail t)
20237 (setq nnmail-spool-file 'procmail)
20238 (setq nnmail-procmail-directory "~/mail/incoming/")
20239 (setq nnmail-procmail-suffix "\\.in")
20242 this now has changed to
20246 '((directory :path "~/mail/incoming/"
20250 More information is available in the info doc at Select Methods ->
20251 Getting Mail -> Mail Sources
20253 @item Gnus is now a MIME-capable reader. This affects many parts of
20254 Gnus, and adds a slew of new commands. See the manual for details.
20256 @item Gnus has also been multilingualized. This also affects too
20257 many parts of Gnus to summarize here, and adds many new variables.
20259 @item @code{gnus-auto-select-first} can now be a function to be
20260 called to position point.
20262 @item The user can now decide which extra headers should be included in
20263 summary buffers and NOV files.
20265 @item @code{gnus-article-display-hook} has been removed. Instead, a number
20266 of variables starting with @code{gnus-treat-} have been added.
20268 @item The Gnus posting styles have been redone again and now works in a
20269 subtly different manner.
20271 @item New web-based backends have been added: @code{nnslashdot},
20272 @code{nnwarchive} and @code{nnultimate}. nnweb has been revamped,
20273 again, to keep up with ever-changing layouts.
20275 @item Gnus can now read IMAP mail via @code{nnimap}.
20283 @section The Manual
20287 This manual was generated from a TeXinfo file and then run through
20288 either @code{texi2dvi}
20290 or my own home-brewed TeXinfo to \LaTeX\ transformer,
20291 and then run through @code{latex} and @code{dvips}
20293 to get what you hold in your hands now.
20295 The following conventions have been used:
20300 This is a @samp{string}
20303 This is a @kbd{keystroke}
20306 This is a @file{file}
20309 This is a @code{symbol}
20313 So if I were to say ``set @code{flargnoze} to @samp{yes}'', that would
20317 (setq flargnoze "yes")
20320 If I say ``set @code{flumphel} to @code{yes}'', that would mean:
20323 (setq flumphel 'yes)
20326 @samp{yes} and @code{yes} are two @emph{very} different things---don't
20327 ever get them confused.
20331 Of course, everything in this manual is of vital interest, so you should
20332 read it all. Several times. However, if you feel like skimming the
20333 manual, look for that gnu head you should see in the margin over
20334 there---it means that what's being discussed is of more importance than
20335 the rest of the stuff. (On the other hand, if everything is infinitely
20336 important, how can anything be more important than that? Just one more
20337 of the mysteries of this world, I guess.)
20343 @node On Writing Manuals
20344 @section On Writing Manuals
20346 I guess most manuals are written after-the-fact; documenting a program
20347 that's already there. This is not how this manual is written. When
20348 implementing something, I write the manual entry for that something
20349 straight away. I then see that it's difficult to explain the
20350 functionality, so I write how it's supposed to be, and then I change the
20351 implementation. Writing the documentation and writing the code goes
20354 This, of course, means that this manual has no, or little, flow. It
20355 documents absolutely everything in Gnus, but often not where you're
20356 looking for it. It is a reference manual, and not a guide to how to get
20359 That would be a totally different book, that should be written using the
20360 reference manual as source material. It would look quite differently.
20365 @section Terminology
20367 @cindex terminology
20372 This is what you are supposed to use this thing for---reading news.
20373 News is generally fetched from a nearby @sc{nntp} server, and is
20374 generally publicly available to everybody. If you post news, the entire
20375 world is likely to read just what you have written, and they'll all
20376 snigger mischievously. Behind your back.
20380 Everything that's delivered to you personally is mail. Some news/mail
20381 readers (like Gnus) blur the distinction between mail and news, but
20382 there is a difference. Mail is private. News is public. Mailing is
20383 not posting, and replying is not following up.
20387 Send a mail to the person who has written what you are reading.
20391 Post an article to the current newsgroup responding to the article you
20396 Gnus gets fed articles from a number of backends, both news and mail
20397 backends. Gnus does not handle the underlying media, so to speak---this
20398 is all done by the backends.
20402 Gnus will always use one method (and backend) as the @dfn{native}, or
20403 default, way of getting news.
20407 You can also have any number of foreign groups active at the same time.
20408 These are groups that use non-native non-secondary backends for getting
20413 Secondary backends are somewhere half-way between being native and being
20414 foreign, but they mostly act like they are native.
20418 A message that has been posted as news.
20421 @cindex mail message
20422 A message that has been mailed.
20426 A mail message or news article
20430 The top part of a message, where administrative information (etc.) is
20435 The rest of an article. Everything not in the head is in the
20440 A line from the head of an article.
20444 A collection of such lines, or a collection of heads. Or even a
20445 collection of @sc{nov} lines.
20449 When Gnus enters a group, it asks the backend for the headers of all
20450 unread articles in the group. Most servers support the News OverView
20451 format, which is more compact and much faster to read and parse than the
20452 normal @sc{head} format.
20456 Each group is subscribed at some @dfn{level} or other (1-9). The ones
20457 that have a lower level are ``more'' subscribed than the groups with a
20458 higher level. In fact, groups on levels 1-5 are considered
20459 @dfn{subscribed}; 6-7 are @dfn{unsubscribed}; 8 are @dfn{zombies}; and 9
20460 are @dfn{killed}. Commands for listing groups and scanning for new
20461 articles will all use the numeric prefix as @dfn{working level}.
20463 @item killed groups
20464 @cindex killed groups
20465 No information on killed groups is stored or updated, which makes killed
20466 groups much easier to handle than subscribed groups.
20468 @item zombie groups
20469 @cindex zombie groups
20470 Just like killed groups, only slightly less dead.
20473 @cindex active file
20474 The news server has to keep track of what articles it carries, and what
20475 groups exist. All this information in stored in the active file, which
20476 is rather large, as you might surmise.
20479 @cindex bogus groups
20480 A group that exists in the @file{.newsrc} file, but isn't known to the
20481 server (i.e., it isn't in the active file), is a @emph{bogus group}.
20482 This means that the group probably doesn't exist (any more).
20485 @cindex activating groups
20486 The act of asking the server for info on a group and computing the
20487 number of unread articles is called @dfn{activating the group}.
20488 Un-activated groups are listed with @samp{*} in the group buffer.
20492 A machine one can connect to and get news (or mail) from.
20494 @item select method
20495 @cindex select method
20496 A structure that specifies the backend, the server and the virtual
20499 @item virtual server
20500 @cindex virtual server
20501 A named select method. Since a select method defines all there is to
20502 know about connecting to a (physical) server, taking the thing as a
20503 whole is a virtual server.
20507 Taking a buffer and running it through a filter of some sort. The
20508 result will (more often than not) be cleaner and more pleasing than the
20511 @item ephemeral groups
20512 @cindex ephemeral groups
20513 Most groups store data on what articles you have read. @dfn{Ephemeral}
20514 groups are groups that will have no data stored---when you exit the
20515 group, it'll disappear into the aether.
20518 @cindex solid groups
20519 This is the opposite of ephemeral groups. All groups listed in the
20520 group buffer are solid groups.
20522 @item sparse articles
20523 @cindex sparse articles
20524 These are article placeholders shown in the summary buffer when
20525 @code{gnus-build-sparse-threads} has been switched on.
20529 To put responses to articles directly after the articles they respond
20530 to---in a hierarchical fashion.
20534 @cindex thread root
20535 The first article in a thread is the root. It is the ancestor of all
20536 articles in the thread.
20540 An article that has responses.
20544 An article that responds to a different article---its parent.
20548 A collection of messages in one file. The most common digest format is
20549 specified by RFC 1153.
20555 @node Customization
20556 @section Customization
20557 @cindex general customization
20559 All variables are properly documented elsewhere in this manual. This
20560 section is designed to give general pointers on how to customize Gnus
20561 for some quite common situations.
20564 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
20565 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
20566 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
20567 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
20571 @node Slow/Expensive Connection
20572 @subsection Slow/Expensive @sc{nntp} Connection
20574 If you run Emacs on a machine locally, and get your news from a machine
20575 over some very thin strings, you want to cut down on the amount of data
20576 Gnus has to get from the @sc{nntp} server.
20580 @item gnus-read-active-file
20581 Set this to @code{nil}, which will inhibit Gnus from requesting the
20582 entire active file from the server. This file is often v. large. You
20583 also have to set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
20584 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make sure that Gnus
20585 doesn't suddenly decide to fetch the active file anyway.
20587 @item gnus-nov-is-evil
20588 This one has to be @code{nil}. If not, grabbing article headers from
20589 the @sc{nntp} server will not be very fast. Not all @sc{nntp} servers
20590 support @sc{xover}; Gnus will detect this by itself.
20594 @node Slow Terminal Connection
20595 @subsection Slow Terminal Connection
20597 Let's say you use your home computer for dialing up the system that runs
20598 Emacs and Gnus. If your modem is slow, you want to reduce (as much as
20599 possible) the amount of data sent over the wires.
20603 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
20604 Set this to @code{nil} to inhibit Gnus from re-centering the summary
20605 buffer all the time. If it is @code{vertical}, do only vertical
20606 re-centering. If it is neither @code{nil} nor @code{vertical}, do both
20607 horizontal and vertical recentering.
20609 @item gnus-visible-headers
20610 Cut down on the headers included in the articles to the
20611 minimum. You can, in fact, make do without them altogether---most of the
20612 useful data is in the summary buffer, anyway. Set this variable to
20613 @samp{^NEVVVVER} or @samp{From:}, or whatever you feel you need.
20615 Set this hook to all the available hiding commands:
20617 (setq gnus-treat-hide-headers 'head
20618 gnus-treat-hide-signature t
20619 gnus-treat-hide-citation t)
20622 @item gnus-use-full-window
20623 By setting this to @code{nil}, you can make all the windows smaller.
20624 While this doesn't really cut down much generally, it means that you
20625 have to see smaller portions of articles before deciding that you didn't
20626 want to read them anyway.
20628 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
20629 If this is non-@code{nil}, all threads in the summary buffer will be
20632 @item gnus-updated-mode-lines
20633 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not put information in the buffer mode
20634 lines, which might save some time.
20638 @node Little Disk Space
20639 @subsection Little Disk Space
20642 The startup files can get rather large, so you may want to cut their
20643 sizes a bit if you are running out of space.
20647 @item gnus-save-newsrc-file
20648 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never save @file{.newsrc}---it will
20649 only save @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
20650 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
20653 @item gnus-read-newsrc-file
20654 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never read @file{.newsrc}---it will
20655 only read @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
20656 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
20659 @item gnus-save-killed-list
20660 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not save the list of dead groups. You
20661 should also set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{ask-server}
20662 and @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} if you set this
20663 variable to @code{nil}. This variable is @code{t} by default.
20669 @subsection Slow Machine
20670 @cindex slow machine
20672 If you have a slow machine, or are just really impatient, there are a
20673 few things you can do to make Gnus run faster.
20675 Set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
20676 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make startup faster.
20678 Set @code{gnus-show-threads}, @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} and
20679 @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{nil} to make entering and exiting the
20680 summary buffer faster.
20684 @node Troubleshooting
20685 @section Troubleshooting
20686 @cindex troubleshooting
20688 Gnus works @emph{so} well straight out of the box---I can't imagine any
20696 Make sure your computer is switched on.
20699 Make sure that you really load the current Gnus version. If you have
20700 been running @sc{gnus}, you need to exit Emacs and start it up again before
20704 Try doing an @kbd{M-x gnus-version}. If you get something that looks
20705 like @samp{Gnus v5.46; nntp 4.0} you have the right files loaded. If,
20706 on the other hand, you get something like @samp{NNTP 3.x} or @samp{nntp
20707 flee}, you have some old @file{.el} files lying around. Delete these.
20710 Read the help group (@kbd{G h} in the group buffer) for a FAQ and a
20714 @vindex max-lisp-eval-depth
20715 Gnus works on many recursive structures, and in some extreme (and very
20716 rare) cases Gnus may recurse down ``too deeply'' and Emacs will beep at
20717 you. If this happens to you, set @code{max-lisp-eval-depth} to 500 or
20718 something like that.
20721 If all else fails, report the problem as a bug.
20724 @cindex reporting bugs
20726 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
20728 If you find a bug in Gnus, you can report it with the @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}
20729 command. @kbd{M-x set-variable RET debug-on-error RET t RET}, and send
20730 me the backtrace. I will fix bugs, but I can only fix them if you send
20731 me a precise description as to how to reproduce the bug.
20733 You really can never be too detailed in a bug report. Always use the
20734 @kbd{M-x gnus-bug} command when you make bug reports, even if it creates
20735 a 10Kb mail each time you use it, and even if you have sent me your
20736 environment 500 times before. I don't care. I want the full info each
20739 It is also important to remember that I have no memory whatsoever. If
20740 you send a bug report, and I send you a reply, and then you just send
20741 back ``No, it's not! Moron!'', I will have no idea what you are
20742 insulting me about. Always over-explain everything. It's much easier
20743 for all of us---if I don't have all the information I need, I will just
20744 mail you and ask for more info, and everything takes more time.
20746 If the problem you're seeing is very visual, and you can't quite explain
20747 it, copy the Emacs window to a file (with @code{xwd}, for instance), put
20748 it somewhere it can be reached, and include the URL of the picture in
20751 If you just need help, you are better off asking on
20752 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}. I'm not very helpful.
20754 @cindex gnu.emacs.gnus
20755 @cindex ding mailing list
20756 You can also ask on the ding mailing list---@samp{ding@@gnus.org}.
20757 Write to @samp{ding-request@@gnus.org} to subscribe.
20761 @node Gnus Reference Guide
20762 @section Gnus Reference Guide
20764 It is my hope that other people will figure out smart stuff that Gnus
20765 can do, and that other people will write those smart things as well. To
20766 facilitate that I thought it would be a good idea to describe the inner
20767 workings of Gnus. And some of the not-so-inner workings, while I'm at
20770 You can never expect the internals of a program not to change, but I
20771 will be defining (in some details) the interface between Gnus and its
20772 backends (this is written in stone), the format of the score files
20773 (ditto), data structures (some are less likely to change than others)
20774 and general methods of operation.
20777 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
20778 * Backend Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
20779 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
20780 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
20781 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
20782 * Group Info:: The group info format.
20783 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
20784 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
20785 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
20789 @node Gnus Utility Functions
20790 @subsection Gnus Utility Functions
20791 @cindex Gnus utility functions
20792 @cindex utility functions
20794 @cindex internal variables
20796 When writing small functions to be run from hooks (and stuff), it's
20797 vital to have access to the Gnus internal functions and variables.
20798 Below is a list of the most common ones.
20802 @item gnus-newsgroup-name
20803 @vindex gnus-newsgroup-name
20804 This variable holds the name of the current newsgroup.
20806 @item gnus-find-method-for-group
20807 @findex gnus-find-method-for-group
20808 A function that returns the select method for @var{group}.
20810 @item gnus-group-real-name
20811 @findex gnus-group-real-name
20812 Takes a full (prefixed) Gnus group name, and returns the unprefixed
20815 @item gnus-group-prefixed-name
20816 @findex gnus-group-prefixed-name
20817 Takes an unprefixed group name and a select method, and returns the full
20818 (prefixed) Gnus group name.
20820 @item gnus-get-info
20821 @findex gnus-get-info
20822 Returns the group info list for @var{group}.
20824 @item gnus-group-unread
20825 @findex gnus-group-unread
20826 The number of unread articles in @var{group}, or @code{t} if that is
20830 @findex gnus-active
20831 The active entry for @var{group}.
20833 @item gnus-set-active
20834 @findex gnus-set-active
20835 Set the active entry for @var{group}.
20837 @item gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
20838 @findex gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
20839 Adds the current buffer to the list of buffers to be killed on Gnus
20842 @item gnus-continuum-version
20843 @findex gnus-continuum-version
20844 Takes a Gnus version string as a parameter and returns a floating point
20845 number. Earlier versions will always get a lower number than later
20848 @item gnus-group-read-only-p
20849 @findex gnus-group-read-only-p
20850 Says whether @var{group} is read-only or not.
20852 @item gnus-news-group-p
20853 @findex gnus-news-group-p
20854 Says whether @var{group} came from a news backend.
20856 @item gnus-ephemeral-group-p
20857 @findex gnus-ephemeral-group-p
20858 Says whether @var{group} is ephemeral or not.
20860 @item gnus-server-to-method
20861 @findex gnus-server-to-method
20862 Returns the select method corresponding to @var{server}.
20864 @item gnus-server-equal
20865 @findex gnus-server-equal
20866 Says whether two virtual servers are equal.
20868 @item gnus-group-native-p
20869 @findex gnus-group-native-p
20870 Says whether @var{group} is native or not.
20872 @item gnus-group-secondary-p
20873 @findex gnus-group-secondary-p
20874 Says whether @var{group} is secondary or not.
20876 @item gnus-group-foreign-p
20877 @findex gnus-group-foreign-p
20878 Says whether @var{group} is foreign or not.
20880 @item group-group-find-parameter
20881 @findex group-group-find-parameter
20882 Returns the parameter list of @var{group}. If given a second parameter,
20883 returns the value of that parameter for @var{group}.
20885 @item gnus-group-set-parameter
20886 @findex gnus-group-set-parameter
20887 Takes three parameters; @var{group}, @var{parameter} and @var{value}.
20889 @item gnus-narrow-to-body
20890 @findex gnus-narrow-to-body
20891 Narrows the current buffer to the body of the article.
20893 @item gnus-check-backend-function
20894 @findex gnus-check-backend-function
20895 Takes two parameters, @var{function} and @var{group}. If the backend
20896 @var{group} comes from supports @var{function}, return non-@code{nil}.
20899 (gnus-check-backend-function "request-scan" "nnml:misc")
20903 @item gnus-read-method
20904 @findex gnus-read-method
20905 Prompts the user for a select method.
20910 @node Backend Interface
20911 @subsection Backend Interface
20913 Gnus doesn't know anything about @sc{nntp}, spools, mail or virtual
20914 groups. It only knows how to talk to @dfn{virtual servers}. A virtual
20915 server is a @dfn{backend} and some @dfn{backend variables}. As examples
20916 of the first, we have @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and @code{nnmbox}. As
20917 examples of the latter we have @code{nntp-port-number} and
20918 @code{nnmbox-directory}.
20920 When Gnus asks for information from a backend---say @code{nntp}---on
20921 something, it will normally include a virtual server name in the
20922 function parameters. (If not, the backend should use the ``current''
20923 virtual server.) For instance, @code{nntp-request-list} takes a virtual
20924 server as its only (optional) parameter. If this virtual server hasn't
20925 been opened, the function should fail.
20927 Note that a virtual server name has no relation to some physical server
20928 name. Take this example:
20932 (nntp-address "ifi.uio.no")
20933 (nntp-port-number 4324))
20936 Here the virtual server name is @samp{odd-one} while the name of
20937 the physical server is @samp{ifi.uio.no}.
20939 The backends should be able to switch between several virtual servers.
20940 The standard backends implement this by keeping an alist of virtual
20941 server environments that they pull down/push up when needed.
20943 There are two groups of interface functions: @dfn{required functions},
20944 which must be present, and @dfn{optional functions}, which Gnus will
20945 always check for presence before attempting to call 'em.
20947 All these functions are expected to return data in the buffer
20948 @code{nntp-server-buffer} (@samp{ *nntpd*}), which is somewhat
20949 unfortunately named, but we'll have to live with it. When I talk about
20950 @dfn{resulting data}, I always refer to the data in that buffer. When I
20951 talk about @dfn{return value}, I talk about the function value returned by
20952 the function call. Functions that fail should return @code{nil} as the
20955 Some backends could be said to be @dfn{server-forming} backends, and
20956 some might be said not to be. The latter are backends that generally
20957 only operate on one group at a time, and have no concept of ``server''
20958 -- they have a group, and they deliver info on that group and nothing
20961 In the examples and definitions I will refer to the imaginary backend
20964 @cindex @code{nnchoke}
20967 * Required Backend Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
20968 * Optional Backend Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
20969 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
20970 * Writing New Backends:: Extending old backends.
20971 * Hooking New Backends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
20972 * Mail-like Backends:: Some tips on mail backends.
20976 @node Required Backend Functions
20977 @subsubsection Required Backend Functions
20981 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-headers ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FETCH-OLD)
20983 @var{articles} is either a range of article numbers or a list of
20984 @code{Message-ID}s. Current backends do not fully support either---only
20985 sequences (lists) of article numbers, and most backends do not support
20986 retrieval of @code{Message-ID}s. But they should try for both.
20988 The result data should either be HEADs or NOV lines, and the result
20989 value should either be @code{headers} or @code{nov} to reflect this.
20990 This might later be expanded to @code{various}, which will be a mixture
20991 of HEADs and NOV lines, but this is currently not supported by Gnus.
20993 If @var{fetch-old} is non-@code{nil} it says to try fetching "extra
20994 headers", in some meaning of the word. This is generally done by
20995 fetching (at most) @var{fetch-old} extra headers less than the smallest
20996 article number in @code{articles}, and filling the gaps as well. The
20997 presence of this parameter can be ignored if the backend finds it
20998 cumbersome to follow the request. If this is non-@code{nil} and not a
20999 number, do maximum fetches.
21001 Here's an example HEAD:
21004 221 1056 Article retrieved.
21005 Path: ifi.uio.no!sturles
21006 From: sturles@@ifi.uio.no (Sturle Sunde)
21007 Newsgroups: ifi.discussion
21008 Subject: Re: Something very droll
21009 Date: 27 Oct 1994 14:02:57 +0100
21010 Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
21012 Message-ID: <38o8e1$a0o@@holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no>
21013 References: <38jdmq$4qu@@visbur.ifi.uio.no>
21014 NNTP-Posting-Host: holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no
21018 So a @code{headers} return value would imply that there's a number of
21019 these in the data buffer.
21021 Here's a BNF definition of such a buffer:
21025 head = error / valid-head
21026 error-message = [ "4" / "5" ] 2number " " <error message> eol
21027 valid-head = valid-message *header "." eol
21028 valid-message = "221 " <number> " Article retrieved." eol
21029 header = <text> eol
21032 If the return value is @code{nov}, the data buffer should contain
21033 @dfn{network overview database} lines. These are basically fields
21037 nov-buffer = *nov-line
21038 nov-line = 8*9 [ field <TAB> ] eol
21039 field = <text except TAB>
21042 For a closer look at what should be in those fields,
21046 @item (nnchoke-open-server SERVER &optional DEFINITIONS)
21048 @var{server} is here the virtual server name. @var{definitions} is a
21049 list of @code{(VARIABLE VALUE)} pairs that define this virtual server.
21051 If the server can't be opened, no error should be signaled. The backend
21052 may then choose to refuse further attempts at connecting to this
21053 server. In fact, it should do so.
21055 If the server is opened already, this function should return a
21056 non-@code{nil} value. There should be no data returned.
21059 @item (nnchoke-close-server &optional SERVER)
21061 Close connection to @var{server} and free all resources connected
21062 to it. Return @code{nil} if the server couldn't be closed for some
21065 There should be no data returned.
21068 @item (nnchoke-request-close)
21070 Close connection to all servers and free all resources that the backend
21071 have reserved. All buffers that have been created by that backend
21072 should be killed. (Not the @code{nntp-server-buffer}, though.) This
21073 function is generally only called when Gnus is shutting down.
21075 There should be no data returned.
21078 @item (nnchoke-server-opened &optional SERVER)
21080 If @var{server} is the current virtual server, and the connection to the
21081 physical server is alive, then this function should return a
21082 non-@code{nil} vlue. This function should under no circumstances
21083 attempt to reconnect to a server we have lost connection to.
21085 There should be no data returned.
21088 @item (nnchoke-status-message &optional SERVER)
21090 This function should return the last error message from @var{server}.
21092 There should be no data returned.
21095 @item (nnchoke-request-article ARTICLE &optional GROUP SERVER TO-BUFFER)
21097 The result data from this function should be the article specified by
21098 @var{article}. This might either be a @code{Message-ID} or a number.
21099 It is optional whether to implement retrieval by @code{Message-ID}, but
21100 it would be nice if that were possible.
21102 If @var{to-buffer} is non-@code{nil}, the result data should be returned
21103 in this buffer instead of the normal data buffer. This is to make it
21104 possible to avoid copying large amounts of data from one buffer to
21105 another, while Gnus mainly requests articles to be inserted directly
21106 into its article buffer.
21108 If it is at all possible, this function should return a cons cell where
21109 the @code{car} is the group name the article was fetched from, and the @code{cdr} is
21110 the article number. This will enable Gnus to find out what the real
21111 group and article numbers are when fetching articles by
21112 @code{Message-ID}. If this isn't possible, @code{t} should be returned
21113 on successful article retrieval.
21116 @item (nnchoke-request-group GROUP &optional SERVER FAST)
21118 Get data on @var{group}. This function also has the side effect of
21119 making @var{group} the current group.
21121 If @var{fast}, don't bother to return useful data, just make @var{group}
21124 Here's an example of some result data and a definition of the same:
21127 211 56 1000 1059 ifi.discussion
21130 The first number is the status, which should be 211. Next is the
21131 total number of articles in the group, the lowest article number, the
21132 highest article number, and finally the group name. Note that the total
21133 number of articles may be less than one might think while just
21134 considering the highest and lowest article numbers, but some articles
21135 may have been canceled. Gnus just discards the total-number, so
21136 whether one should take the bother to generate it properly (if that is a
21137 problem) is left as an exercise to the reader.
21140 group-status = [ error / info ] eol
21141 error = [ "4" / "5" ] 2<number> " " <Error message>
21142 info = "211 " 3* [ <number> " " ] <string>
21146 @item (nnchoke-close-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
21148 Close @var{group} and free any resources connected to it. This will be
21149 a no-op on most backends.
21151 There should be no data returned.
21154 @item (nnchoke-request-list &optional SERVER)
21156 Return a list of all groups available on @var{server}. And that means
21159 Here's an example from a server that only carries two groups:
21162 ifi.test 0000002200 0000002000 y
21163 ifi.discussion 3324 3300 n
21166 On each line we have a group name, then the highest article number in
21167 that group, the lowest article number, and finally a flag.
21170 active-file = *active-line
21171 active-line = name " " <number> " " <number> " " flags eol
21173 flags = "n" / "y" / "m" / "x" / "j" / "=" name
21176 The flag says whether the group is read-only (@samp{n}), is moderated
21177 (@samp{m}), is dead (@samp{x}), is aliased to some other group
21178 (@samp{=other-group}) or none of the above (@samp{y}).
21181 @item (nnchoke-request-post &optional SERVER)
21183 This function should post the current buffer. It might return whether
21184 the posting was successful or not, but that's not required. If, for
21185 instance, the posting is done asynchronously, it has generally not been
21186 completed by the time this function concludes. In that case, this
21187 function should set up some kind of sentinel to beep the user loud and
21188 clear if the posting could not be completed.
21190 There should be no result data from this function.
21195 @node Optional Backend Functions
21196 @subsubsection Optional Backend Functions
21200 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-groups GROUPS &optional SERVER)
21202 @var{groups} is a list of groups, and this function should request data
21203 on all those groups. How it does it is of no concern to Gnus, but it
21204 should attempt to do this in a speedy fashion.
21206 The return value of this function can be either @code{active} or
21207 @code{group}, which says what the format of the result data is. The
21208 former is in the same format as the data from
21209 @code{nnchoke-request-list}, while the latter is a buffer full of lines
21210 in the same format as @code{nnchoke-request-group} gives.
21213 group-buffer = *active-line / *group-status
21217 @item (nnchoke-request-update-info GROUP INFO &optional SERVER)
21219 A Gnus group info (@pxref{Group Info}) is handed to the backend for
21220 alterations. This comes in handy if the backend really carries all the
21221 information (as is the case with virtual and imap groups). This
21222 function should destructively alter the info to suit its needs, and
21223 should return the (altered) group info.
21225 There should be no result data from this function.
21228 @item (nnchoke-request-type GROUP &optional ARTICLE)
21230 When the user issues commands for ``sending news'' (@kbd{F} in the
21231 summary buffer, for instance), Gnus has to know whether the article the
21232 user is following up on is news or mail. This function should return
21233 @code{news} if @var{article} in @var{group} is news, @code{mail} if it
21234 is mail and @code{unknown} if the type can't be decided. (The
21235 @var{article} parameter is necessary in @code{nnvirtual} groups which
21236 might very well combine mail groups and news groups.) Both @var{group}
21237 and @var{article} may be @code{nil}.
21239 There should be no result data from this function.
21242 @item (nnchoke-request-set-mark GROUP ACTION &optional SERVER)
21244 Set/remove/add marks on articles. Normally Gnus handles the article
21245 marks (such as read, ticked, expired etc) internally, and store them in
21246 @code{~/.newsrc.eld}. Some backends (such as @sc{imap}) however carry
21247 all information about the articles on the server, so Gnus need to
21248 propagate the mark information to the server.
21250 ACTION is a list of mark setting requests, having this format:
21253 (RANGE ACTION MARK)
21256 RANGE is a range of articles you wish to update marks on. ACTION is
21257 @code{set}, @code{add} or @code{del}, respectively used for removing all
21258 existing marks and setting them as specified, adding (preserving the
21259 marks not mentioned) mark and removing (preserving the marks not
21260 mentioned) marks. MARK is a list of marks; where each mark is a symbol.
21261 Currently used marks are @code{read}, @code{tick}, @code{reply},
21262 @code{expire}, @code{killed}, @code{dormant}, @code{save},
21263 @code{download} and @code{unsend}, but your backend should, if possible,
21264 not limit itself to these.
21266 Given contradictory actions, the last action in the list should be the
21267 effective one. That is, if your action contains a request to add the
21268 @code{tick} mark on article 1 and, later in the list, a request to
21269 remove the mark on the same article, the mark should in fact be removed.
21271 An example action list:
21274 (((5 12 30) 'del '(tick))
21275 ((10 . 90) 'add '(read expire))
21276 ((92 94) 'del '(read)))
21279 The function should return a range of articles it wasn't able to set the
21280 mark on (currently not used for anything).
21282 There should be no result data from this function.
21284 @item (nnchoke-request-update-mark GROUP ARTICLE MARK)
21286 If the user tries to set a mark that the backend doesn't like, this
21287 function may change the mark. Gnus will use whatever this function
21288 returns as the mark for @var{article} instead of the original
21289 @var{mark}. If the backend doesn't care, it must return the original
21290 @var{mark}, and not @code{nil} or any other type of garbage.
21292 The only use for this I can see is what @code{nnvirtual} does with
21293 it---if a component group is auto-expirable, marking an article as read
21294 in the virtual group should result in the article being marked as
21297 There should be no result data from this function.
21300 @item (nnchoke-request-scan &optional GROUP SERVER)
21302 This function may be called at any time (by Gnus or anything else) to
21303 request that the backend check for incoming articles, in one way or
21304 another. A mail backend will typically read the spool file or query the
21305 POP server when this function is invoked. The @var{group} doesn't have
21306 to be heeded---if the backend decides that it is too much work just
21307 scanning for a single group, it may do a total scan of all groups. It
21308 would be nice, however, to keep things local if that's practical.
21310 There should be no result data from this function.
21313 @item (nnchoke-request-group-description GROUP &optional SERVER)
21315 The result data from this function should be a description of
21319 description-line = name <TAB> description eol
21321 description = <text>
21324 @item (nnchoke-request-list-newsgroups &optional SERVER)
21326 The result data from this function should be the description of all
21327 groups available on the server.
21330 description-buffer = *description-line
21334 @item (nnchoke-request-newgroups DATE &optional SERVER)
21336 The result data from this function should be all groups that were
21337 created after @samp{date}, which is in normal human-readable date
21338 format. The data should be in the active buffer format.
21341 @item (nnchoke-request-create-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
21343 This function should create an empty group with name @var{group}.
21345 There should be no return data.
21348 @item (nnchoke-request-expire-articles ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FORCE)
21350 This function should run the expiry process on all articles in the
21351 @var{articles} range (which is currently a simple list of article
21352 numbers.) It is left up to the backend to decide how old articles
21353 should be before they are removed by this function. If @var{force} is
21354 non-@code{nil}, all @var{articles} should be deleted, no matter how new
21357 This function should return a list of articles that it did not/was not
21360 There should be no result data returned.
21363 @item (nnchoke-request-move-article ARTICLE GROUP SERVER ACCEPT-FORM
21366 This function should move @var{article} (which is a number) from
21367 @var{group} by calling @var{accept-form}.
21369 This function should ready the article in question for moving by
21370 removing any header lines it has added to the article, and generally
21371 should ``tidy up'' the article. Then it should @code{eval}
21372 @var{accept-form} in the buffer where the ``tidy'' article is. This
21373 will do the actual copying. If this @code{eval} returns a
21374 non-@code{nil} value, the article should be removed.
21376 If @var{last} is @code{nil}, that means that there is a high likelihood
21377 that there will be more requests issued shortly, so that allows some
21380 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
21381 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
21383 There should be no data returned.
21386 @item (nnchoke-request-accept-article GROUP &optional SERVER LAST)
21388 This function takes the current buffer and inserts it into @var{group}.
21389 If @var{last} in @code{nil}, that means that there will be more calls to
21390 this function in short order.
21392 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
21393 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
21395 There should be no data returned.
21398 @item (nnchoke-request-replace-article ARTICLE GROUP BUFFER)
21400 This function should remove @var{article} (which is a number) from
21401 @var{group} and insert @var{buffer} there instead.
21403 There should be no data returned.
21406 @item (nnchoke-request-delete-group GROUP FORCE &optional SERVER)
21408 This function should delete @var{group}. If @var{force}, it should
21409 really delete all the articles in the group, and then delete the group
21410 itself. (If there is such a thing as ``the group itself''.)
21412 There should be no data returned.
21415 @item (nnchoke-request-rename-group GROUP NEW-NAME &optional SERVER)
21417 This function should rename @var{group} into @var{new-name}. All
21418 articles in @var{group} should move to @var{new-name}.
21420 There should be no data returned.
21425 @node Error Messaging
21426 @subsubsection Error Messaging
21428 @findex nnheader-report
21429 @findex nnheader-get-report
21430 The backends should use the function @code{nnheader-report} to report
21431 error conditions---they should not raise errors when they aren't able to
21432 perform a request. The first argument to this function is the backend
21433 symbol, and the rest are interpreted as arguments to @code{format} if
21434 there are multiple of them, or just a string if there is one of them.
21435 This function must always returns @code{nil}.
21438 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "You did something totally bogus")
21440 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "Could not request group %s" group)
21443 Gnus, in turn, will call @code{nnheader-get-report} when it gets a
21444 @code{nil} back from a server, and this function returns the most
21445 recently reported message for the backend in question. This function
21446 takes one argument---the server symbol.
21448 Internally, these functions access @var{backend}@code{-status-string},
21449 so the @code{nnchoke} backend will have its error message stored in
21450 @code{nnchoke-status-string}.
21453 @node Writing New Backends
21454 @subsubsection Writing New Backends
21456 Many backends are quite similar. @code{nnml} is just like
21457 @code{nnspool}, but it allows you to edit the articles on the server.
21458 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, but it doesn't use an active file,
21459 and it doesn't maintain overview databases. @code{nndir} is just like
21460 @code{nnml}, but it has no concept of ``groups'', and it doesn't allow
21463 It would make sense if it were possible to ``inherit'' functions from
21464 backends when writing new backends. And, indeed, you can do that if you
21465 want to. (You don't have to if you don't want to, of course.)
21467 All the backends declare their public variables and functions by using a
21468 package called @code{nnoo}.
21470 To inherit functions from other backends (and allow other backends to
21471 inherit functions from the current backend), you should use the
21477 This macro declares the first parameter to be a child of the subsequent
21478 parameters. For instance:
21481 (nnoo-declare nndir
21485 @code{nndir} has declared here that it intends to inherit functions from
21486 both @code{nnml} and @code{nnmh}.
21489 This macro is equivalent to @code{defvar}, but registers the variable as
21490 a public server variable. Most state-oriented variables should be
21491 declared with @code{defvoo} instead of @code{defvar}.
21493 In addition to the normal @code{defvar} parameters, it takes a list of
21494 variables in the parent backends to map the variable to when executing
21495 a function in those backends.
21498 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
21499 "Where nndir will look for groups."
21500 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
21503 This means that @code{nnml-current-directory} will be set to
21504 @code{nndir-directory} when an @code{nnml} function is called on behalf
21505 of @code{nndir}. (The same with @code{nnmh}.)
21507 @item nnoo-define-basics
21508 This macro defines some common functions that almost all backends should
21512 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
21516 This macro is just like @code{defun} and takes the same parameters. In
21517 addition to doing the normal @code{defun} things, it registers the
21518 function as being public so that other backends can inherit it.
21520 @item nnoo-map-functions
21521 This macro allows mapping of functions from the current backend to
21522 functions from the parent backends.
21525 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
21526 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
21527 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0))
21530 This means that when @code{nndir-retrieve-headers} is called, the first,
21531 third, and fourth parameters will be passed on to
21532 @code{nnml-retrieve-headers}, while the second parameter is set to the
21533 value of @code{nndir-current-group}.
21536 This macro allows importing functions from backends. It should be the
21537 last thing in the source file, since it will only define functions that
21538 haven't already been defined.
21544 nnmh-request-newgroups)
21548 This means that calls to @code{nndir-request-list} should just be passed
21549 on to @code{nnmh-request-list}, while all public functions from
21550 @code{nnml} that haven't been defined in @code{nndir} yet should be
21555 Below is a slightly shortened version of the @code{nndir} backend.
21558 ;;; nndir.el --- single directory newsgroup access for Gnus
21559 ;; Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
21563 (require 'nnheader)
21567 (eval-when-compile (require 'cl))
21569 (nnoo-declare nndir
21572 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
21573 "Where nndir will look for groups."
21574 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
21576 (defvoo nndir-nov-is-evil nil
21577 "*Non-nil means that nndir will never retrieve NOV headers."
21580 (defvoo nndir-current-group "" nil nnml-current-group nnmh-current-group)
21581 (defvoo nndir-top-directory nil nil nnml-directory nnmh-directory)
21582 (defvoo nndir-get-new-mail nil nil nnml-get-new-mail nnmh-get-new-mail)
21584 (defvoo nndir-status-string "" nil nnmh-status-string)
21585 (defconst nndir-version "nndir 1.0")
21587 ;;; Interface functions.
21589 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
21591 (deffoo nndir-open-server (server &optional defs)
21592 (setq nndir-directory
21593 (or (cadr (assq 'nndir-directory defs))
21595 (unless (assq 'nndir-directory defs)
21596 (push `(nndir-directory ,server) defs))
21597 (push `(nndir-current-group
21598 ,(file-name-nondirectory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
21600 (push `(nndir-top-directory
21601 ,(file-name-directory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
21603 (nnoo-change-server 'nndir server defs))
21605 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
21606 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
21607 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
21608 (nnmh-request-group nndir-current-group 0 0)
21609 (nnmh-close-group nndir-current-group 0))
21613 nnmh-status-message
21615 nnmh-request-newgroups))
21621 @node Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
21622 @subsubsection Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
21624 @vindex gnus-valid-select-methods
21625 Having Gnus start using your new backend is rather easy---you just
21626 declare it with the @code{gnus-declare-backend} functions. This will
21627 enter the backend into the @code{gnus-valid-select-methods} variable.
21629 @code{gnus-declare-backend} takes two parameters---the backend name and
21630 an arbitrary number of @dfn{abilities}.
21635 (gnus-declare-backend "nnchoke" 'mail 'respool 'address)
21638 The abilities can be:
21642 This is a mailish backend---followups should (probably) go via mail.
21644 This is a newsish backend---followups should (probably) go via news.
21646 This backend supports both mail and news.
21648 This is neither a post nor mail backend---it's something completely
21651 It supports respooling---or rather, it is able to modify its source
21652 articles and groups.
21654 The name of the server should be in the virtual server name. This is
21655 true for almost all backends.
21656 @item prompt-address
21657 The user should be prompted for an address when doing commands like
21658 @kbd{B} in the group buffer. This is true for backends like
21659 @code{nntp}, but not @code{nnmbox}, for instance.
21663 @node Mail-like Backends
21664 @subsubsection Mail-like Backends
21666 One of the things that separate the mail backends from the rest of the
21667 backends is the heavy dependence by the mail backends on common
21668 functions in @file{nnmail.el}. For instance, here's the definition of
21669 @code{nnml-request-scan}:
21672 (deffoo nnml-request-scan (&optional group server)
21673 (setq nnml-article-file-alist nil)
21674 (nnmail-get-new-mail 'nnml 'nnml-save-nov nnml-directory group))
21677 It simply calls @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} with a few parameters,
21678 and @code{nnmail} takes care of all the moving and splitting of the
21681 This function takes four parameters.
21685 This should be a symbol to designate which backend is responsible for
21688 @item exit-function
21689 This function should be called after the splitting has been performed.
21691 @item temp-directory
21692 Where the temporary files should be stored.
21695 This optional argument should be a group name if the splitting is to be
21696 performed for one group only.
21699 @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} will call @var{backend}@code{-save-mail} to
21700 save each article. @var{backend}@code{-active-number} will be called to
21701 find the article number assigned to this article.
21703 The function also uses the following variables:
21704 @var{backend}@code{-get-new-mail} (to see whether to get new mail for
21705 this backend); and @var{backend}@code{-group-alist} and
21706 @var{backend}@code{-active-file} to generate the new active file.
21707 @var{backend}@code{-group-alist} should be a group-active alist, like
21711 (("a-group" (1 . 10))
21712 ("some-group" (34 . 39)))
21716 @node Score File Syntax
21717 @subsection Score File Syntax
21719 Score files are meant to be easily parseable, but yet extremely
21720 mallable. It was decided that something that had the same read syntax
21721 as an Emacs Lisp list would fit that spec.
21723 Here's a typical score file:
21727 ("win95" -10000 nil s)
21734 BNF definition of a score file:
21737 score-file = "" / "(" *element ")"
21738 element = rule / atom
21739 rule = string-rule / number-rule / date-rule
21740 string-rule = "(" quote string-header quote space *string-match ")"
21741 number-rule = "(" quote number-header quote space *number-match ")"
21742 date-rule = "(" quote date-header quote space *date-match ")"
21744 string-header = "subject" / "from" / "references" / "message-id" /
21745 "xref" / "body" / "head" / "all" / "followup"
21746 number-header = "lines" / "chars"
21747 date-header = "date"
21748 string-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
21749 space date [ "" / [ space string-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
21750 score = "nil" / <integer>
21751 date = "nil" / <natural number>
21752 string-match-t = "nil" / "s" / "substring" / "S" / "Substring" /
21753 "r" / "regex" / "R" / "Regex" /
21754 "e" / "exact" / "E" / "Exact" /
21755 "f" / "fuzzy" / "F" / "Fuzzy"
21756 number-match = "(" <integer> [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
21757 space date [ "" / [ space number-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
21758 number-match-t = "nil" / "=" / "<" / ">" / ">=" / "<="
21759 date-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
21760 space date [ "" / [ space date-match-t ] ] ] ] ")"
21761 date-match-t = "nil" / "at" / "before" / "after"
21762 atom = "(" [ required-atom / optional-atom ] ")"
21763 required-atom = mark / expunge / mark-and-expunge / files /
21764 exclude-files / read-only / touched
21765 optional-atom = adapt / local / eval
21766 mark = "mark" space nil-or-number
21767 nil-or-number = "nil" / <integer>
21768 expunge = "expunge" space nil-or-number
21769 mark-and-expunge = "mark-and-expunge" space nil-or-number
21770 files = "files" *[ space <string> ]
21771 exclude-files = "exclude-files" *[ space <string> ]
21772 read-only = "read-only" [ space "nil" / space "t" ]
21773 adapt = "adapt" [ space "ignore" / space "t" / space adapt-rule ]
21774 adapt-rule = "(" *[ <string> *[ "(" <string> <integer> ")" ] ")"
21775 local = "local" *[ space "(" <string> space <form> ")" ]
21776 eval = "eval" space <form>
21777 space = *[ " " / <TAB> / <NEWLINE> ]
21780 Any unrecognized elements in a score file should be ignored, but not
21783 As you can see, white space is needed, but the type and amount of white
21784 space is irrelevant. This means that formatting of the score file is
21785 left up to the programmer---if it's simpler to just spew it all out on
21786 one looong line, then that's ok.
21788 The meaning of the various atoms are explained elsewhere in this
21789 manual (@pxref{Score File Format}).
21793 @subsection Headers
21795 Internally Gnus uses a format for storing article headers that
21796 corresponds to the @sc{nov} format in a mysterious fashion. One could
21797 almost suspect that the author looked at the @sc{nov} specification and
21798 just shamelessly @emph{stole} the entire thing, and one would be right.
21800 @dfn{Header} is a severely overloaded term. ``Header'' is used in
21801 RFC 1036 to talk about lines in the head of an article (e.g.,
21802 @code{From}). It is used by many people as a synonym for
21803 ``head''---``the header and the body''. (That should be avoided, in my
21804 opinion.) And Gnus uses a format internally that it calls ``header'',
21805 which is what I'm talking about here. This is a 9-element vector,
21806 basically, with each header (ouch) having one slot.
21808 These slots are, in order: @code{number}, @code{subject}, @code{from},
21809 @code{date}, @code{id}, @code{references}, @code{chars}, @code{lines},
21810 @code{xref}, and @code{extra}. There are macros for accessing and
21811 setting these slots---they all have predictable names beginning with
21812 @code{mail-header-} and @code{mail-header-set-}, respectively.
21814 All these slots contain strings, except the @code{extra} slot, which
21815 contains an alist of header/value pairs (@pxref{To From Newsgroups}).
21821 @sc{gnus} introduced a concept that I found so useful that I've started
21822 using it a lot and have elaborated on it greatly.
21824 The question is simple: If you have a large amount of objects that are
21825 identified by numbers (say, articles, to take a @emph{wild} example)
21826 that you want to qualify as being ``included'', a normal sequence isn't
21827 very useful. (A 200,000 length sequence is a bit long-winded.)
21829 The solution is as simple as the question: You just collapse the
21833 (1 2 3 4 5 6 10 11 12)
21836 is transformed into
21839 ((1 . 6) (10 . 12))
21842 To avoid having those nasty @samp{(13 . 13)} elements to denote a
21843 lonesome object, a @samp{13} is a valid element:
21846 ((1 . 6) 7 (10 . 12))
21849 This means that comparing two ranges to find out whether they are equal
21850 is slightly tricky:
21853 ((1 . 5) 7 8 (10 . 12))
21859 ((1 . 5) (7 . 8) (10 . 12))
21862 are equal. In fact, any non-descending list is a range:
21868 is a perfectly valid range, although a pretty long-winded one. This is
21875 and is equal to the previous range.
21877 Here's a BNF definition of ranges. Of course, one must remember the
21878 semantic requirement that the numbers are non-descending. (Any number
21879 of repetition of the same number is allowed, but apt to disappear in
21883 range = simple-range / normal-range
21884 simple-range = "(" number " . " number ")"
21885 normal-range = "(" start-contents ")"
21886 contents = "" / simple-range *[ " " contents ] /
21887 number *[ " " contents ]
21890 Gnus currently uses ranges to keep track of read articles and article
21891 marks. I plan on implementing a number of range operators in C if The
21892 Powers That Be are willing to let me. (I haven't asked yet, because I
21893 need to do some more thinking on what operators I need to make life
21894 totally range-based without ever having to convert back to normal
21899 @subsection Group Info
21901 Gnus stores all permanent info on groups in a @dfn{group info} list.
21902 This list is from three to six elements (or more) long and exhaustively
21903 describes the group.
21905 Here are two example group infos; one is a very simple group while the
21906 second is a more complex one:
21909 ("no.group" 5 ((1 . 54324)))
21911 ("nnml:my.mail" 3 ((1 . 5) 9 (20 . 55))
21912 ((tick (15 . 19)) (replied 3 6 (19 . 3)))
21914 ((auto-expire . t) (to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")))
21917 The first element is the @dfn{group name}---as Gnus knows the group,
21918 anyway. The second element is the @dfn{subscription level}, which
21919 normally is a small integer. (It can also be the @dfn{rank}, which is a
21920 cons cell where the @code{car} is the level and the @code{cdr} is the
21921 score.) The third element is a list of ranges of read articles. The
21922 fourth element is a list of lists of article marks of various kinds.
21923 The fifth element is the select method (or virtual server, if you like).
21924 The sixth element is a list of @dfn{group parameters}, which is what
21925 this section is about.
21927 Any of the last three elements may be missing if they are not required.
21928 In fact, the vast majority of groups will normally only have the first
21929 three elements, which saves quite a lot of cons cells.
21931 Here's a BNF definition of the group info format:
21934 info = "(" group space ralevel space read
21935 [ "" / [ space marks-list [ "" / [ space method [ "" /
21936 space parameters ] ] ] ] ] ")"
21937 group = quote <string> quote
21938 ralevel = rank / level
21939 level = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
21940 rank = "(" level "." score ")"
21941 score = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
21943 marks-lists = nil / "(" *marks ")"
21944 marks = "(" <string> range ")"
21945 method = "(" <string> *elisp-forms ")"
21946 parameters = "(" *elisp-forms ")"
21949 Actually that @samp{marks} rule is a fib. A @samp{marks} is a
21950 @samp{<string>} consed on to a @samp{range}, but that's a bitch to say
21953 If you have a Gnus info and want to access the elements, Gnus offers a
21954 series of macros for getting/setting these elements.
21957 @item gnus-info-group
21958 @itemx gnus-info-set-group
21959 @findex gnus-info-group
21960 @findex gnus-info-set-group
21961 Get/set the group name.
21963 @item gnus-info-rank
21964 @itemx gnus-info-set-rank
21965 @findex gnus-info-rank
21966 @findex gnus-info-set-rank
21967 Get/set the group rank (@pxref{Group Score}).
21969 @item gnus-info-level
21970 @itemx gnus-info-set-level
21971 @findex gnus-info-level
21972 @findex gnus-info-set-level
21973 Get/set the group level.
21975 @item gnus-info-score
21976 @itemx gnus-info-set-score
21977 @findex gnus-info-score
21978 @findex gnus-info-set-score
21979 Get/set the group score (@pxref{Group Score}).
21981 @item gnus-info-read
21982 @itemx gnus-info-set-read
21983 @findex gnus-info-read
21984 @findex gnus-info-set-read
21985 Get/set the ranges of read articles.
21987 @item gnus-info-marks
21988 @itemx gnus-info-set-marks
21989 @findex gnus-info-marks
21990 @findex gnus-info-set-marks
21991 Get/set the lists of ranges of marked articles.
21993 @item gnus-info-method
21994 @itemx gnus-info-set-method
21995 @findex gnus-info-method
21996 @findex gnus-info-set-method
21997 Get/set the group select method.
21999 @item gnus-info-params
22000 @itemx gnus-info-set-params
22001 @findex gnus-info-params
22002 @findex gnus-info-set-params
22003 Get/set the group parameters.
22006 All the getter functions take one parameter---the info list. The setter
22007 functions take two parameters---the info list and the new value.
22009 The last three elements in the group info aren't mandatory, so it may be
22010 necessary to extend the group info before setting the element. If this
22011 is necessary, you can just pass on a non-@code{nil} third parameter to
22012 the three final setter functions to have this happen automatically.
22015 @node Extended Interactive
22016 @subsection Extended Interactive
22017 @cindex interactive
22018 @findex gnus-interactive
22020 Gnus extends the standard Emacs @code{interactive} specification
22021 slightly to allow easy use of the symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic
22022 Prefixes}). Here's an example of how this is used:
22025 (defun gnus-summary-increase-score (&optional score symp)
22026 (interactive (gnus-interactive "P\ny"))
22031 The best thing to do would have been to implement
22032 @code{gnus-interactive} as a macro which would have returned an
22033 @code{interactive} form, but this isn't possible since Emacs checks
22034 whether a function is interactive or not by simply doing an @code{assq}
22035 on the lambda form. So, instead we have @code{gnus-interactive}
22036 function that takes a string and returns values that are usable to
22037 @code{interactive}.
22039 This function accepts (almost) all normal @code{interactive} specs, but
22044 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbol
22045 The current symbolic prefix---the @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol}
22049 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbols
22050 A list of the current symbolic prefixes---the
22051 @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol} variable.
22054 The current article number---the @code{gnus-summary-article-number}
22058 The current article header---the @code{gnus-summary-article-header}
22062 The current group name---the @code{gnus-group-group-name}
22068 @node Emacs/XEmacs Code
22069 @subsection Emacs/XEmacs Code
22073 While Gnus runs under Emacs, XEmacs and Mule, I decided that one of the
22074 platforms must be the primary one. I chose Emacs. Not because I don't
22075 like XEmacs or Mule, but because it comes first alphabetically.
22077 This means that Gnus will byte-compile under Emacs with nary a warning,
22078 while XEmacs will pump out gigabytes of warnings while byte-compiling.
22079 As I use byte-compilation warnings to help me root out trivial errors in
22080 Gnus, that's very useful.
22082 I've also consistently used Emacs function interfaces, but have used
22083 Gnusey aliases for the functions. To take an example: Emacs defines a
22084 @code{run-at-time} function while XEmacs defines a @code{start-itimer}
22085 function. I then define a function called @code{gnus-run-at-time} that
22086 takes the same parameters as the Emacs @code{run-at-time}. When running
22087 Gnus under Emacs, the former function is just an alias for the latter.
22088 However, when running under XEmacs, the former is an alias for the
22089 following function:
22092 (defun gnus-xmas-run-at-time (time repeat function &rest args)
22096 (,function ,@@args))
22100 This sort of thing has been done for bunches of functions. Gnus does
22101 not redefine any native Emacs functions while running under XEmacs---it
22102 does this @code{defalias} thing with Gnus equivalents instead. Cleaner
22105 In the cases where the XEmacs function interface was obviously cleaner,
22106 I used it instead. For example @code{gnus-region-active-p} is an alias
22107 for @code{region-active-p} in XEmacs, whereas in Emacs it is a function.
22109 Of course, I could have chosen XEmacs as my native platform and done
22110 mapping functions the other way around. But I didn't. The performance
22111 hit these indirections impose on Gnus under XEmacs should be slight.
22114 @node Various File Formats
22115 @subsection Various File Formats
22118 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
22119 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
22123 @node Active File Format
22124 @subsubsection Active File Format
22126 The active file lists all groups available on the server in
22127 question. It also lists the highest and lowest current article numbers
22130 Here's an excerpt from a typical active file:
22133 soc.motss 296030 293865 y
22134 alt.binaries.pictures.fractals 3922 3913 n
22135 comp.sources.unix 1605 1593 m
22136 comp.binaries.ibm.pc 5097 5089 y
22137 no.general 1000 900 y
22140 Here's a pseudo-BNF definition of this file:
22143 active = *group-line
22144 group-line = group space high-number space low-number space flag <NEWLINE>
22145 group = <non-white-space string>
22147 high-number = <non-negative integer>
22148 low-number = <positive integer>
22149 flag = "y" / "n" / "m" / "j" / "x" / "=" group
22152 For a full description of this file, see the manual pages for
22153 @samp{innd}, in particular @samp{active(5)}.
22156 @node Newsgroups File Format
22157 @subsubsection Newsgroups File Format
22159 The newsgroups file lists groups along with their descriptions. Not all
22160 groups on the server have to be listed, and not all groups in the file
22161 have to exist on the server. The file is meant purely as information to
22164 The format is quite simple; a group name, a tab, and the description.
22165 Here's the definition:
22169 line = group tab description <NEWLINE>
22170 group = <non-white-space string>
22172 description = <string>
22177 @node Emacs for Heathens
22178 @section Emacs for Heathens
22180 Believe it or not, but some people who use Gnus haven't really used
22181 Emacs much before they embarked on their journey on the Gnus Love Boat.
22182 If you are one of those unfortunates whom ``@kbd{M-C-a}'', ``kill the
22183 region'', and ``set @code{gnus-flargblossen} to an alist where the key
22184 is a regexp that is used for matching on the group name'' are magical
22185 phrases with little or no meaning, then this appendix is for you. If
22186 you are already familiar with Emacs, just ignore this and go fondle your
22190 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
22191 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
22196 @subsection Keystrokes
22200 Q: What is an experienced Emacs user?
22203 A: A person who wishes that the terminal had pedals.
22206 Yes, when you use Emacs, you are apt to use the control key, the shift
22207 key and the meta key a lot. This is very annoying to some people
22208 (notably @code{vi}le users), and the rest of us just love the hell out
22209 of it. Just give up and submit. Emacs really does stand for
22210 ``Escape-Meta-Alt-Control-Shift'', and not ``Editing Macros'', as you
22211 may have heard from other disreputable sources (like the Emacs author).
22213 The shift keys are normally located near your pinky fingers, and are
22214 normally used to get capital letters and stuff. You probably use it all
22215 the time. The control key is normally marked ``CTRL'' or something like
22216 that. The meta key is, funnily enough, never marked as such on any
22217 keyboard. The one I'm currently at has a key that's marked ``Alt'',
22218 which is the meta key on this keyboard. It's usually located somewhere
22219 to the left hand side of the keyboard, usually on the bottom row.
22221 Now, us Emacs people don't say ``press the meta-control-m key'',
22222 because that's just too inconvenient. We say ``press the @kbd{M-C-m}
22223 key''. @kbd{M-} is the prefix that means ``meta'' and ``C-'' is the
22224 prefix that means ``control''. So ``press @kbd{C-k}'' means ``press
22225 down the control key, and hold it down while you press @kbd{k}''.
22226 ``Press @kbd{M-C-k}'' means ``press down and hold down the meta key and
22227 the control key and then press @kbd{k}''. Simple, ay?
22229 This is somewhat complicated by the fact that not all keyboards have a
22230 meta key. In that case you can use the ``escape'' key. Then @kbd{M-k}
22231 means ``press escape, release escape, press @kbd{k}''. That's much more
22232 work than if you have a meta key, so if that's the case, I respectfully
22233 suggest you get a real keyboard with a meta key. You can't live without
22239 @subsection Emacs Lisp
22241 Emacs is the King of Editors because it's really a Lisp interpreter.
22242 Each and every key you tap runs some Emacs Lisp code snippet, and since
22243 Emacs Lisp is an interpreted language, that means that you can configure
22244 any key to run any arbitrary code. You just, like, do it.
22246 Gnus is written in Emacs Lisp, and is run as a bunch of interpreted
22247 functions. (These are byte-compiled for speed, but it's still
22248 interpreted.) If you decide that you don't like the way Gnus does
22249 certain things, it's trivial to have it do something a different way.
22250 (Well, at least if you know how to write Lisp code.) However, that's
22251 beyond the scope of this manual, so we are simply going to talk about
22252 some common constructs that you normally use in your @file{.emacs} file
22255 If you want to set the variable @code{gnus-florgbnize} to four (4), you
22256 write the following:
22259 (setq gnus-florgbnize 4)
22262 This function (really ``special form'') @code{setq} is the one that can
22263 set a variable to some value. This is really all you need to know. Now
22264 you can go and fill your @code{.emacs} file with lots of these to change
22267 If you have put that thing in your @code{.emacs} file, it will be read
22268 and @code{eval}ed (which is lisp-ese for ``run'') the next time you
22269 start Emacs. If you want to change the variable right away, simply say
22270 @kbd{C-x C-e} after the closing parenthesis. That will @code{eval} the
22271 previous ``form'', which is a simple @code{setq} statement here.
22273 Go ahead---just try it, if you're located at your Emacs. After you
22274 @kbd{C-x C-e}, you will see @samp{4} appear in the echo area, which
22275 is the return value of the form you @code{eval}ed.
22279 If the manual says ``set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{some}'',
22283 (setq gnus-read-active-file 'some)
22286 On the other hand, if the manual says ``set @code{gnus-nntp-server} to
22287 @samp{nntp.ifi.uio.no}'', that means:
22290 (setq gnus-nntp-server "nntp.ifi.uio.no")
22293 So be careful not to mix up strings (the latter) with symbols (the
22294 former). The manual is unambiguous, but it can be confusing.
22297 @include gnus-faq.texi
22318 % LocalWords: Backend BNF mucho Backends backends detailmenu cindex kindex kbd
22319 % LocalWords: findex Gnusae vindex dfn dfn samp nntp setq nnspool nntpserver
22320 % LocalWords: nnmbox backend newusers Blllrph NEWGROUPS dingnusdingnusdingnus
22321 % LocalWords: pre fab rec comp nnslashdot regex ga ga sci nnml nnbabyl nnmh
22322 % LocalWords: nnfolder emph looong eld newsreaders defun init elc pxref