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4 @settitle Quassia Gnus 0.15 Manual
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259 \gnusauthor{by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen}
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268 Copyright \copyright{} 1995,96,97 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
270 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
271 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
272 are preserved on all copies.
274 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
275 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
276 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
277 permission notice identical to this one.
279 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
280 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
289 This file documents Gnus, the GNU Emacs newsreader.
291 Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
293 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
294 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
295 are preserved on all copies.
298 Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
299 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
300 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
301 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
304 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
305 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
306 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
307 permission notice identical to this one.
309 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
310 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
316 @title Quassia Gnus 0.15 Manual
318 @author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
321 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
322 Copyright @copyright{} 1995,96,97 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
324 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
325 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
326 are preserved on all copies.
328 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
329 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
330 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
331 permission notice identical to this one.
333 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
334 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
343 @top The Gnus Newsreader
347 You can read news (and mail) from within Emacs by using Gnus. The news
348 can be gotten by any nefarious means you can think of---@sc{nntp}, local
349 spool or your mbox file. All at the same time, if you want to push your
352 This manual corresponds to Quassia Gnus 0.15.
363 Gnus is the advanced, self-documenting, customizable, extensible
364 unreal-time newsreader for GNU Emacs.
366 Oops. That sounds oddly familiar, so let's start over again to avoid
367 being accused of plagiarism:
369 Gnus is a message-reading laboratory. It will let you look at just
370 about anything as if it were a newsgroup. You can read mail with it,
371 you can browse directories with it, you can @code{ftp} with it---you can
372 even read news with it!
374 Gnus tries to empower people who read news the same way Emacs empowers
375 people who edit text. Gnus sets no limits to what the user should be
376 allowed to do. Users are encouraged to extend Gnus to make it behave
377 like they want it to behave. A program should not control people;
378 people should be empowered to do what they want by using (or abusing)
385 * Starting Up:: Finding news can be a pain.
386 * The Group Buffer:: Selecting, subscribing and killing groups.
387 * The Summary Buffer:: Reading, saving and posting articles.
388 * The Article Buffer:: Displaying and handling articles.
389 * Composing Messages:: Information on sending mail and news.
390 * Select Methods:: Gnus reads all messages from various select methods.
391 * Scoring:: Assigning values to articles.
392 * Various:: General purpose settings.
393 * The End:: Farewell and goodbye.
394 * Appendices:: Terminology, Emacs intro, FAQ, History, Internals.
395 * Index:: Variable, function and concept index.
396 * Key Index:: Key Index.
400 @chapter Starting Gnus
405 If your system administrator has set things up properly, starting Gnus
406 and reading news is extremely easy---you just type @kbd{M-x gnus} in
409 @findex gnus-other-frame
410 @kindex M-x gnus-other-frame
411 If you want to start Gnus in a different frame, you can use the command
412 @kbd{M-x gnus-other-frame} instead.
414 If things do not go smoothly at startup, you have to twiddle some
415 variables in your @file{~/.gnus} file. This file is similar to
416 @file{~/.emacs}, but is read when gnus starts.
419 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
420 * The First Time:: What does Gnus do the first time you start it?
421 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
422 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one Gnus active at a time.
423 * Fetching a Group:: Starting Gnus just to read a group.
424 * New Groups:: What is Gnus supposed to do with new groups?
425 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
426 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
427 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
428 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
429 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
433 @node Finding the News
434 @section Finding the News
437 @vindex gnus-select-method
439 The @code{gnus-select-method} variable says where Gnus should look for
440 news. This variable should be a list where the first element says
441 @dfn{how} and the second element says @dfn{where}. This method is your
442 native method. All groups not fetched with this method are
445 For instance, if the @samp{news.somewhere.edu} @sc{nntp} server is where
446 you want to get your daily dosage of news from, you'd say:
449 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"))
452 If you want to read directly from the local spool, say:
455 (setq gnus-select-method '(nnspool ""))
458 If you can use a local spool, you probably should, as it will almost
459 certainly be much faster.
461 @vindex gnus-nntpserver-file
463 @cindex @sc{nntp} server
464 If this variable is not set, Gnus will take a look at the
465 @code{NNTPSERVER} environment variable. If that variable isn't set,
466 Gnus will see whether @code{gnus-nntpserver-file}
467 (@file{/etc/nntpserver} by default) has any opinions on the matter. If
468 that fails as well, Gnus will try to use the machine running Emacs as an @sc{nntp} server. That's a long shot, though.
470 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
471 If @code{gnus-nntp-server} is set, this variable will override
472 @code{gnus-select-method}. You should therefore set
473 @code{gnus-nntp-server} to @code{nil}, which is what it is by default.
475 @vindex gnus-secondary-servers
476 You can also make Gnus prompt you interactively for the name of an
477 @sc{nntp} server. If you give a non-numerical prefix to @code{gnus}
478 (i.e., @kbd{C-u M-x gnus}), Gnus will let you choose between the servers
479 in the @code{gnus-secondary-servers} list (if any). You can also just
480 type in the name of any server you feel like visiting.
482 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
484 However, if you use one @sc{nntp} server regularly and are just
485 interested in a couple of groups from a different server, you would be
486 better served by using the @kbd{B} command in the group buffer. It will
487 let you have a look at what groups are available, and you can subscribe
488 to any of the groups you want to. This also makes @file{.newsrc}
489 maintenance much tidier. @xref{Foreign Groups}.
491 @vindex gnus-secondary-select-methods
493 A slightly different approach to foreign groups is to set the
494 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods} variable. The select methods
495 listed in this variable are in many ways just as native as the
496 @code{gnus-select-method} server. They will also be queried for active
497 files during startup (if that's required), and new newsgroups that
498 appear on these servers will be subscribed (or not) just as native
501 For instance, if you use the @code{nnmbox} backend to read your mail, you
502 would typically set this variable to
505 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnmbox "")))
510 @section The First Time
511 @cindex first time usage
513 If no startup files exist, Gnus will try to determine what groups should
514 be subscribed by default.
516 @vindex gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups
517 If the variable @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is set, Gnus
518 will subscribe you to just those groups in that list, leaving the rest
519 killed. Your system administrator should have set this variable to
522 Since she hasn't, Gnus will just subscribe you to a few arbitrarily
523 picked groups (i.e., @samp{*.newusers}). (@dfn{Arbitrary} is defined
524 here as @dfn{whatever Lars thinks you should read}.)
526 You'll also be subscribed to the Gnus documentation group, which should
527 help you with most common problems.
529 If @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is @code{t}, Gnus will just
530 use the normal functions for handling new groups, and not do anything
534 @node The Server is Down
535 @section The Server is Down
536 @cindex server errors
538 If the default server is down, Gnus will understandably have some
539 problems starting. However, if you have some mail groups in addition to
540 the news groups, you may want to start Gnus anyway.
542 Gnus, being the trusting sort of program, will ask whether to proceed
543 without a native select method if that server can't be contacted. This
544 will happen whether the server doesn't actually exist (i.e., you have
545 given the wrong address) or the server has just momentarily taken ill
546 for some reason or other. If you decide to continue and have no foreign
547 groups, you'll find it difficult to actually do anything in the group
548 buffer. But, hey, that's your problem. Blllrph!
550 @findex gnus-no-server
551 @kindex M-x gnus-no-server
553 If you know that the server is definitely down, or you just want to read
554 your mail without bothering with the server at all, you can use the
555 @code{gnus-no-server} command to start Gnus. That might come in handy
556 if you're in a hurry as well. This command will not attempt to contact
557 your primary server---instead, it will just activate all groups on level
558 1 and 2. (You should preferably keep no native groups on those two
563 @section Slave Gnusae
566 You might want to run more than one Emacs with more than one Gnus at the
567 same time. If you are using different @file{.newsrc} files (e.g., if you
568 are using the two different Gnusae to read from two different servers),
569 that is no problem whatsoever. You just do it.
571 The problem appears when you want to run two Gnusae that use the same
574 To work around that problem some, we here at the Think-Tank at the Gnus
575 Towers have come up with a new concept: @dfn{Masters} and
576 @dfn{slaves}. (We have applied for a patent on this concept, and have
577 taken out a copyright on those words. If you wish to use those words in
578 conjunction with each other, you have to send $1 per usage instance to
579 me. Usage of the patent (@dfn{Master/Slave Relationships In Computer
580 Applications}) will be much more expensive, of course.)
582 Anyways, you start one Gnus up the normal way with @kbd{M-x gnus} (or
583 however you do it). Each subsequent slave Gnusae should be started with
584 @kbd{M-x gnus-slave}. These slaves won't save normal @file{.newsrc}
585 files, but instead save @dfn{slave files} that contain information only
586 on what groups have been read in the slave session. When a master Gnus
587 starts, it will read (and delete) these slave files, incorporating all
588 information from them. (The slave files will be read in the sequence
589 they were created, so the latest changes will have precedence.)
591 Information from the slave files has, of course, precedence over the
592 information in the normal (i.e., master) @code{.newsrc} file.
595 @node Fetching a Group
596 @section Fetching a Group
597 @cindex fetching a group
599 @findex gnus-fetch-group
600 It is sometimes convenient to be able to just say ``I want to read this
601 group and I don't care whether Gnus has been started or not''. This is
602 perhaps more useful for people who write code than for users, but the
603 command @code{gnus-fetch-group} provides this functionality in any case.
604 It takes the group name as a parameter.
612 @vindex gnus-check-new-newsgroups
613 If you are satisfied that you really never want to see any new groups,
614 you can set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil}. This will
615 also save you some time at startup. Even if this variable is
616 @code{nil}, you can always subscribe to the new groups just by pressing
617 @kbd{U} in the group buffer (@pxref{Group Maintenance}). This variable
618 is @code{ask-server} by default. If you set this variable to
619 @code{always}, then Gnus will query the backends for new groups even
620 when you do the @kbd{g} command (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
623 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
624 * Subscription Methods:: What Gnus should do with new groups.
625 * Filtering New Groups:: Making Gnus ignore certain new groups.
629 @node Checking New Groups
630 @subsection Checking New Groups
632 Gnus normally determines whether a group is new or not by comparing the
633 list of groups from the active file(s) with the lists of subscribed and
634 dead groups. This isn't a particularly fast method. If
635 @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} is @code{ask-server}, Gnus will ask the
636 server for new groups since the last time. This is both faster and
637 cheaper. This also means that you can get rid of the list of killed
638 groups altogether, so you may set @code{gnus-save-killed-list} to
639 @code{nil}, which will save time both at startup, at exit, and all over.
640 Saves disk space, too. Why isn't this the default, then?
641 Unfortunately, not all servers support this command.
643 I bet I know what you're thinking now: How do I find out whether my
644 server supports @code{ask-server}? No? Good, because I don't have a
645 fail-safe answer. I would suggest just setting this variable to
646 @code{ask-server} and see whether any new groups appear within the next
647 few days. If any do, then it works. If none do, then it doesn't
648 work. I could write a function to make Gnus guess whether the server
649 supports @code{ask-server}, but it would just be a guess. So I won't.
650 You could @code{telnet} to the server and say @code{HELP} and see
651 whether it lists @samp{NEWGROUPS} among the commands it understands. If
652 it does, then it might work. (But there are servers that lists
653 @samp{NEWGROUPS} without supporting the function properly.)
655 This variable can also be a list of select methods. If so, Gnus will
656 issue an @code{ask-server} command to each of the select methods, and
657 subscribe them (or not) using the normal methods. This might be handy
658 if you are monitoring a few servers for new groups. A side effect is
659 that startup will take much longer, so you can meditate while waiting.
660 Use the mantra ``dingnusdingnusdingnus'' to achieve permanent bliss.
663 @node Subscription Methods
664 @subsection Subscription Methods
666 @vindex gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method
667 What Gnus does when it encounters a new group is determined by the
668 @code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} variable.
670 This variable should contain a function. This function will be called
671 with the name of the new group as the only parameter.
673 Some handy pre-fab functions are:
677 @item gnus-subscribe-zombies
678 @vindex gnus-subscribe-zombies
679 Make all new groups zombies. This is the default. You can browse the
680 zombies later (with @kbd{A z}) and either kill them all off properly
681 (with @kbd{S z}), or subscribe to them (with @kbd{u}).
683 @item gnus-subscribe-randomly
684 @vindex gnus-subscribe-randomly
685 Subscribe all new groups in arbitrary order. This really means that all
686 new groups will be added at ``the top'' of the grop buffer.
688 @item gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
689 @vindex gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
690 Subscribe all new groups in alphabetical order.
692 @item gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
693 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
694 Subscribe all new groups hierarchically. The difference between this
695 function and @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} is slight.
696 @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} will subscribe new groups in a strictly
697 alphabetical fashion, while this function will enter groups into it's
698 hierarchy. So if you want to have the @samp{rec} hierarchy before the
699 @samp{comp} hierarchy, this function will not mess that configuration
700 up. Or something like that.
702 @item gnus-subscribe-interactively
703 @vindex gnus-subscribe-interactively
704 Subscribe new groups interactively. This means that Gnus will ask
705 you about @strong{all} new groups. The groups you choose to subscribe
706 to will be subscribed hierarchically.
708 @item gnus-subscribe-killed
709 @vindex gnus-subscribe-killed
714 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive
715 A closely related variable is
716 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. (That's quite a
717 mouthful.) If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will ask you in a
718 hierarchical fashion whether to subscribe to new groups or not. Gnus
719 will ask you for each sub-hierarchy whether you want to descend the
722 One common mistake is to set the variable a few paragraphs above
723 (@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method}) to
724 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. This is an error. This
725 will not work. This is ga-ga. So don't do it.
728 @node Filtering New Groups
729 @subsection Filtering New Groups
731 A nice and portable way to control which new newsgroups should be
732 subscribed (or ignored) is to put an @dfn{options} line at the start of
733 the @file{.newsrc} file. Here's an example:
736 options -n !alt.all !rec.all sci.all
739 @vindex gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method
740 This line obviously belongs to a serious-minded intellectual scientific
741 person (or she may just be plain old boring), because it says that all
742 groups that have names beginning with @samp{alt} and @samp{rec} should
743 be ignored, and all groups with names beginning with @samp{sci} should
744 be subscribed. Gnus will not use the normal subscription method for
745 subscribing these groups.
746 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method} is used instead. This
747 variable defaults to @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically}.
749 @vindex gnus-options-not-subscribe
750 @vindex gnus-options-subscribe
751 If you don't want to mess with your @file{.newsrc} file, you can just
752 set the two variables @code{gnus-options-subscribe} and
753 @code{gnus-options-not-subscribe}. These two variables do exactly the
754 same as the @file{.newsrc} @samp{options -n} trick. Both are regexps,
755 and if the new group matches the former, it will be unconditionally
756 subscribed, and if it matches the latter, it will be ignored.
758 @vindex gnus-auto-subscribed-groups
759 Yet another variable that meddles here is
760 @code{gnus-auto-subscribed-groups}. It works exactly like
761 @code{gnus-options-subscribe}, and is therefore really superfluous, but I
762 thought it would be nice to have two of these. This variable is more
763 meant for setting some ground rules, while the other variable is used
764 more for user fiddling. By default this variable makes all new groups
765 that come from mail backends (@code{nnml}, @code{nnbabyl},
766 @code{nnfolder}, @code{nnmbox}, and @code{nnmh}) subscribed. If you
767 don't like that, just set this variable to @code{nil}.
769 New groups that match this regexp are subscribed using
770 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method}.
773 @node Changing Servers
774 @section Changing Servers
775 @cindex changing servers
777 Sometimes it is necessary to move from one @sc{nntp} server to another.
778 This happens very rarely, but perhaps you change jobs, or one server is
779 very flaky and you want to use another.
781 Changing the server is pretty easy, right? You just change
782 @code{gnus-select-method} to point to the new server?
786 Article numbers are not (in any way) kept synchronized between different
787 @sc{nntp} servers, and the only way Gnus keeps track of what articles
788 you have read is by keeping track of article numbers. So when you
789 change @code{gnus-select-method}, your @file{.newsrc} file becomes
792 Gnus provides a few functions to attempt to translate a @file{.newsrc}
793 file from one server to another. They all have one thing in
794 common---they take a looong time to run. You don't want to use these
795 functions more than absolutely necessary.
797 @kindex M-x gnus-change-server
798 @findex gnus-change-server
799 If you have access to both servers, Gnus can request the headers for all
800 the articles you have read and compare @code{Message-ID}s and map the
801 article numbers of the read articles and article marks. The @kbd{M-x
802 gnus-change-server} command will do this for all your native groups. It
803 will prompt for the method you want to move to.
805 @kindex M-x gnus-group-move-group-to-server
806 @findex gnus-group-move-group-to-server
807 You can also move individual groups with the @kbd{M-x
808 gnus-group-move-group-to-server} command. This is useful if you want to
809 move a (foreign) group from one server to another.
811 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
812 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
813 If you don't have access to both the old and new server, all your marks
814 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use the @kbd{M-x
815 gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups} command to clear out all data
816 that you have on your native groups. Use with caution.
820 @section Startup Files
821 @cindex startup files
826 Now, you all know about the @file{.newsrc} file. All subscription
827 information is traditionally stored in this file.
829 Things got a bit more complicated with @sc{gnus}. In addition to
830 keeping the @file{.newsrc} file updated, it also used a file called
831 @file{.newsrc.el} for storing all the information that didn't fit into
832 the @file{.newsrc} file. (Actually, it also duplicated everything in
833 the @file{.newsrc} file.) @sc{gnus} would read whichever one of these
834 files was the most recently saved, which enabled people to swap between
835 @sc{gnus} and other newsreaders.
837 That was kinda silly, so Gnus went one better: In addition to the
838 @file{.newsrc} and @file{.newsrc.el} files, Gnus also has a file called
839 @file{.newsrc.eld}. It will read whichever of these files that are most
840 recent, but it will never write a @file{.newsrc.el} file. You should
841 never delete the @file{.newsrc.eld} file---it contains much information
842 not stored in the @file{.newsrc} file.
844 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-file
845 You can turn off writing the @file{.newsrc} file by setting
846 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-file} to @code{nil}, which means you can delete
847 the file and save some space, as well as making exit from Gnus faster.
848 However, this will make it impossible to use other newsreaders than
849 Gnus. But hey, who would want to, right?
851 @vindex gnus-save-killed-list
852 If @code{gnus-save-killed-list} (default @code{t}) is @code{nil}, Gnus
853 will not save the list of killed groups to the startup file. This will
854 save both time (when starting and quitting) and space (on disk). It
855 will also mean that Gnus has no record of what groups are new or old,
856 so the automatic new groups subscription methods become meaningless.
857 You should always set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil} or
858 @code{ask-server} if you set this variable to @code{nil} (@pxref{New
859 Groups}). This variable can also be a regular expression. If that's
860 the case, remove all groups that do not match this regexp before
861 saving. This can be useful in certain obscure situations that involve
862 several servers where not all servers support @code{ask-server}.
864 @vindex gnus-startup-file
865 The @code{gnus-startup-file} variable says where the startup files are.
866 The default value is @file{~/.newsrc}, with the Gnus (El Dingo) startup
867 file being whatever that one is, with a @samp{.eld} appended.
869 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-hook
870 @vindex gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook
871 @vindex gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook
872 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-hook} is called before saving any of the newsrc
873 files, while @code{gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook} is called just before
874 saving the @file{.newsrc.eld} file, and
875 @code{gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook} is called just before saving the
876 @file{.newsrc} file. The latter two are commonly used to turn version
877 control on or off. Version control is on by default when saving the
878 startup files. If you want to turn backup creation off, say something like:
881 (defun turn-off-backup ()
882 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
884 (add-hook 'gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
885 (add-hook 'gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
888 @vindex gnus-init-file
889 When Gnus starts, it will read the @code{gnus-site-init-file}
890 (@file{.../site-lisp/gnus} by default) and @code{gnus-init-file}
891 (@file{~/.gnus} by default) files. These are normal Emacs Lisp files
892 and can be used to avoid cluttering your @file{~/.emacs} and
893 @file{site-init} files with Gnus stuff. Gnus will also check for files
894 with the same names as these, but with @file{.elc} and @file{.el}
895 suffixes. In other words, if you have set @code{gnus-init-file} to
896 @file{~/.gnus}, it will look for @file{~/.gnus.elc}, @file{~/.gnus.el},
897 and finally @file{~/.gnus} (in this order).
906 Whenever you do something that changes the Gnus data (reading articles,
907 catching up, killing/subscribing groups), the change is added to a
908 special @dfn{dribble buffer}. This buffer is auto-saved the normal
909 Emacs way. If your Emacs should crash before you have saved the
910 @file{.newsrc} files, all changes you have made can be recovered from
913 If Gnus detects this file at startup, it will ask the user whether to
914 read it. The auto save file is deleted whenever the real startup file is
917 @vindex gnus-use-dribble-file
918 If @code{gnus-use-dribble-file} is @code{nil}, Gnus won't create and
919 maintain a dribble buffer. The default is @code{t}.
921 @vindex gnus-dribble-directory
922 Gnus will put the dribble file(s) in @code{gnus-dribble-directory}. If
923 this variable is @code{nil}, which it is by default, Gnus will dribble
924 into the directory where the @file{.newsrc} file is located. (This is
925 normally the user's home directory.) The dribble file will get the same
926 file permissions as the @code{.newsrc} file.
929 @node The Active File
930 @section The Active File
932 @cindex ignored groups
934 When Gnus starts, or indeed whenever it tries to determine whether new
935 articles have arrived, it reads the active file. This is a very large
936 file that lists all the active groups and articles on the server.
938 @vindex gnus-ignored-newsgroups
939 Before examining the active file, Gnus deletes all lines that match the
940 regexp @code{gnus-ignored-newsgroups}. This is done primarily to reject
941 any groups with bogus names, but you can use this variable to make Gnus
942 ignore hierarchies you aren't ever interested in. However, this is not
943 recommended. In fact, it's highly discouraged. Instead, @pxref{New
944 Groups} for an overview of other variables that can be used instead.
947 @c @code{nil} by default, and will slow down active file handling somewhat
948 @c if you set it to anything else.
950 @vindex gnus-read-active-file
952 The active file can be rather Huge, so if you have a slow network, you
953 can set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{nil} to prevent Gnus from
954 reading the active file. This variable is @code{some} by default.
956 Gnus will try to make do by getting information just on the groups that
957 you actually subscribe to.
959 Note that if you subscribe to lots and lots of groups, setting this
960 variable to @code{nil} will probably make Gnus slower, not faster. At
961 present, having this variable @code{nil} will slow Gnus down
962 considerably, unless you read news over a 2400 baud modem.
964 This variable can also have the value @code{some}. Gnus will then
965 attempt to read active info only on the subscribed groups. On some
966 servers this is quite fast (on sparkling, brand new INN servers that
967 support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command), on others this isn't fast
968 at all. In any case, @code{some} should be faster than @code{nil}, and
969 is certainly faster than @code{t} over slow lines.
971 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will ask for group info in total
972 lock-step, which isn't very fast. If it is @code{some} and you use an
973 @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will pump out commands as fast as it can, and
974 read all the replies in one swoop. This will normally result in better
975 performance, but if the server does not support the aforementioned
976 @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command, this isn't very nice to the server.
978 In any case, if you use @code{some} or @code{nil}, you should definitely
979 kill all groups that you aren't interested in to speed things up.
981 Note that this variable also affects active file retrieval from
982 secondary select methods.
985 @node Startup Variables
986 @section Startup Variables
991 @vindex gnus-load-hook
992 A hook run while Gnus is being loaded. Note that this hook will
993 normally be run just once in each Emacs session, no matter how many
994 times you start Gnus.
996 @item gnus-before-startup-hook
997 @vindex gnus-before-startup-hook
998 A hook run after starting up Gnus successfully.
1000 @item gnus-startup-hook
1001 @vindex gnus-startup-hook
1002 A hook run as the very last thing after starting up Gnus
1004 @item gnus-started-hook
1005 @vindex gnus-started-hook
1006 A hook that is run as the very last thing after starting up Gnus
1009 @item gnus-started-hook
1010 @vindex gnus-started-hook
1011 A hook that is run after reading the @file{.newsrc} file(s), but before
1012 generating the group buffer.
1014 @item gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1015 @vindex gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1016 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will check for and delete all bogus groups at
1017 startup. A @dfn{bogus group} is a group that you have in your
1018 @file{.newsrc} file, but doesn't exist on the news server. Checking for
1019 bogus groups can take quite a while, so to save time and resources it's
1020 best to leave this option off, and do the checking for bogus groups once
1021 in a while from the group buffer instead (@pxref{Group Maintenance}).
1023 @item gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1024 @vindex gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1025 If non-@code{nil}, the startup message won't be displayed. That way,
1026 your boss might not notice as easily that you are reading news instead
1027 of doing your job. Note that this variable is used before
1028 @file{.gnus.el} is loaded, so it should be set in @code{.emacs} instead.
1030 @item gnus-no-groups-message
1031 @vindex gnus-no-groups-message
1032 Message displayed by Gnus when no groups are available.
1034 @item gnus-play-startup-jingle
1035 @vindex gnus-play-startup-jingle
1036 If non-@code{nil}, play the Gnus jingle at startup.
1038 @item gnus-startup-jingle
1039 @vindex gnus-startup-jingle
1040 Jingle to be played if the above variable is non-@code{nil}. The
1041 default is @samp{Tuxedomoon.Jingle4.au}.
1046 @node The Group Buffer
1047 @chapter The Group Buffer
1048 @cindex group buffer
1050 The @dfn{group buffer} lists all (or parts) of the available groups. It
1051 is the first buffer shown when Gnus starts, and will never be killed as
1052 long as Gnus is active.
1056 \gnusfigure{The Group Buffer}{320}{
1057 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=tmp/group.ps,height=9cm}}
1058 \put(120,37){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Buffer name}}
1059 \put(120,38){\vector(1,2){10}}
1060 \put(40,60){\makebox(0,0)[r]{Mode line}}
1061 \put(40,58){\vector(1,0){30}}
1062 \put(200,28){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Native select method}}
1063 \put(200,26){\vector(-1,2){15}}
1069 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
1070 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
1071 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
1072 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
1073 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
1074 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
1075 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
1076 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
1077 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
1078 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
1079 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
1080 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
1081 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
1082 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
1083 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
1084 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
1085 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
1089 @node Group Buffer Format
1090 @section Group Buffer Format
1093 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
1094 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
1095 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
1099 @node Group Line Specification
1100 @subsection Group Line Specification
1101 @cindex group buffer format
1103 The default format of the group buffer is nice and dull, but you can
1104 make it as exciting and ugly as you feel like.
1106 Here's a couple of example group lines:
1109 25: news.announce.newusers
1110 * 0: alt.fan.andrea-dworkin
1115 You can see that there are 25 unread articles in
1116 @samp{news.announce.newusers}. There are no unread articles, but some
1117 ticked articles, in @samp{alt.fan.andrea-dworkin} (see that little
1118 asterisk at the beginning of the line?).
1120 @vindex gnus-group-line-format
1121 You can change that format to whatever you want by fiddling with the
1122 @code{gnus-group-line-format} variable. This variable works along the
1123 lines of a @code{format} specification, which is pretty much the same as
1124 a @code{printf} specifications, for those of you who use (feh!) C.
1125 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
1127 @samp{%M%S%5y: %(%g%)\n} is the value that produced those lines above.
1129 There should always be a colon on the line; the cursor always moves to
1130 the colon after performing an operation. Nothing else is required---not
1131 even the group name. All displayed text is just window dressing, and is
1132 never examined by Gnus. Gnus stores all real information it needs using
1135 (Note that if you make a really strange, wonderful, spreadsheet-like
1136 layout, everybody will believe you are hard at work with the accounting
1137 instead of wasting time reading news.)
1139 Here's a list of all available format characters:
1144 An asterisk if the group only has marked articles.
1147 Whether the group is subscribed.
1150 Level of subscribedness.
1153 Number of unread articles.
1156 Number of dormant articles.
1159 Number of ticked articles.
1162 Number of read articles.
1165 Estimated total number of articles. (This is really @var{max-number}
1166 minus @var{min-number} plus 1.)
1169 Number of unread, unticked, non-dormant articles.
1172 Number of ticked and dormant articles.
1181 Newsgroup description.
1184 @samp{m} if moderated.
1187 @samp{(m)} if moderated.
1196 A string that looks like @samp{<%s:%n>} if a foreign select method is
1200 Indentation based on the level of the topic (@pxref{Group Topics}).
1203 @vindex gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels
1204 Short (collapsed) group name. The @code{gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels}
1205 variable says how many levels to leave at the end of the group name.
1206 The default is 1---this will mean that group names like
1207 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} will be shortened to @samp{g.emacs.gnus}.
1210 @vindex gnus-new-mail-mark
1212 @samp{%} (@code{gnus-new-mail-mark}) if there has arrived new mail to
1216 A string that says when you last read the group (@pxref{Group
1220 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
1221 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
1222 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
1223 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed a single dummy
1224 parameter as argument. The function should return a string, which will
1225 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
1230 All the ``number-of'' specs will be filled with an asterisk (@samp{*})
1231 if no info is available---for instance, if it is a non-activated foreign
1232 group, or a bogus native group.
1235 @node Group Modeline Specification
1236 @subsection Group Modeline Specification
1237 @cindex group modeline
1239 @vindex gnus-group-mode-line-format
1240 The mode line can be changed by setting
1241 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). It
1242 doesn't understand that many format specifiers:
1246 The native news server.
1248 The native select method.
1252 @node Group Highlighting
1253 @subsection Group Highlighting
1254 @cindex highlighting
1255 @cindex group highlighting
1257 @vindex gnus-group-highlight
1258 Highlighting in the group buffer is controlled by the
1259 @code{gnus-group-highlight} variable. This is an alist with elements
1260 that look like @var{(form . face)}. If @var{form} evaluates to
1261 something non-@code{nil}, the @var{face} will be used on the line.
1263 Here's an example value for this variable that might look nice if the
1267 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-1 '((t (:foreground "Red" :bold t))))
1268 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-2 '((t (:foreground "SeaGreen" :bold t))))
1269 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-3 '((t (:foreground "SpringGreen" :bold t))))
1270 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-4 '((t (:foreground "SteelBlue" :bold t))))
1271 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-5 '((t (:foreground "SkyBlue" :bold t))))
1273 (setq gnus-group-highlight
1274 '(((> unread 200) . my-group-face-1)
1275 ((and (< level 3) (zerop unread)) . my-group-face-2)
1276 ((< level 3) . my-group-face-3)
1277 ((zerop unread) . my-group-face-4)
1278 (setq gnus-group-highlight
1280 ,(custom-face-lookup "Red" nil nil t nil nil))
1281 ((and (< level 3) (zerop unread)) .
1282 ,(custom-face-lookup "SeaGreen" nil nil t nil nil))
1284 ,(custom-face-lookup "SpringGreen" nil nil t nil nil))
1286 ,(custom-face-lookup "SteelBlue" nil nil t nil nil))
1288 ,(custom-face-lookup "SkyBlue" nil nil t nil nil))))
1289 (t . my-group-face-5)))
1292 Also @pxref{Faces & Fonts}.
1294 Variables that are dynamically bound when the forms are evaluated
1301 The number of unread articles in the group.
1305 Whether the group is a mail group.
1307 The level of the group.
1309 The score of the group.
1311 The number of ticked articles in the group.
1313 The total number of articles in the group. Or rather, MAX-NUMBER minus
1314 MIN-NUMBER plus one.
1316 When using the topic minor mode, this variable is bound to the current
1317 topic being inserted.
1320 When the forms are @code{eval}ed, point is at the beginning of the line
1321 of the group in question, so you can use many of the normal Gnus
1322 functions for snarfing info on the group.
1324 @vindex gnus-group-update-hook
1325 @findex gnus-group-highlight-line
1326 @code{gnus-group-update-hook} is called when a group line is changed.
1327 It will not be called when @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}. This hook
1328 calls @code{gnus-group-highlight-line} by default.
1331 @node Group Maneuvering
1332 @section Group Maneuvering
1333 @cindex group movement
1335 All movement commands understand the numeric prefix and will behave as
1336 expected, hopefully.
1342 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
1343 Go to the next group that has unread articles
1344 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group}).
1350 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
1351 Go to the previous group that has unread articles
1352 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group}).
1356 @findex gnus-group-next-group
1357 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
1361 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
1362 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
1366 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level
1367 Go to the next unread group on the same (or lower) level
1368 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level}).
1372 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level
1373 Go to the previous unread group on the same (or lower) level
1374 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level}).
1377 Three commands for jumping to groups:
1383 @findex gnus-group-jump-to-group
1384 Jump to a group (and make it visible if it isn't already)
1385 (@code{gnus-group-jump-to-group}). Killed groups can be jumped to, just
1390 @findex gnus-group-best-unread-group
1391 Jump to the unread group with the lowest level
1392 (@code{gnus-group-best-unread-group}).
1396 @findex gnus-group-first-unread-group
1397 Jump to the first group with unread articles
1398 (@code{gnus-group-first-unread-group}).
1401 @vindex gnus-group-goto-unread
1402 If @code{gnus-group-goto-unread} is @code{nil}, all the movement
1403 commands will move to the next group, not the next unread group. Even
1404 the commands that say they move to the next unread group. The default
1408 @node Selecting a Group
1409 @section Selecting a Group
1410 @cindex group selection
1415 @kindex SPACE (Group)
1416 @findex gnus-group-read-group
1417 Select the current group, switch to the summary buffer and display the
1418 first unread article (@code{gnus-group-read-group}). If there are no
1419 unread articles in the group, or if you give a non-numerical prefix to
1420 this command, Gnus will offer to fetch all the old articles in this
1421 group from the server. If you give a numerical prefix @var{N}, @var{N}
1422 determines the number of articles Gnus will fetch. If @var{N} is
1423 positive, Gnus fetches the @var{N} newest articles, if @var{N} is
1424 negative, Gnus fetches the @var{abs(N)} oldest articles.
1428 @findex gnus-group-select-group
1429 Select the current group and switch to the summary buffer
1430 (@code{gnus-group-select-group}). Takes the same arguments as
1431 @code{gnus-group-read-group}---the only difference is that this command
1432 does not display the first unread article automatically upon group
1436 @kindex M-RET (Group)
1437 @findex gnus-group-quick-select-group
1438 This does the same as the command above, but tries to do it with the
1439 minimum amount of fuzz (@code{gnus-group-quick-select-group}). No
1440 scoring/killing will be performed, there will be no highlights and no
1441 expunging. This might be useful if you're in a real hurry and have to
1442 enter some humongous group. If you give a 0 prefix to this command
1443 (i.e., @kbd{0 M-RET}), Gnus won't even generate the summary buffer,
1444 which is useful if you want to toggle threading before generating the
1445 summary buffer (@pxref{Summary Generation Commands}).
1448 @kindex M-SPACE (Group)
1449 @findex gnus-group-visible-select-group
1450 This is yet one more command that does the same as the @kbd{RET}
1451 command, but this one does it without expunging and hiding dormants
1452 (@code{gnus-group-visible-select-group}).
1455 @kindex M-C-RET (Group)
1456 @findex gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally
1457 Finally, this command selects the current group ephemerally without
1458 doing any processing of its contents
1459 (@code{gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally}). Even threading has been
1460 turned off. Everything you do in the group after selecting it in this
1461 manner will have no permanent effects.
1465 @vindex gnus-large-newsgroup
1466 The @code{gnus-large-newsgroup} variable says what Gnus should consider
1467 to be a big group. This is 200 by default. If the group has more
1468 (unread and/or ticked) articles than this, Gnus will query the user
1469 before entering the group. The user can then specify how many articles
1470 should be fetched from the server. If the user specifies a negative
1471 number (@code{-n}), the @code{n} oldest articles will be fetched. If it
1472 is positive, the @code{n} articles that have arrived most recently will
1475 @vindex gnus-select-group-hook
1476 @vindex gnus-auto-select-first
1477 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} control whether any articles are selected
1478 automatically when entering a group with the @kbd{SPACE} command.
1483 Don't select any articles when entering the group. Just display the
1484 full summary buffer.
1487 Select the first unread article when entering the group.
1490 Select the most high-scored article in the group when entering the
1494 If you want to prevent automatic selection in some group (say, in a
1495 binary group with Huge articles) you can set this variable to @code{nil}
1496 in @code{gnus-select-group-hook}, which is called when a group is
1500 @node Subscription Commands
1501 @section Subscription Commands
1502 @cindex subscription
1510 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
1511 @c @icon{gnus-group-unsubscribe}
1512 Toggle subscription to the current group
1513 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group}).
1519 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-group
1520 Prompt for a group to subscribe, and then subscribe it. If it was
1521 subscribed already, unsubscribe it instead
1522 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-group}).
1528 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
1529 @c @icon{gnus-group-kill-group}
1530 Kill the current group (@code{gnus-group-kill-group}).
1536 @findex gnus-group-yank-group
1537 Yank the last killed group (@code{gnus-group-yank-group}).
1540 @kindex C-x C-t (Group)
1541 @findex gnus-group-transpose-groups
1542 Transpose two groups (@code{gnus-group-transpose-groups}). This isn't
1543 really a subscription command, but you can use it instead of a
1544 kill-and-yank sequence sometimes.
1550 @findex gnus-group-kill-region
1551 Kill all groups in the region (@code{gnus-group-kill-region}).
1555 @findex gnus-group-kill-all-zombies
1556 Kill all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-kill-all-zombies}).
1559 @kindex S C-k (Group)
1560 @findex gnus-group-kill-level
1561 Kill all groups on a certain level (@code{gnus-group-kill-level}).
1562 These groups can't be yanked back after killing, so this command should
1563 be used with some caution. The only time where this command comes in
1564 really handy is when you have a @file{.newsrc} with lots of unsubscribed
1565 groups that you want to get rid off. @kbd{S C-k} on level 7 will
1566 kill off all unsubscribed groups that do not have message numbers in the
1567 @file{.newsrc} file.
1571 Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
1581 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current
1582 @vindex gnus-group-catchup-group-hook
1583 @c @icon{gnus-group-catchup-current}
1584 Mark all unticked articles in this group as read
1585 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current}).
1586 @code{gnus-group-catchup-group-hook} is called when catching up a group from
1591 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current-all
1592 Mark all articles in this group, even the ticked ones, as read
1593 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current-all}).
1597 @findex gnus-group-clear-data
1598 Clear the data from the current group---nix out marks and the list of
1599 read articles (@code{gnus-group-clear-data}).
1601 @item M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1602 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1603 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1604 If you have switched from one @sc{nntp} server to another, all your marks
1605 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use this command to
1606 clear out all data that you have on your native groups. Use with
1613 @section Group Levels
1617 All groups have a level of @dfn{subscribedness}. For instance, if a
1618 group is on level 2, it is more subscribed than a group on level 5. You
1619 can ask Gnus to just list groups on a given level or lower
1620 (@pxref{Listing Groups}), or to just check for new articles in groups on
1621 a given level or lower (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
1623 Remember: The higher the level of the group, the less important it is.
1629 @findex gnus-group-set-current-level
1630 Set the level of the current group. If a numeric prefix is given, the
1631 next @var{n} groups will have their levels set. The user will be
1632 prompted for a level.
1635 @vindex gnus-level-killed
1636 @vindex gnus-level-zombie
1637 @vindex gnus-level-unsubscribed
1638 @vindex gnus-level-subscribed
1639 Gnus considers groups from levels 1 to
1640 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (inclusive) (default 5) to be subscribed,
1641 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (exclusive) and
1642 @code{gnus-level-unsubscribed} (inclusive) (default 7) to be
1643 unsubscribed, @code{gnus-level-zombie} to be zombies (walking dead)
1644 (default 8) and @code{gnus-level-killed} to be killed (completely dead)
1645 (default 9). Gnus treats subscribed and unsubscribed groups exactly the
1646 same, but zombie and killed groups have no information on what articles
1647 you have read, etc, stored. This distinction between dead and living
1648 groups isn't done because it is nice or clever, it is done purely for
1649 reasons of efficiency.
1651 It is recommended that you keep all your mail groups (if any) on quite
1652 low levels (e.g. 1 or 2).
1654 If you want to play with the level variables, you should show some care.
1655 Set them once, and don't touch them ever again. Better yet, don't touch
1656 them at all unless you know exactly what you're doing.
1658 @vindex gnus-level-default-unsubscribed
1659 @vindex gnus-level-default-subscribed
1660 Two closely related variables are @code{gnus-level-default-subscribed}
1661 (default 3) and @code{gnus-level-default-unsubscribed} (default 6),
1662 which are the levels that new groups will be put on if they are
1663 (un)subscribed. These two variables should, of course, be inside the
1664 relevant valid ranges.
1666 @vindex gnus-keep-same-level
1667 If @code{gnus-keep-same-level} is non-@code{nil}, some movement commands
1668 will only move to groups of the same level (or lower). In
1669 particular, going from the last article in one group to the next group
1670 will go to the next group of the same level (or lower). This might be
1671 handy if you want to read the most important groups before you read the
1674 @vindex gnus-group-default-list-level
1675 All groups with a level less than or equal to
1676 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level} will be listed in the group buffer
1679 @vindex gnus-group-list-inactive-groups
1680 If @code{gnus-group-list-inactive-groups} is non-@code{nil}, non-active
1681 groups will be listed along with the unread groups. This variable is
1682 @code{t} by default. If it is @code{nil}, inactive groups won't be
1685 @vindex gnus-group-use-permanent-levels
1686 If @code{gnus-group-use-permanent-levels} is non-@code{nil}, once you
1687 give a level prefix to @kbd{g} or @kbd{l}, all subsequent commands will
1688 use this level as the ``work'' level.
1690 @vindex gnus-activate-level
1691 Gnus will normally just activate (i. e., query the server about) groups
1692 on level @code{gnus-activate-level} or less. If you don't want to
1693 activate unsubscribed groups, for instance, you might set this variable
1694 to 5. The default is 6.
1698 @section Group Score
1701 You would normally keep important groups on high levels, but that scheme
1702 is somewhat restrictive. Don't you wish you could have Gnus sort the
1703 group buffer according to how often you read groups, perhaps? Within
1706 This is what @dfn{group score} is for. You can assign a score to each
1707 group. You can then sort the group buffer based on this score.
1708 Alternatively, you can sort on score and then level. (Taken together,
1709 the level and the score is called the @dfn{rank} of the group. A group
1710 that is on level 4 and has a score of 1 has a higher rank than a group
1711 on level 5 that has a score of 300. (The level is the most significant
1712 part and the score is the least significant part.))
1714 @findex gnus-summary-bubble-group
1715 If you want groups you read often to get higher scores than groups you
1716 read seldom you can add the @code{gnus-summary-bubble-group} function to
1717 the @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} hook. This will result (after
1718 sorting) in a bubbling sort of action. If you want to see that in
1719 action after each summary exit, you can add
1720 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank} or
1721 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score} to the same hook, but that will
1722 slow things down somewhat.
1725 @node Marking Groups
1726 @section Marking Groups
1727 @cindex marking groups
1729 If you want to perform some command on several groups, and they appear
1730 subsequently in the group buffer, you would normally just give a
1731 numerical prefix to the command. Most group commands will then do your
1732 bidding on those groups.
1734 However, if the groups are not in sequential order, you can still
1735 perform a command on several groups. You simply mark the groups first
1736 with the process mark and then execute the command.
1744 @findex gnus-group-mark-group
1745 Set the mark on the current group (@code{gnus-group-mark-group}).
1751 @findex gnus-group-unmark-group
1752 Remove the mark from the current group
1753 (@code{gnus-group-unmark-group}).
1757 @findex gnus-group-unmark-all-groups
1758 Remove the mark from all groups (@code{gnus-group-unmark-all-groups}).
1762 @findex gnus-group-mark-region
1763 Mark all groups between point and mark (@code{gnus-group-mark-region}).
1767 @findex gnus-group-mark-buffer
1768 Mark all groups in the buffer (@code{gnus-group-mark-buffer}).
1772 @findex gnus-group-mark-regexp
1773 Mark all groups that match some regular expression
1774 (@code{gnus-group-mark-regexp}).
1777 Also @pxref{Process/Prefix}.
1779 @findex gnus-group-universal-argument
1780 If you want to execute some command on all groups that have been marked
1781 with the process mark, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
1782 (@code{gnus-group-universal-argument}) command. It will prompt you for
1783 the command to be executed.
1786 @node Foreign Groups
1787 @section Foreign Groups
1788 @cindex foreign groups
1790 Below are some group mode commands for making and editing general foreign
1791 groups, as well as commands to ease the creation of a few
1792 special-purpose groups. All these commands insert the newly created
1793 groups under point---@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} is not
1800 @findex gnus-group-make-group
1801 @cindex making groups
1802 Make a new group (@code{gnus-group-make-group}). Gnus will prompt you
1803 for a name, a method and possibly an @dfn{address}. For an easier way
1804 to subscribe to @sc{nntp} groups, @pxref{Browse Foreign Server}.
1808 @findex gnus-group-rename-group
1809 @cindex renaming groups
1810 Rename the current group to something else
1811 (@code{gnus-group-rename-group}). This is valid only on some
1812 groups---mail groups mostly. This command might very well be quite slow
1818 @findex gnus-group-customize
1819 Customize the group parameters (@code{gnus-group-customize}).
1823 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-method
1824 @cindex renaming groups
1825 Enter a buffer where you can edit the select method of the current
1826 group (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-method}).
1830 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-parameters
1831 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group parameters
1832 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-parameters}).
1836 @findex gnus-group-edit-group
1837 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group info
1838 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group}).
1842 @findex gnus-group-make-directory-group
1844 Make a directory group (@pxref{Directory Groups}). You will be prompted
1845 for a directory name (@code{gnus-group-make-directory-group}).
1850 @findex gnus-group-make-help-group
1851 Make the Gnus help group (@code{gnus-group-make-help-group}).
1855 @cindex (ding) archive
1856 @cindex archive group
1857 @findex gnus-group-make-archive-group
1858 @vindex gnus-group-archive-directory
1859 @vindex gnus-group-recent-archive-directory
1860 Make a Gnus archive group (@code{gnus-group-make-archive-group}). By
1861 default a group pointing to the most recent articles will be created
1862 (@code{gnus-group-recent-archive-directory}), but given a prefix, a full
1863 group will be created from @code{gnus-group-archive-directory}.
1867 @findex gnus-group-make-kiboze-group
1869 Make a kiboze group. You will be prompted for a name, for a regexp to
1870 match groups to be ``included'' in the kiboze group, and a series of
1871 strings to match on headers (@code{gnus-group-make-kiboze-group}).
1872 @xref{Kibozed Groups}.
1876 @findex gnus-group-enter-directory
1878 Read an arbitrary directory as if it were a newsgroup with the
1879 @code{nneething} backend (@code{gnus-group-enter-directory}).
1880 @xref{Anything Groups}.
1884 @findex gnus-group-make-doc-group
1885 @cindex ClariNet Briefs
1887 Make a group based on some file or other
1888 (@code{gnus-group-make-doc-group}). If you give a prefix to this
1889 command, you will be prompted for a file name and a file type.
1890 Currently supported types are @code{babyl}, @code{mbox}, @code{digest},
1891 @code{mmdf}, @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{clari-briefs},
1892 @code{rfc934}, @code{rfc822-forward}, and @code{forward}. If you run
1893 this command without a prefix, Gnus will guess at the file type.
1894 @xref{Document Groups}.
1898 @findex gnus-group-make-web-group
1903 Make an ephemeral group based on a web search
1904 (@code{gnus-group-make-web-group}). If you give a prefix to this
1905 command, make a solid group instead. You will be prompted for the
1906 search engine type and the search string. Valid search engine types
1907 include @code{dejanews}, @code{altavista} and @code{reference}.
1908 @xref{Web Searches}.
1911 @kindex G DEL (Group)
1912 @findex gnus-group-delete-group
1913 This function will delete the current group
1914 (@code{gnus-group-delete-group}). If given a prefix, this function will
1915 actually delete all the articles in the group, and forcibly remove the
1916 group itself from the face of the Earth. Use a prefix only if you are
1917 absolutely sure of what you are doing. This command can't be used on
1918 read-only groups (like @code{nntp} group), though.
1922 @findex gnus-group-make-empty-virtual
1923 Make a new, fresh, empty @code{nnvirtual} group
1924 (@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}). @xref{Virtual Groups}.
1928 @findex gnus-group-add-to-virtual
1929 Add the current group to an @code{nnvirtual} group
1930 (@code{gnus-group-add-to-virtual}). Uses the process/prefix convention.
1933 @xref{Select Methods} for more information on the various select
1936 @vindex gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups
1937 If @code{gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups} is a positive number,
1938 Gnus will check all foreign groups with this level or lower at startup.
1939 This might take quite a while, especially if you subscribe to lots of
1940 groups from different @sc{nntp} servers.
1943 @node Group Parameters
1944 @section Group Parameters
1945 @cindex group parameters
1947 The group parameters store information local to a particular group:
1952 If the group parameter list contains an element that looks like
1953 @code{(to-address . "some@@where.com")}, that address will be used by
1954 the backend when doing followups and posts. This is primarily useful in
1955 mail groups that represent closed mailing lists---mailing lists where
1956 it's expected that everybody that writes to the mailing list is
1957 subscribed to it. Since using this parameter ensures that the mail only
1958 goes to the mailing list itself, it means that members won't receive two
1959 copies of your followups.
1961 Using @code{to-address} will actually work whether the group is foreign
1962 or not. Let's say there's a group on the server that is called
1963 @samp{fa.4ad-l}. This is a real newsgroup, but the server has gotten
1964 the articles from a mail-to-news gateway. Posting directly to this
1965 group is therefore impossible---you have to send mail to the mailing
1966 list address instead.
1970 If the group parameter list has an element that looks like
1971 @code{(to-list . "some@@where.com")}, that address will be used when
1972 doing a @kbd{a} in that group. It is totally ignored when doing a
1973 followup---except that if it is present in a news group, you'll get mail
1974 group semantics when doing @kbd{f}.
1976 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you don't have a
1977 @code{to-list} group parameter, one will be added automatically upon
1978 sending the message.
1982 If the group parameter list has the element @code{(visible . t)},
1983 that group will always be visible in the Group buffer, regardless
1984 of whether it has any unread articles.
1986 @item broken-reply-to
1987 @cindex broken-reply-to
1988 Elements like @code{(broken-reply-to . t)} signals that @code{Reply-To}
1989 headers in this group are to be ignored. This can be useful if you're
1990 reading a mailing list group where the listserv has inserted
1991 @code{Reply-To} headers that point back to the listserv itself. This is
1992 broken behavior. So there!
1996 Elements like @code{(to-group . "some.group.name")} means that all
1997 posts in that group will be sent to @code{some.group.name}.
2001 If this symbol is present in the group parameter list, Gnus will treat
2002 all responses as if they were responses to news articles. This can be
2003 useful if you have a mail group that's really a mirror of a news group.
2007 If this symbol is present in the group parameter list and set to
2008 @code{t}, newly composed messages will be @code{Gcc}'d to the current
2009 group. If it is present and set to @code{none}, no @code{Gcc:} header
2010 will be generated, if it is present and a string, this string will be
2011 inserted literally as a @code{gcc} header (this symbol takes precedence
2012 over any default @code{Gcc} rules as described later). @xref{Archived
2017 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(auto-expire
2018 . t)}, all articles read will be marked as expirable. For an
2019 alternative approach, @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
2022 @cindex total-expire
2023 If the group parameter has an element that looks like
2024 @code{(total-expire . t)}, all read articles will be put through the
2025 expiry process, even if they are not marked as expirable. Use with
2026 caution. Unread, ticked and dormant articles are not eligible for
2031 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
2032 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(expiry-wait
2033 . 10)}, this value will override any @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} and
2034 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} when expiring expirable messages.
2035 The value can either be a number of days (not necessarily an integer) or
2036 the symbols @code{never} or @code{immediate}.
2039 @cindex score file group parameter
2040 Elements that look like @code{(score-file . "file")} will make
2041 @file{file} into the current adaptive score file for the group in
2042 question. All adaptive score entries will be put into this file.
2045 @cindex adapt file group parameter
2046 Elements that look like @code{(adapt-file . "file")} will make
2047 @file{file} into the current adaptive file for the group in question.
2048 All adaptive score entries will be put into this file.
2051 When unsubscribing from a mailing list you should never send the
2052 unsubscription notice to the mailing list itself. Instead, you'd send
2053 messages to the administrative address. This parameter allows you to
2054 put the admin address somewhere convenient.
2057 Elements that look like @code{(display . MODE)} say which articles to
2058 display on entering the group. Valid values are:
2062 Display all articles, both read and unread.
2065 Display the default visible articles, which normally includes unread and
2070 Elements that look like @code{(comment . "This is a comment")}
2071 are arbitrary comments on the group. They are currently ignored by
2072 Gnus, but provide a place for you to store information on particular
2075 @item @var{(variable form)}
2076 You can use the group parameters to set variables local to the group you
2077 are entering. If you want to turn threading off in @samp{news.answers},
2078 you could put @code{(gnus-show-threads nil)} in the group parameters of
2079 that group. @code{gnus-show-threads} will be made into a local variable
2080 in the summary buffer you enter, and the form @code{nil} will be
2081 @code{eval}ed there.
2083 This can also be used as a group-specific hook function, if you'd like.
2084 If you want to hear a beep when you enter a group, you could put
2085 something like @code{(dummy-variable (ding))} in the parameters of that
2086 group. @code{dummy-variable} will be set to the result of the
2087 @code{(ding)} form, but who cares?
2091 Use the @kbd{G p} command to edit group parameters of a group.
2093 @pxref{Topic Parameters}.
2095 Here's an example group parameter list:
2098 ((to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")
2103 @node Listing Groups
2104 @section Listing Groups
2105 @cindex group listing
2107 These commands all list various slices of the groups available.
2115 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
2116 List all groups that have unread articles
2117 (@code{gnus-group-list-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used, this
2118 command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default, it
2119 only lists groups of level five (i. e.,
2120 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level}) or lower (i.e., just subscribed
2127 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
2128 List all groups, whether they have unread articles or not
2129 (@code{gnus-group-list-all-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used,
2130 this command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default,
2131 it lists groups of level seven or lower (i.e., just subscribed and
2132 unsubscribed groups).
2136 @findex gnus-group-list-level
2137 List all unread groups on a specific level
2138 (@code{gnus-group-list-level}). If given a prefix, also list the groups
2139 with no unread articles.
2143 @findex gnus-group-list-killed
2144 List all killed groups (@code{gnus-group-list-killed}). If given a
2145 prefix argument, really list all groups that are available, but aren't
2146 currently (un)subscribed. This could entail reading the active file
2151 @findex gnus-group-list-zombies
2152 List all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-list-zombies}).
2156 @findex gnus-group-list-matching
2157 List all unread, subscribed groups with names that match a regexp
2158 (@code{gnus-group-list-matching}).
2162 @findex gnus-group-list-all-matching
2163 List groups that match a regexp (@code{gnus-group-list-all-matching}).
2167 @findex gnus-group-list-active
2168 List absolutely all groups in the active file(s) of the
2169 server(s) you are connected to (@code{gnus-group-list-active}). This
2170 might very well take quite a while. It might actually be a better idea
2171 to do a @kbd{A M} to list all matching, and just give @samp{.} as the
2172 thing to match on. Also note that this command may list groups that
2173 don't exist (yet)---these will be listed as if they were killed groups.
2174 Take the output with some grains of salt.
2178 @findex gnus-group-apropos
2179 List all groups that have names that match a regexp
2180 (@code{gnus-group-apropos}).
2184 @findex gnus-group-description-apropos
2185 List all groups that have names or descriptions that match a regexp
2186 (@code{gnus-group-description-apropos}).
2190 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2191 @cindex visible group parameter
2192 Groups that match the @code{gnus-permanently-visible-groups} regexp will
2193 always be shown, whether they have unread articles or not. You can also
2194 add the @code{visible} element to the group parameters in question to
2195 get the same effect.
2197 @vindex gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles
2198 Groups that have just ticked articles in it are normally listed in the
2199 group buffer. If @code{gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles} is
2200 @code{nil}, these groups will be treated just like totally empty
2201 groups. It is @code{t} by default.
2204 @node Sorting Groups
2205 @section Sorting Groups
2206 @cindex sorting groups
2208 @kindex C-c C-s (Group)
2209 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups
2210 @vindex gnus-group-sort-function
2211 The @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups}) command sorts the
2212 group buffer according to the function(s) given by the
2213 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} variable. Available sorting functions
2218 @item gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
2219 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
2220 Sort the group names alphabetically. This is the default.
2222 @item gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
2223 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
2224 Sort the group alphabetically on the real (unprefixed) group names.
2226 @item gnus-group-sort-by-level
2227 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-level
2228 Sort by group level.
2230 @item gnus-group-sort-by-score
2231 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-score
2232 Sort by group score.
2234 @item gnus-group-sort-by-rank
2235 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-rank
2236 Sort by group score and then the group level. The level and the score
2237 are, when taken together, the group's @dfn{rank}.
2239 @item gnus-group-sort-by-unread
2240 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-unread
2241 Sort by number of unread articles.
2243 @item gnus-group-sort-by-method
2244 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-method
2245 Sort alphabetically on the select method.
2250 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} can also be a list of sorting
2251 functions. In that case, the most significant sort key function must be
2255 There are also a number of commands for sorting directly according to
2256 some sorting criteria:
2260 @kindex G S a (Group)
2261 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet
2262 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by group name
2263 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
2266 @kindex G S u (Group)
2267 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread
2268 Sort the group buffer by the number of unread articles
2269 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread}).
2272 @kindex G S l (Group)
2273 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level
2274 Sort the group buffer by group level
2275 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level}).
2278 @kindex G S v (Group)
2279 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score
2280 Sort the group buffer by group score
2281 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score}).
2284 @kindex G S r (Group)
2285 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank
2286 Sort the group buffer by group rank
2287 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank}).
2290 @kindex G S m (Group)
2291 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method
2292 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by backend name
2293 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method}).
2297 When given a prefix, all these commands will sort in reverse order.
2299 You can also sort a subset of the groups:
2303 @kindex G P a (Group)
2304 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet
2305 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer alphabetically by
2306 group name (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet}).
2309 @kindex G P u (Group)
2310 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread
2311 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by the number of
2312 unread articles (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread}).
2315 @kindex G P l (Group)
2316 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level
2317 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by group level
2318 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level}).
2321 @kindex G P v (Group)
2322 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score
2323 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by group score
2324 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score}).
2327 @kindex G P r (Group)
2328 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank
2329 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by group rank
2330 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank}).
2333 @kindex G P m (Group)
2334 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method
2335 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer alphabetically by
2336 backend name (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method}).
2342 @node Group Maintenance
2343 @section Group Maintenance
2344 @cindex bogus groups
2349 @findex gnus-group-check-bogus-groups
2350 Find bogus groups and delete them
2351 (@code{gnus-group-check-bogus-groups}).
2355 @findex gnus-group-find-new-groups
2356 Find new groups and process them (@code{gnus-group-find-new-groups}).
2357 If given a prefix, use the @code{ask-server} method to query the server
2361 @kindex C-c C-x (Group)
2362 @findex gnus-group-expire-articles
2363 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
2364 process (if any) (@code{gnus-group-expire-articles}).
2367 @kindex C-c M-C-x (Group)
2368 @findex gnus-group-expire-all-groups
2369 Run all articles in all groups through the expiry process
2370 (@code{gnus-group-expire-all-groups}).
2375 @node Browse Foreign Server
2376 @section Browse Foreign Server
2377 @cindex foreign servers
2378 @cindex browsing servers
2383 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
2384 You will be queried for a select method and a server name. Gnus will
2385 then attempt to contact this server and let you browse the groups there
2386 (@code{gnus-group-browse-foreign-server}).
2389 @findex gnus-browse-mode
2390 A new buffer with a list of available groups will appear. This buffer
2391 will use the @code{gnus-browse-mode}. This buffer looks a bit (well,
2392 a lot) like a normal group buffer.
2394 Here's a list of keystrokes available in the browse mode:
2399 @findex gnus-group-next-group
2400 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
2404 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
2405 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
2408 @kindex SPACE (Browse)
2409 @findex gnus-browse-read-group
2410 Enter the current group and display the first article
2411 (@code{gnus-browse-read-group}).
2414 @kindex RET (Browse)
2415 @findex gnus-browse-select-group
2416 Enter the current group (@code{gnus-browse-select-group}).
2420 @findex gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group
2421 Unsubscribe to the current group, or, as will be the case here,
2422 subscribe to it (@code{gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group}).
2428 @findex gnus-browse-exit
2429 Exit browse mode (@code{gnus-browse-exit}).
2433 @findex gnus-browse-describe-briefly
2434 Describe browse mode briefly (well, there's not much to describe, is
2435 there) (@code{gnus-browse-describe-briefly}).
2440 @section Exiting Gnus
2441 @cindex exiting Gnus
2443 Yes, Gnus is ex(c)iting.
2448 @findex gnus-group-suspend
2449 Suspend Gnus (@code{gnus-group-suspend}). This doesn't really exit Gnus,
2450 but it kills all buffers except the Group buffer. I'm not sure why this
2451 is a gain, but then who am I to judge?
2455 @findex gnus-group-exit
2456 @c @icon{gnus-group-exit}
2457 Quit Gnus (@code{gnus-group-exit}).
2461 @findex gnus-group-quit
2462 Quit Gnus without saving the @file{.newsrc} files (@code{gnus-group-quit}).
2463 The dribble file will be saved, though (@pxref{Auto Save}).
2466 @vindex gnus-exit-gnus-hook
2467 @vindex gnus-suspend-gnus-hook
2468 @code{gnus-suspend-gnus-hook} is called when you suspend Gnus and
2469 @code{gnus-exit-gnus-hook} is called when you quit Gnus, while
2470 @code{gnus-after-exiting-gnus-hook} is called as the final item when
2475 If you wish to completely unload Gnus and all its adherents, you can use
2476 the @code{gnus-unload} command. This command is also very handy when
2477 trying to customize meta-variables.
2482 Miss Lisa Cannifax, while sitting in English class, felt her feet go
2483 numbly heavy and herself fall into a hazy trance as the boy sitting
2484 behind her drew repeated lines with his pencil across the back of her
2490 @section Group Topics
2493 If you read lots and lots of groups, it might be convenient to group
2494 them hierarchically according to topics. You put your Emacs groups over
2495 here, your sex groups over there, and the rest (what, two groups or so?)
2496 you put in some misc section that you never bother with anyway. You can
2497 even group the Emacs sex groups as a sub-topic to either the Emacs
2498 groups or the sex groups---or both! Go wild!
2502 \gnusfigure{Group Topics}{400}{
2503 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=tmp/group-topic.ps,height=9cm}}
2514 2: alt.religion.emacs
2517 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2519 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2520 13: comp.sources.unix
2523 @findex gnus-topic-mode
2525 To get this @emph{fab} functionality you simply turn on (ooh!) the
2526 @code{gnus-topic} minor mode---type @kbd{t} in the group buffer. (This
2527 is a toggling command.)
2529 Go ahead, just try it. I'll still be here when you get back. La de
2530 dum... Nice tune, that... la la la... What, you're back? Yes, and now
2531 press @kbd{l}. There. All your groups are now listed under
2532 @samp{misc}. Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Hot and
2535 If you want this permanently enabled, you should add that minor mode to
2536 the hook for the group mode:
2539 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
2543 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
2544 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
2545 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
2546 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
2547 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
2551 @node Topic Variables
2552 @subsection Topic Variables
2553 @cindex topic variables
2555 Now, if you select a topic, it will fold/unfold that topic, which is
2556 really neat, I think.
2558 @vindex gnus-topic-line-format
2559 The topic lines themselves are created according to the
2560 @code{gnus-topic-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
2573 Number of groups in the topic.
2575 Number of unread articles in the topic.
2577 Number of unread articles in the topic and all its subtopics.
2580 @vindex gnus-topic-indent-level
2581 Each sub-topic (and the groups in the sub-topics) will be indented with
2582 @code{gnus-topic-indent-level} times the topic level number of spaces.
2585 @vindex gnus-topic-mode-hook
2586 @code{gnus-topic-mode-hook} is called in topic minor mode buffers.
2588 @vindex gnus-topic-display-empty-topics
2589 The @code{gnus-topic-display-empty-topics} says whether to display even
2590 topics that have no unread articles in them. The default is @code{t}.
2593 @node Topic Commands
2594 @subsection Topic Commands
2595 @cindex topic commands
2597 When the topic minor mode is turned on, a new @kbd{T} submap will be
2598 available. In addition, a few of the standard keys change their
2599 definitions slightly.
2605 @findex gnus-topic-create-topic
2606 Prompt for a new topic name and create it
2607 (@code{gnus-topic-create-topic}).
2611 @findex gnus-topic-move-group
2612 Move the current group to some other topic
2613 (@code{gnus-topic-move-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
2614 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2618 @findex gnus-topic-copy-group
2619 Copy the current group to some other topic
2620 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
2621 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2625 @findex gnus-topic-remove-group
2626 Remove a group from the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-remove-group}).
2627 This command uses the process/prefix convention
2628 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2632 @findex gnus-topic-move-matching
2633 Move all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
2634 (@code{gnus-topic-move-matching}).
2638 @findex gnus-topic-copy-matching
2639 Copy all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
2640 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-matching}).
2644 @findex gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics
2645 Toggle hiding empty topics
2646 (@code{gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics}).
2650 @findex gnus-topic-mark-topic
2651 Mark all groups in the current topic with the process mark
2652 (@code{gnus-topic-mark-topic}).
2655 @kindex T M-# (Topic)
2656 @findex gnus-topic-unmark-topic
2657 Remove the process mark from all groups in the current topic
2658 (@code{gnus-topic-unmark-topic}).
2662 @findex gnus-topic-select-group
2664 Either select a group or fold a topic (@code{gnus-topic-select-group}).
2665 When you perform this command on a group, you'll enter the group, as
2666 usual. When done on a topic line, the topic will be folded (if it was
2667 visible) or unfolded (if it was folded already). So it's basically a
2668 toggling command on topics. In addition, if you give a numerical
2669 prefix, group on that level (and lower) will be displayed.
2672 @kindex T TAB (Topic)
2673 @findex gnus-topic-indent
2674 ``Indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
2675 previous topic (@code{gnus-topic-indent}). If given a prefix,
2676 ``un-indent'' the topic instead.
2680 @findex gnus-topic-kill-group
2681 Kill a group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-kill-group}). All groups in the
2682 topic will be removed along with the topic.
2686 @findex gnus-topic-yank-group
2687 Yank the previously killed group or topic
2688 (@code{gnus-topic-yank-group}). Note that all topics will be yanked
2693 @findex gnus-topic-rename
2694 Rename a topic (@code{gnus-topic-rename}).
2697 @kindex T DEL (Topic)
2698 @findex gnus-topic-delete
2699 Delete an empty topic (@code{gnus-topic-delete}).
2703 @findex gnus-topic-list-active
2704 List all groups that Gnus knows about in a topics-ified way
2705 (@code{gnus-topic-list-active}).
2709 @findex gnus-topic-edit-parameters
2710 @cindex group parameters
2711 @cindex topic parameters
2713 Edit the topic parameters (@code{gnus-topic-edit-parameters}).
2714 @xref{Topic Parameters}.
2720 @subsection Topic Sorting
2721 @cindex topic sorting
2723 You can sort the groups in each topic individually with the following
2729 @kindex T S a (Topic)
2730 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet
2731 Sort the current topic alphabetically by group name
2732 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
2735 @kindex T S u (Topic)
2736 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread
2737 Sort the current topic by the number of unread articles
2738 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread}).
2741 @kindex T S l (Topic)
2742 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level
2743 Sort the current topic by group level
2744 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level}).
2747 @kindex T S v (Topic)
2748 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score
2749 Sort the current topic by group score
2750 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score}).
2753 @kindex T S r (Topic)
2754 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank
2755 Sort the current topic by group rank
2756 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank}).
2759 @kindex T S m (Topic)
2760 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method
2761 Sort the current topic alphabetically by backend name
2762 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method}).
2766 @xref{Sorting Groups} for more information about group sorting.
2769 @node Topic Topology
2770 @subsection Topic Topology
2771 @cindex topic topology
2774 So, let's have a look at an example group buffer:
2780 2: alt.religion.emacs
2783 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2785 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2786 13: comp.sources.unix
2789 So, here we have one top-level topic (@samp{Gnus}), two topics under
2790 that, and one sub-topic under one of the sub-topics. (There is always
2791 just one (1) top-level topic). This topology can be expressed as
2796 (("Emacs -- I wuw it!" visible)
2797 (("Naughty Emacs" visible)))
2801 @vindex gnus-topic-topology
2802 This is in fact how the variable @code{gnus-topic-topology} would look
2803 for the display above. That variable is saved in the @file{.newsrc.eld}
2804 file, and shouldn't be messed with manually---unless you really want
2805 to. Since this variable is read from the @file{.newsrc.eld} file,
2806 setting it in any other startup files will have no effect.
2808 This topology shows what topics are sub-topics of what topics (right),
2809 and which topics are visible. Two settings are currently
2810 allowed---@code{visible} and @code{invisible}.
2813 @node Topic Parameters
2814 @subsection Topic Parameters
2815 @cindex topic parameters
2817 All groups in a topic will inherit group parameters from the parent (and
2818 ancestor) topic parameters. All valid group parameters are valid topic
2819 parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
2821 Group parameters (of course) override topic parameters, and topic
2822 parameters in sub-topics override topic parameters in super-topics. You
2823 know. Normal inheritance rules. (@dfn{Rules} is here a noun, not a
2824 verb, although you may feel free to disagree with me here.)
2830 2: alt.religion.emacs
2834 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2836 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2837 13: comp.sources.unix
2841 The @samp{Emacs} topic has the topic parameter @code{(score-file
2842 . "emacs.SCORE")}; the @samp{Relief} topic has the topic parameter
2843 @code{(score-file . "relief.SCORE")}; and the @samp{Misc} topic has the
2844 topic parameter @code{(score-file . "emacs.SCORE")}. In addition,
2845 @samp{alt.religion.emacs} has the group parameter @code{(score-file
2846 . "religion.SCORE")}.
2848 Now, when you enter @samp{alt.sex.emacs} in the @samp{Relief} topic, you
2849 will get the @file{relief.SCORE} home score file. If you enter the same
2850 group in the @samp{Emacs} topic, you'll get the @file{emacs.SCORE} home
2851 score file. If you enter the group @samp{alt.religion.emacs}, you'll
2852 get the @file{religion.SCORE} home score file.
2854 This seems rather simple and self-evident, doesn't it? Well, yes. But
2855 there are some problems, especially with the @code{total-expiry}
2856 parameter. Say you have a mail group in two topics; one with
2857 @code{total-expiry} and one without. What happens when you do @kbd{M-x
2858 gnus-expire-all-expirable-groups}? Gnus has no way of telling which one
2859 of these topics you mean to expire articles from, so anything may
2860 happen. In fact, I hereby declare that it is @dfn{undefined} what
2861 happens. You just have to be careful if you do stuff like that.
2864 @node Misc Group Stuff
2865 @section Misc Group Stuff
2868 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking Gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
2869 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and Gnus.
2870 * Group Timestamp:: Making Gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
2871 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the Gnus files.
2878 @findex gnus-group-enter-server-mode
2879 Enter the server buffer (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}).
2880 @xref{The Server Buffer}.
2884 @findex gnus-group-post-news
2885 Post an article to a group (@code{gnus-group-post-news}). If given a
2886 prefix, the current group name will be used as the default.
2890 @findex gnus-group-mail
2891 Mail a message somewhere (@code{gnus-group-mail}).
2895 Variables for the group buffer:
2899 @item gnus-group-mode-hook
2900 @vindex gnus-group-mode-hook
2901 is called after the group buffer has been
2904 @item gnus-group-prepare-hook
2905 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
2906 is called after the group buffer is
2907 generated. It may be used to modify the buffer in some strange,
2910 @item gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2911 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2912 Groups matching this regexp will always be listed in the group buffer,
2913 whether they are empty or not.
2918 @node Scanning New Messages
2919 @subsection Scanning New Messages
2920 @cindex new messages
2921 @cindex scanning new news
2927 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news
2928 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news}
2929 Check the server(s) for new articles. If the numerical prefix is used,
2930 this command will check only groups of level @var{arg} and lower
2931 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news}). If given a non-numerical prefix, this
2932 command will force a total re-reading of the active file(s) from the
2937 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group
2938 @vindex gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating
2939 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}
2940 Check whether new articles have arrived in the current group
2941 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}).
2942 @code{gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating} says whether this command is
2943 to move point to the next group or not. It is @code{t} by default.
2945 @findex gnus-activate-all-groups
2946 @cindex activating groups
2948 @kindex C-c M-g (Group)
2949 Activate absolutely all groups (@code{gnus-activate-all-groups}).
2954 @findex gnus-group-restart
2955 Restart Gnus (@code{gnus-group-restart}). This saves the @file{.newsrc}
2956 file(s), closes the connection to all servers, clears up all run-time
2957 Gnus variables, and then starts Gnus all over again.
2961 @vindex gnus-get-new-news-hook
2962 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is run just before checking for new news.
2964 @vindex gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook
2965 @code{gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook} is run after checking for new
2969 @node Group Information
2970 @subsection Group Information
2971 @cindex group information
2972 @cindex information on groups
2979 @findex gnus-group-fetch-faq
2980 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
2983 Try to fetch the FAQ for the current group
2984 (@code{gnus-group-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the FAQ from
2985 @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory on a
2986 remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories. In
2987 that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
2988 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} (or @code{efs}) will be used
2989 for fetching the file.
2991 If fetching from the first site is unsuccessful, Gnus will attempt to go
2992 through @code{gnus-group-faq-directory} and try to open them one by one.
2996 @c @icon{gnus-group-describe-group}
2998 @kindex C-c C-d (Group)
2999 @cindex describing groups
3000 @cindex group description
3001 @findex gnus-group-describe-group
3002 Describe the current group (@code{gnus-group-describe-group}). If given
3003 a prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description from the server.
3007 @findex gnus-group-describe-all-groups
3008 Describe all groups (@code{gnus-group-describe-all-groups}). If given a
3009 prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description file from the server.
3016 @findex gnus-version
3017 Display current Gnus version numbers (@code{gnus-version}).
3021 @findex gnus-group-describe-briefly
3022 Give a very short help message (@code{gnus-group-describe-briefly}).
3025 @kindex C-c C-i (Group)
3028 @findex gnus-info-find-node
3029 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
3033 @node Group Timestamp
3034 @subsection Group Timestamp
3036 @cindex group timestamps
3038 It can be convenient to let Gnus keep track of when you last read a
3039 group. To set the ball rolling, you should add
3040 @code{gnus-group-set-timestamp} to @code{gnus-select-group-hook}:
3043 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook 'gnus-group-set-timestamp)
3046 After doing this, each time you enter a group, it'll be recorded.
3048 This information can be displayed in various ways---the easiest is to
3049 use the @samp{%d} spec in the group line format:
3052 (setq gnus-group-line-format
3053 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %d\n")
3056 This will result in lines looking like:
3059 * 0: mail.ding 19961002T012943
3060 0: custom 19961002T012713
3063 As you can see, the date is displayed in compact ISO 8601 format. This
3064 may be a bit too much, so to just display the date, you could say
3068 (setq gnus-group-line-format
3069 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %6,6~(cut 2)d\n")
3074 @subsection File Commands
3075 @cindex file commands
3081 @findex gnus-group-read-init-file
3082 @vindex gnus-init-file
3083 @cindex reading init file
3084 Re-read the init file (@code{gnus-init-file}, which defaults to
3085 @file{~/.gnus}) (@code{gnus-group-read-init-file}).
3089 @findex gnus-group-save-newsrc
3090 @cindex saving .newsrc
3091 Save the @file{.newsrc.eld} file (and @file{.newsrc} if wanted)
3092 (@code{gnus-group-save-newsrc}). If given a prefix, force saving the
3093 file(s) whether Gnus thinks it is necessary or not.
3096 @c @kindex Z (Group)
3097 @c @findex gnus-group-clear-dribble
3098 @c Clear the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-group-clear-dribble}).
3103 @node The Summary Buffer
3104 @chapter The Summary Buffer
3105 @cindex summary buffer
3107 A line for each article is displayed in the summary buffer. You can
3108 move around, read articles, post articles and reply to articles.
3110 The most common way to a summary buffer is to select a group from the
3111 group buffer (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
3113 You can have as many summary buffers open as you wish.
3116 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
3117 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
3118 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
3119 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
3120 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
3121 * Canceling and Superseding:: ``Whoops, I shouldn't have called him that.''
3122 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
3123 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
3124 * Threading:: How threads are made.
3125 * Sorting:: How articles and threads are sorted.
3126 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
3127 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
3128 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
3129 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
3130 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
3131 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
3132 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
3133 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
3134 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
3135 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
3136 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
3137 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
3138 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
3139 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
3140 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer.
3141 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
3142 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
3146 @node Summary Buffer Format
3147 @section Summary Buffer Format
3148 @cindex summary buffer format
3152 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{180}{
3153 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary.ps,width=7.5cm}}
3154 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-article.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
3160 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
3161 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
3162 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
3165 @findex mail-extract-address-components
3166 @findex gnus-extract-address-components
3167 @vindex gnus-extract-address-components
3168 Gnus will use the value of the @code{gnus-extract-address-components}
3169 variable as a function for getting the name and address parts of a
3170 @code{From} header. Two pre-defined functions exist:
3171 @code{gnus-extract-address-components}, which is the default, quite
3172 fast, and too simplistic solution; and
3173 @code{mail-extract-address-components}, which works very nicely, but is
3174 slower. The default function will return the wrong answer in 5% of the
3175 cases. If this is unacceptable to you, use the other function instead.
3177 @vindex gnus-summary-same-subject
3178 @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} is a string indicating that the current
3179 article has the same subject as the previous. This string will be used
3180 with those specs that require it. The default is @code{""}.
3183 @node Summary Buffer Lines
3184 @subsection Summary Buffer Lines
3186 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
3187 You can change the format of the lines in the summary buffer by changing
3188 the @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable. It works along the same
3189 lines as a normal @code{format} string, with some extensions
3190 (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
3192 The default string is @samp{%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%) %s\n}.
3194 The following format specification characters are understood:
3202 Subject if the article is the root of the thread or the previous article
3203 had a different subject, @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} otherwise.
3204 (@code{gnus-summary-same-subject} defaults to @code{""}.)
3206 Full @code{From} header.
3208 The name (from the @code{From} header).
3210 The name (from the @code{From} header). This differs from the @code{n}
3211 spec in that it uses the function designated by the
3212 @code{gnus-extract-address-components} variable, which is slower, but
3213 may be more thorough.
3215 The address (from the @code{From} header). This works the same way as
3218 Number of lines in the article.
3220 Number of characters in the article.
3222 Indentation based on thread level (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
3224 Nothing if the article is a root and lots of spaces if it isn't (it
3225 pushes everything after it off the screen).
3227 Opening bracket, which is normally @samp{[}, but can also be @samp{<}
3228 for adopted articles (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
3230 Closing bracket, which is normally @samp{]}, but can also be @samp{>}
3231 for adopted articles.
3233 One space for each thread level.
3235 Twenty minus thread level spaces.
3241 Score as a number (@pxref{Scoring}).
3243 @vindex gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz
3244 Zcore, @samp{+} if above the default level and @samp{-} if below the
3245 default level. If the difference between
3246 @code{gnus-summary-default-level} and the score is less than
3247 @code{gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz}, this spec will not be used.
3255 The @code{Date} in @code{DD-MMM} format.
3257 The @code{Date} in @var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS} format.
3263 Number of articles in the current sub-thread. Using this spec will slow
3264 down summary buffer generation somewhat.
3266 An @samp{=} (@code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark}) will be displayed if the
3267 article has any children.
3273 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
3274 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
3275 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
3276 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed the current header as
3277 argument. The function should return a string, which will be inserted
3278 into the summary just like information from any other summary specifier.
3281 The @samp{%U} (status), @samp{%R} (replied) and @samp{%z} (zcore) specs
3282 have to be handled with care. For reasons of efficiency, Gnus will
3283 compute what column these characters will end up in, and ``hard-code''
3284 that. This means that it is invalid to have these specs after a
3285 variable-length spec. Well, you might not be arrested, but your summary
3286 buffer will look strange, which is bad enough.
3288 The smart choice is to have these specs as far to the left as possible.
3289 (Isn't that the case with everything, though? But I digress.)
3291 This restriction may disappear in later versions of Gnus.
3294 @node Summary Buffer Mode Line
3295 @subsection Summary Buffer Mode Line
3297 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-line-format
3298 You can also change the format of the summary mode bar. Set
3299 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} to whatever you like. The default
3300 is @samp{Gnus: %%b [%A] %Z}.
3302 Here are the elements you can play with:
3308 Unprefixed group name.
3310 Current article number.
3314 Number of unread articles in this group.
3316 Number of unread articles in this group that aren't displayed in the
3319 A string with the number of unread and unselected articles represented
3320 either as @samp{<%U(+%e) more>} if there are both unread and unselected
3321 articles, and just as @samp{<%U more>} if there are just unread articles
3322 and no unselected ones.
3324 Shortish group name. For instance, @samp{rec.arts.anime} will be
3325 shortened to @samp{r.a.anime}.
3327 Subject of the current article.
3329 User-defined spec (@pxref{User-Defined Specs}).
3331 Name of the current score file (@pxref{Scoring}).
3333 Number of dormant articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
3335 Number of ticked articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
3337 Number of articles that have been marked as read in this session.
3339 Number of articles expunged by the score files.
3343 @node Summary Highlighting
3344 @subsection Summary Highlighting
3348 @item gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
3349 @vindex gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
3350 This hook is run after selecting an article. It is meant to be used for
3351 highlighting the article in some way. It is not run if
3352 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
3354 @item gnus-summary-update-hook
3355 @vindex gnus-summary-update-hook
3356 This hook is called when a summary line is changed. It is not run if
3357 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
3359 @item gnus-summary-selected-face
3360 @vindex gnus-summary-selected-face
3361 This is the face (or @dfn{font} as some people call it) used to
3362 highlight the current article in the summary buffer.
3364 @item gnus-summary-highlight
3365 @vindex gnus-summary-highlight
3366 Summary lines are highlighted according to this variable, which is a
3367 list where the elements are of the format @var{(FORM . FACE)}. If you
3368 would, for instance, like ticked articles to be italic and high-scored
3369 articles to be bold, you could set this variable to something like
3371 (((eq mark gnus-ticked-mark) . italic)
3372 ((> score default) . bold))
3374 As you may have guessed, if @var{FORM} returns a non-@code{nil} value,
3375 @var{FACE} will be applied to the line.
3379 @node Summary Maneuvering
3380 @section Summary Maneuvering
3381 @cindex summary movement
3383 All the straight movement commands understand the numeric prefix and
3384 behave pretty much as you'd expect.
3386 None of these commands select articles.
3391 @kindex M-n (Summary)
3392 @kindex G M-n (Summary)
3393 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-subject
3394 Go to the next summary line of an unread article
3395 (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-subject}).
3399 @kindex M-p (Summary)
3400 @kindex G M-p (Summary)
3401 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject
3402 Go to the previous summary line of an unread article
3403 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject}).
3408 @kindex G j (Summary)
3409 @findex gnus-summary-goto-article
3410 Ask for an article number or @code{Message-ID}, and then go to that
3411 article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-article}).
3414 @kindex G g (Summary)
3415 @findex gnus-summary-goto-subject
3416 Ask for an article number and then go to the summary line of that article
3417 without displaying the article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-subject}).
3420 If Gnus asks you to press a key to confirm going to the next group, you
3421 can use the @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} keys to move around the group
3422 buffer, searching for the next group to read without actually returning
3423 to the group buffer.
3425 Variables related to summary movement:
3429 @vindex gnus-auto-select-next
3430 @item gnus-auto-select-next
3431 If you issue one of the movement commands (like @kbd{n}) and there are
3432 no more unread articles after the current one, Gnus will offer to go to
3433 the next group. If this variable is @code{t} and the next group is
3434 empty, Gnus will exit summary mode and return to the group buffer. If
3435 this variable is neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, Gnus will select the
3436 next group, no matter whether it has any unread articles or not. As a
3437 special case, if this variable is @code{quietly}, Gnus will select the
3438 next group without asking for confirmation. If this variable is
3439 @code{almost-quietly}, the same will happen only if you are located on
3440 the last article in the group. Finally, if this variable is
3441 @code{slightly-quietly}, the @kbd{Z n} command will go to the next group
3442 without confirmation. Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
3444 @item gnus-auto-select-same
3445 @vindex gnus-auto-select-same
3446 If non-@code{nil}, all the movement commands will try to go to the next
3447 article with the same subject as the current. (@dfn{Same} here might
3448 mean @dfn{roughly equal}. See @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}
3449 for details (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).) This variable is not
3450 particularly useful if you use a threaded display.
3452 @item gnus-summary-check-current
3453 @vindex gnus-summary-check-current
3454 If non-@code{nil}, all the ``unread'' movement commands will not proceed
3455 to the next (or previous) article if the current article is unread.
3456 Instead, they will choose the current article.
3458 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
3459 @vindex gnus-auto-center-summary
3460 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will keep the point in the summary buffer
3461 centered at all times. This makes things quite tidy, but if you have a
3462 slow network connection, or simply do not like this un-Emacsism, you can
3463 set this variable to @code{nil} to get the normal Emacs scrolling
3464 action. This will also inhibit horizontal re-centering of the summary
3465 buffer, which might make it more inconvenient to read extremely long
3471 @node Choosing Articles
3472 @section Choosing Articles
3473 @cindex selecting articles
3476 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
3477 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
3481 @node Choosing Commands
3482 @subsection Choosing Commands
3484 None of the following movement commands understand the numeric prefix,
3485 and they all select and display an article.
3489 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
3490 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
3491 Select the current article, or, if that one's read already, the next
3492 unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
3497 @kindex G n (Summary)
3498 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
3499 @c @icon{gnus-summary-next-unread}
3500 Go to next unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-article}).
3505 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
3506 @c @icon{gnus-summary-prev-unread}
3507 Go to previous unread article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-article}).
3512 @kindex G N (Summary)
3513 @findex gnus-summary-next-article
3514 Go to the next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-article}).
3519 @kindex G P (Summary)
3520 @findex gnus-summary-prev-article
3521 Go to the previous article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-article}).
3524 @kindex G C-n (Summary)
3525 @findex gnus-summary-next-same-subject
3526 Go to the next article with the same subject
3527 (@code{gnus-summary-next-same-subject}).
3530 @kindex G C-p (Summary)
3531 @findex gnus-summary-prev-same-subject
3532 Go to the previous article with the same subject
3533 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-same-subject}).
3537 @kindex G f (Summary)
3539 @findex gnus-summary-first-unread-article
3540 Go to the first unread article
3541 (@code{gnus-summary-first-unread-article}).
3545 @kindex G b (Summary)
3547 @findex gnus-summary-best-unread-article
3548 Go to the article with the highest score
3549 (@code{gnus-summary-best-unread-article}).
3554 @kindex G l (Summary)
3555 @findex gnus-summary-goto-last-article
3556 Go to the previous article read (@code{gnus-summary-goto-last-article}).
3559 @kindex G o (Summary)
3560 @findex gnus-summary-pop-article
3562 @cindex article history
3563 Pop an article off the summary history and go to this article
3564 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-article}). This command differs from the
3565 command above in that you can pop as many previous articles off the
3566 history as you like, while @kbd{l} toggles the two last read articles.
3567 For a somewhat related issue (if you use these commands a lot),
3568 @pxref{Article Backlog}.
3572 @node Choosing Variables
3573 @subsection Choosing Variables
3575 Some variables relevant for moving and selecting articles:
3578 @item gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
3579 @vindex gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
3580 All the movement commands will try to go to the previous (or next)
3581 article, even if that article isn't displayed in the Summary buffer if
3582 this variable is non-@code{nil}. Gnus will then fetch the article from
3583 the server and display it in the article buffer.
3585 @item gnus-select-article-hook
3586 @vindex gnus-select-article-hook
3587 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. By default it
3588 exposes any threads hidden under the selected article.
3590 @item gnus-mark-article-hook
3591 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
3592 @findex gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read
3593 @findex gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read
3594 @findex gnus-unread-mark
3595 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. It is intended to
3596 be used for marking articles as read. The default value is
3597 @code{gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read}, and will change the
3598 mark of almost any article you read to @code{gnus-unread-mark}. The
3599 only articles not affected by this function are ticked, dormant, and
3600 expirable articles. If you'd instead like to just have unread articles
3601 marked as read, you can use @code{gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read}
3602 instead. It will leave marks like @code{gnus-low-score-mark},
3603 @code{gnus-del-mark} (and so on) alone.
3608 @node Paging the Article
3609 @section Scrolling the Article
3610 @cindex article scrolling
3615 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
3616 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
3617 Pressing @kbd{SPACE} will scroll the current article forward one page,
3618 or, if you have come to the end of the current article, will choose the
3619 next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
3622 @kindex DEL (Summary)
3623 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
3624 Scroll the current article back one page (@code{gnus-summary-prev-page}).
3627 @kindex RET (Summary)
3628 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-up
3629 Scroll the current article one line forward
3630 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-up}).
3634 @kindex A g (Summary)
3636 @findex gnus-summary-show-article
3637 (Re)fetch the current article (@code{gnus-summary-show-article}). If
3638 given a prefix, fetch the current article, but don't run any of the
3639 article treatment functions. This will give you a ``raw'' article, just
3640 the way it came from the server.
3645 @kindex A < (Summary)
3646 @findex gnus-summary-beginning-of-article
3647 Scroll to the beginning of the article
3648 (@code{gnus-summary-beginning-of-article}).
3653 @kindex A > (Summary)
3654 @findex gnus-summary-end-of-article
3655 Scroll to the end of the article (@code{gnus-summary-end-of-article}).
3659 @kindex A s (Summary)
3661 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
3662 Perform an isearch in the article buffer
3663 (@code{gnus-summary-isearch-article}).
3667 @findex gnus-summary-select-article-buffer
3668 Select the article buffer (@code{gnus-summary-select-article-buffer}).
3673 @node Reply Followup and Post
3674 @section Reply, Followup and Post
3677 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
3678 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
3682 @node Summary Mail Commands
3683 @subsection Summary Mail Commands
3685 @cindex composing mail
3687 Commands for composing a mail message:
3693 @kindex S r (Summary)
3695 @findex gnus-summary-reply
3696 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-reply}
3697 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply}
3698 Mail a reply to the author of the current article
3699 (@code{gnus-summary-reply}).
3704 @kindex S R (Summary)
3705 @findex gnus-summary-reply-with-original
3706 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}
3707 Mail a reply to the author of the current article and include the
3708 original message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This
3709 command uses the process/prefix convention.
3712 @kindex S w (Summary)
3713 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply
3714 Mail a wide reply to the author of the current article
3715 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{wide reply} is a reply that
3716 goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
3717 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers.
3720 @kindex S W (Summary)
3721 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original
3722 Mail a wide reply to the current article and include the original
3723 message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This command uses
3724 the process/prefix convention.
3727 @kindex S o m (Summary)
3728 @findex gnus-summary-mail-forward
3729 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-forward}
3730 Forward the current article to some other person
3731 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-forward}). If given a prefix, include the full
3732 headers of the forwarded article.
3737 @kindex S m (Summary)
3738 @findex gnus-summary-mail-other-window
3739 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-originate}
3740 Send a mail to some other person
3741 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}).
3744 @kindex S D b (Summary)
3745 @findex gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail
3746 @cindex bouncing mail
3747 If you have sent a mail, but the mail was bounced back to you for some
3748 reason (wrong address, transient failure), you can use this command to
3749 resend that bounced mail (@code{gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail}). You
3750 will be popped into a mail buffer where you can edit the headers before
3751 sending the mail off again. If you give a prefix to this command, and
3752 the bounced mail is a reply to some other mail, Gnus will try to fetch
3753 that mail and display it for easy perusal of its headers. This might
3754 very well fail, though.
3757 @kindex S D r (Summary)
3758 @findex gnus-summary-resend-message
3759 Not to be confused with the previous command,
3760 @code{gnus-summary-resend-message} will prompt you for an address to
3761 send the current message off to, and then send it to that place. The
3762 headers of the message won't be altered---but lots of headers that say
3763 @code{Resent-To}, @code{Resent-From} and so on will be added. This
3764 means that you actually send a mail to someone that has a @code{To}
3765 header that (probably) points to yourself. This will confuse people.
3766 So, natcherly you'll only do that if you're really eVIl.
3768 This command is mainly used if you have several accounts and want to
3769 ship a mail to a different account of yours. (If you're both
3770 @code{root} and @code{postmaster} and get a mail for @code{postmaster}
3771 to the @code{root} account, you may want to resend it to
3772 @code{postmaster}. Ordnung muß sein!
3774 This command understands the process/prefix convention
3775 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3778 @kindex S O m (Summary)
3779 @findex gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward
3780 Digest the current series (@pxref{Decoding Articles}) and forward the
3781 result using mail (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command
3782 uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3785 @kindex S M-c (Summary)
3786 @findex gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint
3787 @cindex crossposting
3788 @cindex excessive crossposting
3789 Send a complaint about excessive crossposting to the author of the
3790 current article (@code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint}).
3792 @findex gnus-crosspost-complaint
3793 This command is provided as a way to fight back agains the current
3794 crossposting pandemic that's sweeping Usenet. It will compose a reply
3795 using the @code{gnus-crosspost-complaint} variable as a preamble. This
3796 command understands the process/prefix convention
3797 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) and will prompt you before sending each mail.
3802 @node Summary Post Commands
3803 @subsection Summary Post Commands
3805 @cindex composing news
3807 Commands for posting a news article:
3813 @kindex S p (Summary)
3814 @findex gnus-summary-post-news
3815 @c @icon{gnus-summary-post-news}
3816 Post an article to the current group
3817 (@code{gnus-summary-post-news}).
3822 @kindex S f (Summary)
3823 @findex gnus-summary-followup
3824 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup}
3825 Post a followup to the current article (@code{gnus-summary-followup}).
3829 @kindex S F (Summary)
3831 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}
3832 @findex gnus-summary-followup-with-original
3833 Post a followup to the current article and include the original message
3834 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}). This command uses the
3835 process/prefix convention.
3838 @kindex S n (Summary)
3839 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail
3840 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
3841 message through mail (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail}).
3844 @kindex S n (Summary)
3845 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail
3846 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
3847 message through mail and include the original message
3848 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original}). This command uses
3849 the process/prefix convention.
3852 @kindex S o p (Summary)
3853 @findex gnus-summary-post-forward
3854 Forward the current article to a newsgroup
3855 (@code{gnus-summary-post-forward}). If given a prefix, include the full
3856 headers of the forwarded article.
3859 @kindex S O p (Summary)
3860 @findex gnus-uu-digest-post-forward
3862 @cindex making digests
3863 Digest the current series and forward the result to a newsgroup
3864 (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command uses the
3865 process/prefix convention.
3868 @kindex S u (Summary)
3869 @findex gnus-uu-post-news
3870 @c @icon{gnus-uu-post-news}
3871 Uuencode a file, split it into parts, and post it as a series
3872 (@code{gnus-uu-post-news}). (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
3876 @node Canceling and Superseding
3877 @section Canceling Articles
3878 @cindex canceling articles
3879 @cindex superseding articles
3881 Have you ever written something, and then decided that you really,
3882 really, really wish you hadn't posted that?
3884 Well, you can't cancel mail, but you can cancel posts.
3886 @findex gnus-summary-cancel-article
3888 @c @icon{gnus-summary-cancel-article}
3889 Find the article you wish to cancel (you can only cancel your own
3890 articles, so don't try any funny stuff). Then press @kbd{C} or @kbd{S
3891 c} (@code{gnus-summary-cancel-article}). Your article will be
3892 canceled---machines all over the world will be deleting your article.
3893 This command uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3895 Be aware, however, that not all sites honor cancels, so your article may
3896 live on here and there, while most sites will delete the article in
3899 Gnus will use the ``current'' select method when cancelling. If you
3900 want to use the standard posting method, use the @samp{a} symbolic
3901 prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}).
3903 If you discover that you have made some mistakes and want to do some
3904 corrections, you can post a @dfn{superseding} article that will replace
3905 your original article.
3907 @findex gnus-summary-supersede-article
3909 Go to the original article and press @kbd{S s}
3910 (@code{gnus-summary-supersede-article}). You will be put in a buffer
3911 where you can edit the article all you want before sending it off the
3914 The same goes for superseding as for canceling, only more so: Some
3915 sites do not honor superseding. On those sites, it will appear that you
3916 have posted almost the same article twice.
3918 If you have just posted the article, and change your mind right away,
3919 there is a trick you can use to cancel/supersede the article without
3920 waiting for the article to appear on your site first. You simply return
3921 to the post buffer (which is called @code{*sent ...*}). There you will
3922 find the article you just posted, with all the headers intact. Change
3923 the @code{Message-ID} header to a @code{Cancel} or @code{Supersedes}
3924 header by substituting one of those words for the word
3925 @code{Message-ID}. Then just press @kbd{C-c C-c} to send the article as
3926 you would do normally. The previous article will be
3927 canceled/superseded.
3929 Just remember, kids: There is no 'c' in 'supersede'.
3932 @node Marking Articles
3933 @section Marking Articles
3934 @cindex article marking
3935 @cindex article ticking
3938 There are several marks you can set on an article.
3940 You have marks that decide the @dfn{readedness} (whoo, neato-keano
3941 neologism ohoy!) of the article. Alphabetic marks generally mean
3942 @dfn{read}, while non-alphabetic characters generally mean @dfn{unread}.
3944 In addition, you also have marks that do not affect readedness.
3947 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
3948 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
3949 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
3953 There's a plethora of commands for manipulating these marks:
3957 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
3958 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
3962 @node Unread Articles
3963 @subsection Unread Articles
3965 The following marks mark articles as (kinda) unread, in one form or
3970 @vindex gnus-ticked-mark
3971 Marked as ticked (@code{gnus-ticked-mark}).
3973 @dfn{Ticked articles} are articles that will remain visible always. If
3974 you see an article that you find interesting, or you want to put off
3975 reading it, or replying to it, until sometime later, you'd typically
3976 tick it. However, articles can be expired, so if you want to keep an
3977 article forever, you'll have to make it persistent (@pxref{Persistent
3981 @vindex gnus-dormant-mark
3982 Marked as dormant (@code{gnus-dormant-mark}).
3984 @dfn{Dormant articles} will only appear in the summary buffer if there
3985 are followups to it. If you want to see them even if they don't have
3986 followups, you can use the @kbd{/ D} command (@pxref{Limiting}).
3989 @vindex gnus-unread-mark
3990 Markes as unread (@code{gnus-unread-mark}).
3992 @dfn{Unread articles} are articles that haven't been read at all yet.
3997 @subsection Read Articles
3998 @cindex expirable mark
4000 All the following marks mark articles as read.
4005 @vindex gnus-del-mark
4006 These are articles that the user has marked as read with the @kbd{d}
4007 command manually, more or less (@code{gnus-del-mark}).
4010 @vindex gnus-read-mark
4011 Articles that have actually been read (@code{gnus-read-mark}).
4014 @vindex gnus-ancient-mark
4015 Articles that were marked as read in previous sessions and are now
4016 @dfn{old} (@code{gnus-ancient-mark}).
4019 @vindex gnus-killed-mark
4020 Marked as killed (@code{gnus-killed-mark}).
4023 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mark
4024 Marked as killed by kill files (@code{gnus-kill-file-mark}).
4027 @vindex gnus-low-score-mark
4028 Marked as read by having too low a score (@code{gnus-low-score-mark}).
4031 @vindex gnus-catchup-mark
4032 Marked as read by a catchup (@code{gnus-catchup-mark}).
4035 @vindex gnus-canceled-mark
4036 Canceled article (@code{gnus-canceled-mark})
4039 @vindex gnus-souped-mark
4040 @sc{SOUP}ed article (@code{gnus-souped-mark}). @xref{SOUP}.
4043 @vindex gnus-sparse-mark
4044 Sparsely reffed article (@code{gnus-sparse-mark}). @xref{Customizing
4048 @vindex gnus-duplicate-mark
4049 Article marked as read by duplicate suppression
4050 (@code{gnus-duplicated-mark}). @xref{Duplicate Suppression}.
4054 All these marks just mean that the article is marked as read, really.
4055 They are interpreted differently when doing adaptive scoring, though.
4057 One more special mark, though:
4061 @vindex gnus-expirable-mark
4062 Marked as expirable (@code{gnus-expirable-mark}).
4064 Marking articles as @dfn{expirable} (or have them marked as such
4065 automatically) doesn't make much sense in normal groups---a user doesn't
4066 control expiring of news articles, but in mail groups, for instance,
4067 articles marked as @dfn{expirable} can be deleted by Gnus at
4073 @subsection Other Marks
4074 @cindex process mark
4077 There are some marks that have nothing to do with whether the article is
4083 You can set a bookmark in the current article. Say you are reading a
4084 long thesis on cats' urinary tracts, and have to go home for dinner
4085 before you've finished reading the thesis. You can then set a bookmark
4086 in the article, and Gnus will jump to this bookmark the next time it
4087 encounters the article. @xref{Setting Marks}
4090 @vindex gnus-replied-mark
4091 All articles that you have replied to or made a followup to (i.e., have
4092 answered) will be marked with an @samp{A} in the second column
4093 (@code{gnus-replied-mark}).
4096 @vindex gnus-cached-mark
4097 Articles stored in the article cache will be marked with an @samp{*} in
4098 the second column (@code{gnus-cached-mark}). @xref{Article Caching}
4101 @vindex gnus-saved-mark
4102 Articles ``saved'' (in some manner or other; not necessarily
4103 religiously) are marked with an @samp{S} in the second column
4104 (@code{gnus-saved-mark}).
4107 @vindex gnus-not-empty-thread-mark
4108 @vindex gnus-empty-thread-mark
4109 If the @samp{%e} spec is used, the presence of threads or not will be
4110 marked with @code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark} and
4111 @code{gnus-empty-thread-mark} in the third column, respectively.
4114 @vindex gnus-process-mark
4115 Finally we have the @dfn{process mark} (@code{gnus-process-mark}). A
4116 variety of commands react to the presence of the process mark. For
4117 instance, @kbd{X u} (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}) will uudecode and view
4118 all articles that have been marked with the process mark. Articles
4119 marked with the process mark have a @samp{#} in the second column.
4123 You might have noticed that most of these ``non-readedness'' marks
4124 appear in the second column by default. So if you have a cached, saved,
4125 replied article that you have process-marked, what will that look like?
4127 Nothing much. The precedence rules go as follows: process -> cache ->
4128 replied -> saved. So if the article is in the cache and is replied,
4129 you'll only see the cache mark and not the replied mark.
4133 @subsection Setting Marks
4134 @cindex setting marks
4136 All the marking commands understand the numeric prefix.
4141 @kindex M c (Summary)
4142 @kindex M-u (Summary)
4143 @findex gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward
4144 @cindex mark as unread
4145 Clear all readedness-marks from the current article
4146 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward}). In other words, mark the
4152 @kindex M t (Summary)
4153 @findex gnus-summary-tick-article-forward
4154 Tick the current article (@code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}).
4155 @xref{Article Caching}
4160 @kindex M ? (Summary)
4161 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant
4162 Mark the current article as dormant
4163 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant}). @xref{Article Caching}
4167 @kindex M d (Summary)
4169 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward
4170 Mark the current article as read
4171 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward}).
4175 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward
4176 Mark the current article as read and move point to the previous line
4177 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward}).
4182 @kindex M k (Summary)
4183 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select
4184 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read,
4185 and then select the next unread article
4186 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select}).
4190 @kindex M K (Summary)
4191 @kindex C-k (Summary)
4192 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject
4193 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read
4194 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject}).
4197 @kindex M C (Summary)
4198 @findex gnus-summary-catchup
4199 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup}
4200 Mark all unread articles as read (@code{gnus-summary-catchup}).
4203 @kindex M C-c (Summary)
4204 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all
4205 Mark all articles in the group as read---even the ticked and dormant
4206 articles (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all}).
4209 @kindex M H (Summary)
4210 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-to-here
4211 Catchup the current group to point
4212 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-to-here}).
4215 @kindex C-w (Summary)
4216 @findex gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read
4217 Mark all articles between point and mark as read
4218 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read}).
4221 @kindex M V k (Summary)
4222 @findex gnus-summary-kill-below
4223 Kill all articles with scores below the default score (or below the
4224 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-kill-below}).
4228 @kindex M e (Summary)
4230 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable
4231 Mark the current article as expirable
4232 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable}).
4235 @kindex M b (Summary)
4236 @findex gnus-summary-set-bookmark
4237 Set a bookmark in the current article
4238 (@code{gnus-summary-set-bookmark}).
4241 @kindex M B (Summary)
4242 @findex gnus-summary-remove-bookmark
4243 Remove the bookmark from the current article
4244 (@code{gnus-summary-remove-bookmark}).
4247 @kindex M V c (Summary)
4248 @findex gnus-summary-clear-above
4249 Clear all marks from articles with scores over the default score (or
4250 over the numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
4253 @kindex M V u (Summary)
4254 @findex gnus-summary-tick-above
4255 Tick all articles with scores over the default score (or over the
4256 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-tick-above}).
4259 @kindex M V m (Summary)
4260 @findex gnus-summary-mark-above
4261 Prompt for a mark, and mark all articles with scores over the default
4262 score (or over the numeric prefix) with this mark
4263 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
4266 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
4267 The @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} variable controls what action should
4268 be taken after setting a mark. If non-@code{nil}, point will move to
4269 the next/previous unread article. If @code{nil}, point will just move
4270 one line up or down. As a special case, if this variable is
4271 @code{never}, all the marking commands as well as other commands (like
4272 @kbd{SPACE}) will move to the next article, whether it is unread or not.
4273 The default is @code{t}.
4276 @node Setting Process Marks
4277 @subsection Setting Process Marks
4278 @cindex setting process marks
4285 @kindex M P p (Summary)
4286 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
4287 Mark the current article with the process mark
4288 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}).
4289 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
4293 @kindex M P u (Summary)
4294 @kindex M-# (Summary)
4295 Remove the process mark, if any, from the current article
4296 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
4299 @kindex M P U (Summary)
4300 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
4301 Remove the process mark from all articles
4302 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
4305 @kindex M P i (Summary)
4306 @findex gnus-uu-invert-processable
4307 Invert the list of process marked articles
4308 (@code{gnus-uu-invert-processable}).
4311 @kindex M P R (Summary)
4312 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
4313 Mark articles by a regular expression (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
4316 @kindex M P r (Summary)
4317 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
4318 Mark articles in region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
4321 @kindex M P t (Summary)
4322 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
4323 Mark all articles in the current (sub)thread
4324 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
4327 @kindex M P T (Summary)
4328 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
4329 Unmark all articles in the current (sub)thread
4330 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
4333 @kindex M P v (Summary)
4334 @findex gnus-uu-mark-over
4335 Mark all articles that have a score above the prefix argument
4336 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-over}).
4339 @kindex M P s (Summary)
4340 @findex gnus-uu-mark-series
4341 Mark all articles in the current series (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
4344 @kindex M P S (Summary)
4345 @findex gnus-uu-mark-sparse
4346 Mark all series that have already had some articles marked
4347 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-sparse}).
4350 @kindex M P a (Summary)
4351 @findex gnus-uu-mark-all
4352 Mark all articles in series order (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
4355 @kindex M P b (Summary)
4356 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
4357 Mark all articles in the buffer in the order they appear
4358 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
4361 @kindex M P k (Summary)
4362 @findex gnus-summary-kill-process-mark
4363 Push the current process mark set onto the stack and unmark all articles
4364 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-process-mark}).
4367 @kindex M P y (Summary)
4368 @findex gnus-summary-yank-process-mark
4369 Pop the previous process mark set from the stack and restore it
4370 (@code{gnus-summary-yank-process-mark}).
4373 @kindex M P w (Summary)
4374 @findex gnus-summary-save-process-mark
4375 Push the current process mark set onto the stack
4376 (@code{gnus-summary-save-process-mark}).
4385 It can be convenient to limit the summary buffer to just show some
4386 subset of the articles currently in the group. The effect most limit
4387 commands have is to remove a few (or many) articles from the summary
4390 All limiting commands work on subsets of the articles already fetched
4391 from the servers. None of these commands query the server for
4392 additional articles.
4398 @kindex / / (Summary)
4399 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-subject
4400 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some subject
4401 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-subject}).
4404 @kindex / a (Summary)
4405 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-author
4406 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some author
4407 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-author}).
4411 @kindex / u (Summary)
4413 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-unread
4414 Limit the summary buffer to articles not marked as read
4415 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-unread}). If given a prefix, limit the
4416 buffer to articles strictly unread. This means that ticked and
4417 dormant articles will also be excluded.
4420 @kindex / m (Summary)
4421 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-marks
4422 Ask for a mark and then limit to all articles that have not been marked
4423 with that mark (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}).
4426 @kindex / t (Summary)
4427 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-age
4428 Ask for a number and then limit the summary buffer to articles older than (or equal to) that number of days
4429 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}). If given a prefix, limit to
4430 articles younger than that number of days.
4433 @kindex / n (Summary)
4434 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-articles
4435 Limit the summary buffer to the current article
4436 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-articles}). Uses the process/prefix
4437 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
4440 @kindex / w (Summary)
4441 @findex gnus-summary-pop-limit
4442 Pop the previous limit off the stack and restore it
4443 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-limit}). If given a prefix, pop all limits off
4447 @kindex / v (Summary)
4448 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-score
4449 Limit the summary buffer to articles that have a score at or above some
4450 score (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-score}).
4454 @kindex M S (Summary)
4455 @kindex / E (Summary)
4456 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged
4457 Display all expunged articles
4458 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged}).
4461 @kindex / D (Summary)
4462 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant
4463 Display all dormant articles (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant}).
4466 @kindex / d (Summary)
4467 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant
4468 Hide all dormant articles (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant}).
4471 @kindex / T (Summary)
4472 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-thread
4473 Include all the articles in the current thread.
4476 @kindex / c (Summary)
4477 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant
4478 Hide all dormant articles that have no children
4479 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant}).
4482 @kindex / C (Summary)
4483 @findex gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read
4484 Mark all excluded unread articles as read
4485 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read}). If given a prefix,
4486 also mark excluded ticked and dormant articles as read.
4494 @cindex article threading
4496 Gnus threads articles by default. @dfn{To thread} is to put responses
4497 to articles directly after the articles they respond to---in a
4498 hierarchical fashion.
4500 Threading is done by looking at the @code{References} headers of the
4501 articles. In a perfect world, this would be enough to build pretty
4502 trees, but unfortunately, the @code{References} header is often broken
4503 or simply missing. Weird news propagration excarcerbates the problem,
4504 so one has to employ other heuristics to get pleasing results. A
4505 plethora of approaches exists, as detailed in horrible detail in
4506 @pxref{Customizing Threading}.
4508 First, a quick overview of the concepts:
4512 The top-most article in a thread; the first article in the thread.
4515 A tree-like article structure.
4518 A small(er) section of this tree-like structure.
4521 Threads often lose their roots due to article expiry, or due to the root
4522 already having been read in a previous session, and not displayed in the
4523 summary buffer. We then typicall have many sub-threads that really
4524 belong to one thread, but are without connecting roots. These are
4525 called loose threads.
4527 @item thread gathering
4528 An attempt to gather loose threads into bigger threads.
4530 @item sparse threads
4531 A thread where the missing articles have been ``guessed'' at, and are
4532 displayed as empty lines in the summary buffer.
4538 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
4539 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
4543 @node Customizing Threading
4544 @subsection Customizing Threading
4545 @cindex customizing threading
4548 * Loose Threads:: How Gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
4549 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
4550 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
4551 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over... but you were wrong!
4556 @subsubsection Loose Threads
4559 @cindex loose threads
4562 @item gnus-summary-make-false-root
4563 @vindex gnus-summary-make-false-root
4564 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will gather all loose subtrees into one big tree
4565 and create a dummy root at the top. (Wait a minute. Root at the top?
4566 Yup.) Loose subtrees occur when the real root has expired, or you've
4567 read or killed the root in a previous session.
4569 When there is no real root of a thread, Gnus will have to fudge
4570 something. This variable says what fudging method Gnus should use.
4571 There are four possible values:
4575 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{390}{
4576 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-adopt.ps,width=7.5cm}}
4577 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-empty.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
4578 \put(0,400){\makebox(0,0)[tl]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-none.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
4579 \put(445,400){\makebox(0,0)[tr]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-dummy.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
4584 @cindex adopting articles
4589 Gnus will make the first of the orphaned articles the parent. This
4590 parent will adopt all the other articles. The adopted articles will be
4591 marked as such by pointy brackets (@samp{<>}) instead of the standard
4592 square brackets (@samp{[]}). This is the default method.
4595 @vindex gnus-summary-dummy-line-format
4596 Gnus will create a dummy summary line that will pretend to be the
4597 parent. This dummy line does not correspond to any real article, so
4598 selecting it will just select the first real article after the dummy
4599 article. @code{gnus-summary-dummy-line-format} is used to specify the
4600 format of the dummy roots. It accepts only one format spec: @samp{S},
4601 which is the subject of the article. @xref{Formatting Variables}.
4604 Gnus won't actually make any article the parent, but simply leave the
4605 subject field of all orphans except the first empty. (Actually, it will
4606 use @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} as the subject (@pxref{Summary
4610 Don't make any article parent at all. Just gather the threads and
4611 display them after one another.
4614 Don't gather loose threads.
4617 @item gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
4618 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
4619 Loose threads are gathered by comparing subjects of articles. If this
4620 variable is @code{nil}, Gnus requires an exact match between the
4621 subjects of the loose threads before gathering them into one big
4622 super-thread. This might be too strict a requirement, what with the
4623 presence of stupid newsreaders that chop off long subject lines. If
4624 you think so, set this variable to, say, 20 to require that only the
4625 first 20 characters of the subjects have to match. If you set this
4626 variable to a really low number, you'll find that Gnus will gather
4627 everything in sight into one thread, which isn't very helpful.
4629 @cindex fuzzy article gathering
4630 If you set this variable to the special value @code{fuzzy}, Gnus will
4631 use a fuzzy string comparison algorithm on the subjects (@pxref{Fuzzy
4634 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
4635 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
4636 This can either be a regular expression or list of regular expressions
4637 that match strings that will be removed from subjects if fuzzy subject
4638 simplification is used.
4640 @item gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4641 @vindex gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4642 If you set @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit} to something as low
4643 as 10, you might consider setting this variable to something sensible:
4645 @c Written by Michael Ernst <mernst@cs.rice.edu>
4647 (setq gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4653 "wanted" "followup" "summary\\( of\\)?"
4654 "help" "query" "problem" "question"
4655 "answer" "reference" "announce"
4656 "How can I" "How to" "Comparison of"
4661 (mapconcat 'identity
4662 '("for" "for reference" "with" "about")
4664 "\\)?\\]?:?[ \t]*"))
4667 All words that match this regexp will be removed before comparing two
4670 @item gnus-simplify-subject-functions
4671 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-functions
4672 If non-@code{nil}, this variable overrides
4673 @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}. This variable should be a
4674 list of functions to apply to the @code{Subject} string iteratively to
4675 arrive at the simplified version of the string.
4677 Useful functions to put in this list include:
4680 @item gnus-simplify-subject-re
4681 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-re
4682 Strip the leading @samp{Re:}.
4684 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
4685 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
4688 @item gnus-simplify-whitespace
4689 @findex gnus-simplify-whitespace
4690 Remove excessive whitespace.
4693 You may also write your own functions, of course.
4696 @item gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
4697 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
4698 Since loose thread gathering is done on subjects only, that might lead
4699 to many false hits, especially with certain common subjects like
4700 @samp{} and @samp{(none)}. To make the situation slightly better,
4701 you can use the regexp @code{gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject} to say
4702 what subjects should be excluded from the gathering process.@*
4703 The default is @samp{^ *$\\|^(none)$}.
4705 @item gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4706 @vindex gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4707 Gnus gathers threads by looking at @code{Subject} headers. This means
4708 that totally unrelated articles may end up in the same ``thread'', which
4709 is confusing. An alternate approach is to look at all the
4710 @code{Message-ID}s in all the @code{References} headers to find matches.
4711 This will ensure that no gathered threads ever include unrelated
4712 articles, but it also means that people who have posted with broken
4713 newsreaders won't be gathered properly. The choice is yours---plague or
4717 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
4718 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
4719 This function is the default gathering function and looks at
4720 @code{Subject}s exclusively.
4722 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-references
4723 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-references
4724 This function looks at @code{References} headers exclusively.
4727 If you want to test gathering by @code{References}, you could say
4731 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4732 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
4738 @node Filling In Threads
4739 @subsubsection Filling In Threads
4742 @item gnus-fetch-old-headers
4743 @vindex gnus-fetch-old-headers
4744 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will attempt to build old threads by fetching
4745 more old headers---headers to articles marked as read. If you
4746 would like to display as few summary lines as possible, but still
4747 connect as many loose threads as possible, you should set this variable
4748 to @code{some} or a number. If you set it to a number, no more than
4749 that number of extra old headers will be fetched. In either case,
4750 fetching old headers only works if the backend you are using carries
4751 overview files---this would normally be @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and
4752 @code{nnml}. Also remember that if the root of the thread has been
4753 expired by the server, there's not much Gnus can do about that.
4755 This variable can also be set to @code{invisible}. This won't have any
4756 visible effects, but is useful if you use the @kbd{A T} command a lot
4757 (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
4759 @item gnus-build-sparse-threads
4760 @vindex gnus-build-sparse-threads
4761 Fetching old headers can be slow. A low-rent similar effect can be
4762 gotten by setting this variable to @code{some}. Gnus will then look at
4763 the complete @code{References} headers of all articles and try to string
4764 together articles that belong in the same thread. This will leave
4765 @dfn{gaps} in the threading display where Gnus guesses that an article
4766 is missing from the thread. (These gaps appear like normal summary
4767 lines. If you select a gap, Gnus will try to fetch the article in
4768 question.) If this variable is @code{t}, Gnus will display all these
4769 ``gaps'' without regard for whether they are useful for completing the
4770 thread or not. Finally, if this variable is @code{more}, Gnus won't cut
4771 off sparse leaf nodes that don't lead anywhere. This variable is
4772 @code{nil} by default.
4777 @node More Threading
4778 @subsubsection More Threading
4781 @item gnus-show-threads
4782 @vindex gnus-show-threads
4783 If this variable is @code{nil}, no threading will be done, and all of
4784 the rest of the variables here will have no effect. Turning threading
4785 off will speed group selection up a bit, but it is sure to make reading
4786 slower and more awkward.
4788 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
4789 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-subtree
4790 If non-@code{nil}, all threads will be hidden when the summary buffer is
4793 @item gnus-thread-expunge-below
4794 @vindex gnus-thread-expunge-below
4795 All threads that have a total score (as defined by
4796 @code{gnus-thread-score-function}) less than this number will be
4797 expunged. This variable is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
4798 threads are expunged.
4800 @item gnus-thread-hide-killed
4801 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-killed
4802 if you kill a thread and this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subtree
4805 @item gnus-thread-ignore-subject
4806 @vindex gnus-thread-ignore-subject
4807 Sometimes somebody changes the subject in the middle of a thread. If
4808 this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subject change is ignored. If it
4809 is @code{nil}, which is the default, a change in the subject will result
4812 @item gnus-thread-indent-level
4813 @vindex gnus-thread-indent-level
4814 This is a number that says how much each sub-thread should be indented.
4820 @node Low-Level Threading
4821 @subsubsection Low-Level Threading
4825 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
4826 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
4827 Hook run before parsing any headers. The default value is
4828 @code{(gnus-decode-rfc1522)}, which means that QPized headers will be
4829 slightly decoded in a hackish way. This is likely to change in the
4830 future when Gnus becomes @sc{MIME}ified.
4832 @item gnus-alter-header-function
4833 @vindex gnus-alter-header-function
4834 If non-@code{nil}, this function will be called to allow alteration of
4835 article header structures. The function is called with one parameter,
4836 the article header vector, which it may alter in any way. For instance,
4837 if you have a mail-to-news gateway which alters the @code{Message-ID}s
4838 in systematic ways (by adding prefixes and such), you can use this
4839 variable to un-scramble the @code{Message-ID}s so that they are more
4840 meaningful. Here's one example:
4843 (setq gnus-alter-header-function 'my-alter-message-id)
4845 (defun my-alter-message-id (header)
4846 (let ((id (mail-header-id header)))
4848 "\\(<[^<>@@]*\\)\\.?cygnus\\..*@@\\([^<>@@]*>\\)" id)
4850 (concat (match-string 1 id) "@@" (match-string 2 id))
4857 @node Thread Commands
4858 @subsection Thread Commands
4859 @cindex thread commands
4865 @kindex T k (Summary)
4866 @kindex M-C-k (Summary)
4867 @findex gnus-summary-kill-thread
4868 Mark all articles in the current (sub-)thread as read
4869 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}). If the prefix argument is positive,
4870 remove all marks instead. If the prefix argument is negative, tick
4875 @kindex T l (Summary)
4876 @kindex M-C-l (Summary)
4877 @findex gnus-summary-lower-thread
4878 Lower the score of the current (sub-)thread
4879 (@code{gnus-summary-lower-thread}).
4882 @kindex T i (Summary)
4883 @findex gnus-summary-raise-thread
4884 Increase the score of the current (sub-)thread
4885 (@code{gnus-summary-raise-thread}).
4888 @kindex T # (Summary)
4889 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
4890 Set the process mark on the current (sub-)thread
4891 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
4894 @kindex T M-# (Summary)
4895 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
4896 Remove the process mark from the current (sub-)thread
4897 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
4900 @kindex T T (Summary)
4901 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-threads
4902 Toggle threading (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-threads}).
4905 @kindex T s (Summary)
4906 @findex gnus-summary-show-thread
4907 Expose the (sub-)thread hidden under the current article, if any
4908 (@code{gnus-summary-show-thread}).
4911 @kindex T h (Summary)
4912 @findex gnus-summary-hide-thread
4913 Hide the current (sub-)thread (@code{gnus-summary-hide-thread}).
4916 @kindex T S (Summary)
4917 @findex gnus-summary-show-all-threads
4918 Expose all hidden threads (@code{gnus-summary-show-all-threads}).
4921 @kindex T H (Summary)
4922 @findex gnus-summary-hide-all-threads
4923 Hide all threads (@code{gnus-summary-hide-all-threads}).
4926 @kindex T t (Summary)
4927 @findex gnus-summary-rethread-current
4928 Re-thread the current article's thread
4929 (@code{gnus-summary-rethread-current}). This works even when the
4930 summary buffer is otherwise unthreaded.
4933 @kindex T ^ (Summary)
4934 @findex gnus-summary-reparent-thread
4935 Make the current article the child of the marked (or previous) article
4936 (@code{gnus-summary-reparent-thread}).
4940 The following commands are thread movement commands. They all
4941 understand the numeric prefix.
4946 @kindex T n (Summary)
4947 @findex gnus-summary-next-thread
4948 Go to the next thread (@code{gnus-summary-next-thread}).
4951 @kindex T p (Summary)
4952 @findex gnus-summary-prev-thread
4953 Go to the previous thread (@code{gnus-summary-prev-thread}).
4956 @kindex T d (Summary)
4957 @findex gnus-summary-down-thread
4958 Descend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-down-thread}).
4961 @kindex T u (Summary)
4962 @findex gnus-summary-up-thread
4963 Ascend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-up-thread}).
4966 @kindex T o (Summary)
4967 @findex gnus-summary-top-thread
4968 Go to the top of the thread (@code{gnus-summary-top-thread}).
4971 @vindex gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject
4972 If you ignore subject while threading, you'll naturally end up with
4973 threads that have several different subjects in them. If you then issue
4974 a command like `T k' (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}) you might not
4975 wish to kill the entire thread, but just those parts of the thread that
4976 have the same subject as the current article. If you like this idea,
4977 you can fiddle with @code{gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject}. If it
4978 is non-@code{nil} (which it is by default), subjects will be ignored
4979 when doing thread commands. If this variable is @code{nil}, articles in
4980 the same thread with different subjects will not be included in the
4981 operation in question. If this variable is @code{fuzzy}, only articles
4982 that have subjects fuzzily equal will be included (@pxref{Fuzzy
4989 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score
4990 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-date
4991 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-score
4992 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
4993 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-author
4994 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-number
4995 @vindex gnus-thread-sort-functions
4996 If you are using a threaded summary display, you can sort the threads by
4997 setting @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, which is a list of functions.
4998 By default, sorting is done on article numbers. Ready-made sorting
4999 predicate functions include @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number},
5000 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-subject},
5001 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-score}, and
5002 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score}.
5004 Each function takes two threads and returns non-@code{nil} if the first
5005 thread should be sorted before the other. Note that sorting really is
5006 normally done by looking only at the roots of each thread. If you use
5007 more than one function, the primary sort key should be the last function
5008 in the list. You should probably always include
5009 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number} in the list of sorting
5010 functions---preferably first. This will ensure that threads that are
5011 equal with respect to the other sort criteria will be displayed in
5012 ascending article order.
5014 If you would like to sort by score, then by subject, and finally by
5015 number, you could do something like:
5018 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
5019 '(gnus-thread-sort-by-number
5020 gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
5021 gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score))
5024 The threads that have highest score will be displayed first in the
5025 summary buffer. When threads have the same score, they will be sorted
5026 alphabetically. The threads that have the same score and the same
5027 subject will be sorted by number, which is (normally) the sequence in
5028 which the articles arrived.
5030 If you want to sort by score and then reverse arrival order, you could
5034 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
5036 (not (gnus-thread-sort-by-number t2 t1)))
5037 gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
5040 @vindex gnus-thread-score-function
5041 The function in the @code{gnus-thread-score-function} variable (default
5042 @code{+}) is used for calculating the total score of a thread. Useful
5043 functions might be @code{max}, @code{min}, or squared means, or whatever
5046 @findex gnus-article-sort-functions
5047 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-date
5048 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-score
5049 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-subject
5050 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-author
5051 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-number
5052 If you are using an unthreaded display for some strange reason or other,
5053 you have to fiddle with the @code{gnus-article-sort-functions} variable.
5054 It is very similar to the @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, except that
5055 it uses slightly different functions for article comparison. Available
5056 sorting predicate functions are @code{gnus-article-sort-by-number},
5057 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-article-sort-by-subject},
5058 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-date}, and @code{gnus-article-sort-by-score}.
5060 If you want to sort an unthreaded summary display by subject, you could
5064 (setq gnus-article-sort-functions
5065 '(gnus-article-sort-by-number
5066 gnus-article-sort-by-subject))
5071 @node Asynchronous Fetching
5072 @section Asynchronous Article Fetching
5073 @cindex asynchronous article fetching
5074 @cindex article pre-fetch
5077 If you read your news from an @sc{nntp} server that's far away, the
5078 network latencies may make reading articles a chore. You have to wait
5079 for a while after pressing @kbd{n} to go to the next article before the
5080 article appears. Why can't Gnus just go ahead and fetch the article
5081 while you are reading the previous one? Why not, indeed.
5083 First, some caveats. There are some pitfalls to using asynchronous
5084 article fetching, especially the way Gnus does it.
5086 Let's say you are reading article 1, which is short, and article 2 is
5087 quite long, and you are not interested in reading that. Gnus does not
5088 know this, so it goes ahead and fetches article 2. You decide to read
5089 article 3, but since Gnus is in the process of fetching article 2, the
5090 connection is blocked.
5092 To avoid these situations, Gnus will open two (count 'em two)
5093 connections to the server. Some people may think this isn't a very nice
5094 thing to do, but I don't see any real alternatives. Setting up that
5095 extra connection takes some time, so Gnus startup will be slower.
5097 Gnus will fetch more articles than you will read. This will mean that
5098 the link between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server will become more
5099 loaded than if you didn't use article pre-fetch. The server itself will
5100 also become more loaded---both with the extra article requests, and the
5103 Ok, so now you know that you shouldn't really use this thing... unless
5106 @vindex gnus-asynchronous
5107 Here's how: Set @code{gnus-asynchronous} to @code{t}. The rest should
5108 happen automatically.
5110 @vindex gnus-use-article-prefetch
5111 You can control how many articles are to be pre-fetched by setting
5112 @code{gnus-use-article-prefetch}. This is 30 by default, which means
5113 that when you read an article in the group, the backend will pre-fetch
5114 the next 30 articles. If this variable is @code{t}, the backend will
5115 pre-fetch all the articles it can without bound. If it is
5116 @code{nil}, no pre-fetching will be done.
5118 @vindex gnus-async-prefetch-article-p
5119 @findex gnus-async-read-p
5120 There are probably some articles that you don't want to pre-fetch---read
5121 articles, for instance. The @code{gnus-async-prefetch-article-p} variable controls whether an article is to be pre-fetched. This function should
5122 return non-@code{nil} when the article in question is to be
5123 pre-fetched. The default is @code{gnus-async-read-p}, which returns
5124 @code{nil} on read articles. The function is called with an article
5125 data structure as the only parameter.
5127 If, for instance, you wish to pre-fetch only unread articles shorter than 100 lines, you could say something like:
5130 (defun my-async-short-unread-p (data)
5131 "Return non-nil for short, unread articles."
5132 (and (gnus-data-unread-p data)
5133 (< (mail-header-lines (gnus-data-header data))
5136 (setq gnus-async-prefetch-article-p 'my-async-short-unread-p)
5139 These functions will be called many, many times, so they should
5140 preferably be short and sweet to avoid slowing down Gnus too much.
5141 It's probably a good idea to byte-compile things like this.
5143 @vindex gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy
5144 Articles have to be removed from the asynch buffer sooner or later. The
5145 @code{gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy} says when to remove
5146 articles. This is a list that may contain the following elements:
5150 Remove articles when they are read.
5153 Remove articles when exiting the group.
5156 The default value is @code{(read exit)}.
5158 @vindex gnus-use-header-prefetch
5159 If @code{gnus-use-header-prefetch} is non-@code{nil}, prefetch articles
5160 from the next group.
5163 @node Article Caching
5164 @section Article Caching
5165 @cindex article caching
5168 If you have an @emph{extremely} slow @sc{nntp} connection, you may
5169 consider turning article caching on. Each article will then be stored
5170 locally under your home directory. As you may surmise, this could
5171 potentially use @emph{huge} amounts of disk space, as well as eat up all
5172 your inodes so fast it will make your head swim. In vodka.
5174 Used carefully, though, it could be just an easier way to save articles.
5176 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
5177 @vindex gnus-cache-directory
5178 @vindex gnus-use-cache
5179 To turn caching on, set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{t}. By default,
5180 all articles ticked or marked as dormant will then be copied
5181 over to your local cache (@code{gnus-cache-directory}). Whether this
5182 cache is flat or hierarchal is controlled by the
5183 @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable, as usual.
5185 When re-selecting a ticked or dormant article, it will be fetched from the
5186 cache instead of from the server. As articles in your cache will never
5187 expire, this might serve as a method of saving articles while still
5188 keeping them where they belong. Just mark all articles you want to save
5189 as dormant, and don't worry.
5191 When an article is marked as read, is it removed from the cache.
5193 @vindex gnus-cache-remove-articles
5194 @vindex gnus-cache-enter-articles
5195 The entering/removal of articles from the cache is controlled by the
5196 @code{gnus-cache-enter-articles} and @code{gnus-cache-remove-articles}
5197 variables. Both are lists of symbols. The first is @code{(ticked
5198 dormant)} by default, meaning that ticked and dormant articles will be
5199 put in the cache. The latter is @code{(read)} by default, meaning that
5200 articles marked as read are removed from the cache. Possibly
5201 symbols in these two lists are @code{ticked}, @code{dormant},
5202 @code{unread} and @code{read}.
5204 @findex gnus-jog-cache
5205 So where does the massive article-fetching and storing come into the
5206 picture? The @code{gnus-jog-cache} command will go through all
5207 subscribed newsgroups, request all unread articles, score them, and
5208 store them in the cache. You should only ever, ever ever ever, use this
5209 command if 1) your connection to the @sc{nntp} server is really, really,
5210 really slow and 2) you have a really, really, really huge disk.
5211 Seriously. One way to cut down on the number of articles downloaded is
5212 to score unwanted articles down and have them marked as read. They will
5213 not then be downloaded by this command.
5215 @vindex gnus-uncacheable-groups
5216 It is likely that you do not want caching on some groups. For instance,
5217 if your @code{nnml} mail is located under your home directory, it makes no
5218 sense to cache it somewhere else under your home directory. Unless you
5219 feel that it's neat to use twice as much space. To limit the caching,
5220 you could set the @code{gnus-uncacheable-groups} regexp to
5221 @samp{^nnml}, for instance. This variable is @code{nil} by
5224 @findex gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases
5225 @findex gnus-cache-generate-active
5226 @vindex gnus-cache-active-file
5227 The cache stores information on what articles it contains in its active
5228 file (@code{gnus-cache-active-file}). If this file (or any other parts
5229 of the cache) becomes all messed up for some reason or other, Gnus
5230 offers two functions that will try to set things right. @kbd{M-x
5231 gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases} will (re)build all the @sc{nov}
5232 files, and @kbd{gnus-cache-generate-active} will (re)generate the active
5236 @node Persistent Articles
5237 @section Persistent Articles
5238 @cindex persistent articles
5240 Closely related to article caching, we have @dfn{persistent articles}.
5241 In fact, it's just a different way of looking at caching, and much more
5242 useful in my opinion.
5244 Say you're reading a newsgroup, and you happen on to some valuable gem
5245 that you want to keep and treasure forever. You'd normally just save it
5246 (using one of the many saving commands) in some file. The problem with
5247 that is that it's just, well, yucky. Ideally you'd prefer just having
5248 the article remain in the group where you found it forever; untouched by
5249 the expiry going on at the news server.
5251 This is what a @dfn{persistent article} is---an article that just won't
5252 be deleted. It's implemented using the normal cache functions, but
5253 you use two explicit commands for managing persistent articles:
5259 @findex gnus-cache-enter-article
5260 Make the current article persistent (@code{gnus-cache-enter-article}).
5263 @kindex M-* (Summary)
5264 @findex gnus-cache-remove-article
5265 Remove the current article from the persistent articles
5266 (@code{gnus-cache-remove-article}). This will normally delete the
5270 Both these commands understand the process/prefix convention.
5272 To avoid having all ticked articles (and stuff) entered into the cache,
5273 you should set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{passive} if you're just
5274 interested in persistent articles:
5277 (setq gnus-use-cache 'passive)
5281 @node Article Backlog
5282 @section Article Backlog
5284 @cindex article backlog
5286 If you have a slow connection, but the idea of using caching seems
5287 unappealing to you (and it is, really), you can help the situation some
5288 by switching on the @dfn{backlog}. This is where Gnus will buffer
5289 already read articles so that it doesn't have to re-fetch articles
5290 you've already read. This only helps if you are in the habit of
5291 re-selecting articles you've recently read, of course. If you never do
5292 that, turning the backlog on will slow Gnus down a little bit, and
5293 increase memory usage some.
5295 @vindex gnus-keep-backlog
5296 If you set @code{gnus-keep-backlog} to a number @var{n}, Gnus will store
5297 at most @var{n} old articles in a buffer for later re-fetching. If this
5298 variable is non-@code{nil} and is not a number, Gnus will store
5299 @emph{all} read articles, which means that your Emacs will grow without
5300 bound before exploding and taking your machine down with you. I put
5301 that in there just to keep y'all on your toes.
5303 This variable is @code{nil} by default.
5306 @node Saving Articles
5307 @section Saving Articles
5308 @cindex saving articles
5310 Gnus can save articles in a number of ways. Below is the documentation
5311 for saving articles in a fairly straight-forward fashion (i.e., little
5312 processing of the article is done before it is saved). For a different
5313 approach (uudecoding, unsharing) you should use @code{gnus-uu}
5314 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
5316 @vindex gnus-save-all-headers
5317 If @code{gnus-save-all-headers} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will not delete
5318 unwanted headers before saving the article.
5320 @vindex gnus-saved-headers
5321 If the preceding variable is @code{nil}, all headers that match the
5322 @code{gnus-saved-headers} regexp will be kept, while the rest will be
5323 deleted before saving.
5329 @kindex O o (Summary)
5331 @findex gnus-summary-save-article
5332 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article}
5333 Save the current article using the default article saver
5334 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article}).
5337 @kindex O m (Summary)
5338 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-mail
5339 Save the current article in mail format
5340 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-mail}).
5343 @kindex O r (Summary)
5344 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-rmail
5345 Save the current article in rmail format
5346 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-rmail}).
5349 @kindex O f (Summary)
5350 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-file
5351 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article-file}
5352 Save the current article in plain file format
5353 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-file}).
5356 @kindex O F (Summary)
5357 @findex gnus-summary-write-article-file
5358 Write the current article in plain file format, overwriting any previous
5359 file contents (@code{gnus-summary-write-article-file}).
5362 @kindex O b (Summary)
5363 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-body-file
5364 Save the current article body in plain file format
5365 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-body-file}).
5368 @kindex O h (Summary)
5369 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-folder
5370 Save the current article in mh folder format
5371 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-folder}).
5374 @kindex O v (Summary)
5375 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-vm
5376 Save the current article in a VM folder
5377 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-vm}).
5380 @kindex O p (Summary)
5381 @findex gnus-summary-pipe-output
5382 Save the current article in a pipe. Uhm, like, what I mean is---Pipe
5383 the current article to a process (@code{gnus-summary-pipe-output}).
5386 @vindex gnus-prompt-before-saving
5387 All these commands use the process/prefix convention
5388 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). If you save bunches of articles using these
5389 functions, you might get tired of being prompted for files to save each
5390 and every article in. The prompting action is controlled by
5391 the @code{gnus-prompt-before-saving} variable, which is @code{always} by
5392 default, giving you that excessive prompting action you know and
5393 loathe. If you set this variable to @code{t} instead, you'll be prompted
5394 just once for each series of articles you save. If you like to really
5395 have Gnus do all your thinking for you, you can even set this variable
5396 to @code{nil}, which means that you will never be prompted for files to
5397 save articles in. Gnus will simply save all the articles in the default
5401 @vindex gnus-default-article-saver
5402 You can customize the @code{gnus-default-article-saver} variable to make
5403 Gnus do what you want it to. You can use any of the four ready-made
5404 functions below, or you can create your own.
5408 @item gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
5409 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
5410 @vindex gnus-rmail-save-name
5411 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
5412 This is the default format, @dfn{babyl}. Uses the function in the
5413 @code{gnus-rmail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5414 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
5416 @item gnus-summary-save-in-mail
5417 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-mail
5418 @vindex gnus-mail-save-name
5419 Save in a Unix mail (mbox) file. Uses the function in the
5420 @code{gnus-mail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5421 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
5423 @item gnus-summary-save-in-file
5424 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-file
5425 @vindex gnus-file-save-name
5426 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
5427 Append the article straight to an ordinary file. Uses the function in
5428 the @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5429 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
5431 @item gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
5432 @findex gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
5433 Append the article body to an ordinary file. Uses the function in the
5434 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5435 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
5437 @item gnus-summary-save-in-folder
5438 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-folder
5439 @findex gnus-folder-save-name
5440 @findex gnus-Folder-save-name
5441 @vindex gnus-folder-save-name
5444 Save the article to an MH folder using @code{rcvstore} from the MH
5445 library. Uses the function in the @code{gnus-folder-save-name} variable
5446 to get a file name to save the article in. The default is
5447 @code{gnus-folder-save-name}, but you can also use
5448 @code{gnus-Folder-save-name}, which creates capitalized names.
5450 @item gnus-summary-save-in-vm
5451 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-vm
5452 Save the article in a VM folder. You have to have the VM mail
5453 reader to use this setting.
5456 @vindex gnus-article-save-directory
5457 All of these functions, except for the last one, will save the article
5458 in the @code{gnus-article-save-directory}, which is initialized from the
5459 @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable. This is @file{~/News/} by
5462 As you can see above, the functions use different functions to find a
5463 suitable name of a file to save the article in. Below is a list of
5464 available functions that generate names:
5468 @item gnus-Numeric-save-name
5469 @findex gnus-Numeric-save-name
5470 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
5472 @item gnus-numeric-save-name
5473 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
5474 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
5476 @item gnus-Plain-save-name
5477 @findex gnus-Plain-save-name
5478 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin}.
5480 @item gnus-plain-save-name
5481 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
5482 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.
5485 @vindex gnus-split-methods
5486 You can have Gnus suggest where to save articles by plonking a regexp into
5487 the @code{gnus-split-methods} alist. For instance, if you would like to
5488 save articles related to Gnus in the file @file{gnus-stuff}, and articles
5489 related to VM in @code{vm-stuff}, you could set this variable to something
5493 (("^Subject:.*gnus\\|^Newsgroups:.*gnus" "gnus-stuff")
5494 ("^Subject:.*vm\\|^Xref:.*vm" "vm-stuff")
5495 (my-choosing-function "../other-dir/my-stuff")
5496 ((equal gnus-newsgroup-name "mail.misc") "mail-stuff"))
5499 We see that this is a list where each element is a list that has two
5500 elements---the @dfn{match} and the @dfn{file}. The match can either be
5501 a string (in which case it is used as a regexp to match on the article
5502 head); it can be a symbol (which will be called as a function with the
5503 group name as a parameter); or it can be a list (which will be
5504 @code{eval}ed). If any of these actions have a non-@code{nil} result,
5505 the @dfn{file} will be used as a default prompt. In addition, the
5506 result of the operation itself will be used if the function or form
5507 called returns a string or a list of strings.
5509 You basically end up with a list of file names that might be used when
5510 saving the current article. (All ``matches'' will be used.) You will
5511 then be prompted for what you really want to use as a name, with file
5512 name completion over the results from applying this variable.
5514 This variable is @code{((gnus-article-archive-name))} by default, which
5515 means that Gnus will look at the articles it saves for an
5516 @code{Archive-name} line and use that as a suggestion for the file
5519 Here's an example function to clean up file names somewhat. If you have
5520 lots of mail groups called things like
5521 @samp{nnml:mail.whatever}, you may want to chop off the beginning of
5522 these group names before creating the file name to save to. The
5523 following will do just that:
5526 (defun my-save-name (group)
5527 (when (string-match "^nnml:mail." group)
5528 (substring group (match-end 0))))
5530 (setq gnus-split-methods
5531 '((gnus-article-archive-name)
5536 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
5537 Finally, you have the @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable. If it is
5538 @code{nil}, all the preceding functions will replace all periods
5539 (@samp{.}) in the group names with slashes (@samp{/})---which means that
5540 the functions will generate hierarchies of directories instead of having
5541 all the files in the toplevel directory
5542 (@file{~/News/alt/andrea-dworkin} instead of
5543 @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.) This variable is @code{t} by default
5544 on most systems. However, for historical reasons, this is @code{nil} on
5545 Xenix and usg-unix-v machines by default.
5547 This function also affects kill and score file names. If this variable
5548 is a list, and the list contains the element @code{not-score}, long file
5549 names will not be used for score files, if it contains the element
5550 @code{not-save}, long file names will not be used for saving, and if it
5551 contains the element @code{not-kill}, long file names will not be used
5554 If you'd like to save articles in a hierarchy that looks something like
5558 (setq gnus-use-long-file-name '(not-save)) ; to get a hierarchy
5559 (setq gnus-default-article-saver 'gnus-summary-save-in-file) ; no encoding
5562 Then just save with @kbd{o}. You'd then read this hierarchy with
5563 ephemeral @code{nneething} groups---@kbd{G D} in the group buffer, and
5564 the toplevel directory as the argument (@file{~/News/}). Then just walk
5565 around to the groups/directories with @code{nneething}.
5568 @node Decoding Articles
5569 @section Decoding Articles
5570 @cindex decoding articles
5572 Sometime users post articles (or series of articles) that have been
5573 encoded in some way or other. Gnus can decode them for you.
5576 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
5577 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
5578 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
5579 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
5580 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
5581 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
5585 @cindex article series
5586 All these functions use the process/prefix convention
5587 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) for finding out what articles to work on, with
5588 the extension that a ``single article'' means ``a single series''. Gnus
5589 can find out by itself what articles belong to a series, decode all the
5590 articles and unpack/view/save the resulting file(s).
5592 Gnus guesses what articles are in the series according to the following
5593 simplish rule: The subjects must be (nearly) identical, except for the
5594 last two numbers of the line. (Spaces are largely ignored, however.)
5596 For example: If you choose a subject called @samp{cat.gif (2/3)}, Gnus
5597 will find all the articles that match the regexp @samp{^cat.gif
5598 ([0-9]+/[0-9]+).*$}.
5600 Subjects that are non-standard, like @samp{cat.gif (2/3) Part 6 of a
5601 series}, will not be properly recognized by any of the automatic viewing
5602 commands, and you have to mark the articles manually with @kbd{#}.
5605 @node Uuencoded Articles
5606 @subsection Uuencoded Articles
5608 @cindex uuencoded articles
5613 @kindex X u (Summary)
5614 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu
5615 @c @icon{gnus-uu-decode-uu}
5616 Uudecodes the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}).
5619 @kindex X U (Summary)
5620 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save
5621 Uudecodes and saves the current series
5622 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
5625 @kindex X v u (Summary)
5626 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-view
5627 Uudecodes and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-view}).
5630 @kindex X v U (Summary)
5631 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view
5632 Uudecodes, views and saves the current series
5633 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view}).
5637 Remember that these all react to the presence of articles marked with
5638 the process mark. If, for instance, you'd like to decode and save an
5639 entire newsgroup, you'd typically do @kbd{M P a}
5640 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-all}) and then @kbd{X U}
5641 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
5643 All this is very much different from how @code{gnus-uu} worked with
5644 @sc{gnus 4.1}, where you had explicit keystrokes for everything under
5645 the sun. This version of @code{gnus-uu} generally assumes that you mark
5646 articles in some way (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}) and then press
5649 @vindex gnus-uu-notify-files
5650 Note: When trying to decode articles that have names matching
5651 @code{gnus-uu-notify-files}, which is hard-coded to
5652 @samp{[Cc][Ii][Nn][Dd][Yy][0-9]+.\\(gif\\|jpg\\)}, @code{gnus-uu} will
5653 automatically post an article on @samp{comp.unix.wizards} saying that
5654 you have just viewed the file in question. This feature can't be turned
5658 @node Shell Archives
5659 @subsection Shell Archives
5661 @cindex shell archives
5662 @cindex shared articles
5664 Shell archives (``shar files'') used to be a popular way to distribute
5665 sources, but it isn't used all that much today. In any case, we have
5666 some commands to deal with these:
5671 @kindex X s (Summary)
5672 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar
5673 Unshars the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar}).
5676 @kindex X S (Summary)
5677 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save
5678 Unshars and saves the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save}).
5681 @kindex X v s (Summary)
5682 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view
5683 Unshars and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view}).
5686 @kindex X v S (Summary)
5687 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view
5688 Unshars, views and saves the current series
5689 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view}).
5693 @node PostScript Files
5694 @subsection PostScript Files
5700 @kindex X p (Summary)
5701 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript
5702 Unpack the current PostScript series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript}).
5705 @kindex X P (Summary)
5706 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save
5707 Unpack and save the current PostScript series
5708 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save}).
5711 @kindex X v p (Summary)
5712 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view
5713 View the current PostScript series
5714 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view}).
5717 @kindex X v P (Summary)
5718 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view
5719 View and save the current PostScript series
5720 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view}).
5725 @subsection Other Files
5729 @kindex X o (Summary)
5730 @findex gnus-uu-decode-save
5731 Save the current series
5732 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-save}).
5735 @kindex X b (Summary)
5736 @findex gnus-uu-decode-binhex
5737 Unbinhex the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-binhex}). This
5738 doesn't really work yet.
5742 @node Decoding Variables
5743 @subsection Decoding Variables
5745 Adjective, not verb.
5748 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
5749 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
5750 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
5754 @node Rule Variables
5755 @subsubsection Rule Variables
5756 @cindex rule variables
5758 Gnus uses @dfn{rule variables} to decide how to view a file. All these
5759 variables are of the form
5762 (list '(regexp1 command2)
5769 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5770 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5772 This variable is consulted first when viewing files. If you wish to use,
5773 for instance, @code{sox} to convert an @samp{.au} sound file, you could
5776 (setq gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5777 (list '(\"\\\\.au$\" \"sox %s -t .aiff > /dev/audio\")))
5780 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
5781 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
5782 This variable is consulted if Gnus couldn't make any matches from the
5783 user and default view rules.
5785 @item gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
5786 @vindex gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
5787 This variable can be used to say what commands should be used to unpack
5792 @node Other Decode Variables
5793 @subsubsection Other Decode Variables
5796 @vindex gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
5798 @item gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
5799 All functions in this list will be called right after each file has been
5800 successfully decoded---so that you can move or view files right away,
5801 and don't have to wait for all files to be decoded before you can do
5802 anything. Ready-made functions you can put in this list are:
5806 @item gnus-uu-grab-view
5807 @findex gnus-uu-grab-view
5810 @item gnus-uu-grab-move
5811 @findex gnus-uu-grab-move
5812 Move the file (if you're using a saving function.)
5815 @item gnus-uu-be-dangerous
5816 @vindex gnus-uu-be-dangerous
5817 Specifies what to do if unusual situations arise during decoding. If
5818 @code{nil}, be as conservative as possible. If @code{t}, ignore things
5819 that didn't work, and overwrite existing files. Otherwise, ask each
5822 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
5823 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
5824 Files with name matching this regular expression won't be viewed.
5826 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
5827 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
5828 Files with a @sc{mime} type matching this variable won't be viewed.
5829 Note that Gnus tries to guess what type the file is based on the name.
5830 @code{gnus-uu} is not a @sc{mime} package (yet), so this is slightly
5833 @item gnus-uu-tmp-dir
5834 @vindex gnus-uu-tmp-dir
5835 Where @code{gnus-uu} does its work.
5837 @item gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
5838 @vindex gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
5839 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} won't peek inside archives
5840 looking for files to display.
5842 @item gnus-uu-view-and-save
5843 @vindex gnus-uu-view-and-save
5844 Non-@code{nil} means that the user will always be asked to save a file
5847 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
5848 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
5849 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default viewing
5852 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
5853 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
5854 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default archive
5857 @item gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
5858 @vindex gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
5859 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will strip all carriage returns
5862 @item gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
5863 @vindex gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
5864 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will mark unsuccessfully
5865 decoded articles as unread.
5867 @item gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
5868 @vindex gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
5869 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will @emph{try} to fix
5870 uuencoded files that have had trailing spaces deleted.
5872 @item gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
5873 @vindex gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
5875 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the viewing
5876 commands defined by the rule variables and just fudge a @sc{mime}
5877 content type based on the file name. The result will be fed to
5878 @code{metamail} for viewing.
5880 @item gnus-uu-save-in-digest
5881 @vindex gnus-uu-save-in-digest
5882 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu}, when asked to save without
5883 decoding, will save in digests. If this variable is @code{nil},
5884 @code{gnus-uu} will just save everything in a file without any
5885 embellishments. The digesting almost conforms to RFC1153---no easy way
5886 to specify any meaningful volume and issue numbers were found, so I
5887 simply dropped them.
5892 @node Uuencoding and Posting
5893 @subsubsection Uuencoding and Posting
5897 @item gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
5898 @vindex gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
5899 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ask for a file to encode
5900 before you compose the article. If this variable is @code{t}, you can
5901 either include an encoded file with @kbd{C-c C-i} or have one included
5902 for you when you post the article.
5904 @item gnus-uu-post-length
5905 @vindex gnus-uu-post-length
5906 Maximum length of an article. The encoded file will be split into how
5907 many articles it takes to post the entire file.
5909 @item gnus-uu-post-threaded
5910 @vindex gnus-uu-post-threaded
5911 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will post the encoded file in a
5912 thread. This may not be smart, as no other decoder I have seen is able
5913 to follow threads when collecting uuencoded articles. (Well, I have
5914 seen one package that does that---@code{gnus-uu}, but somehow, I don't
5915 think that counts...) Default is @code{nil}.
5917 @item gnus-uu-post-separate-description
5918 @vindex gnus-uu-post-separate-description
5919 Non-@code{nil} means that the description will be posted in a separate
5920 article. The first article will typically be numbered (0/x). If this
5921 variable is @code{nil}, the description the user enters will be included
5922 at the beginning of the first article, which will be numbered (1/x).
5923 Default is @code{t}.
5929 @subsection Viewing Files
5930 @cindex viewing files
5931 @cindex pseudo-articles
5933 After decoding, if the file is some sort of archive, Gnus will attempt
5934 to unpack the archive and see if any of the files in the archive can be
5935 viewed. For instance, if you have a gzipped tar file @file{pics.tar.gz}
5936 containing the files @file{pic1.jpg} and @file{pic2.gif}, Gnus will
5937 uncompress and de-tar the main file, and then view the two pictures.
5938 This unpacking process is recursive, so if the archive contains archives
5939 of archives, it'll all be unpacked.
5941 Finally, Gnus will normally insert a @dfn{pseudo-article} for each
5942 extracted file into the summary buffer. If you go to these
5943 ``articles'', you will be prompted for a command to run (usually Gnus
5944 will make a suggestion), and then the command will be run.
5946 @vindex gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously
5947 If @code{gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously} is @code{nil}, Emacs will wait
5948 until the viewing is done before proceeding.
5950 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos
5951 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos} is @code{automatic}, Gnus will not insert
5952 the pseudo-articles into the summary buffer, but view them
5953 immediately. If this variable is @code{not-confirm}, the user won't even
5954 be asked for a confirmation before viewing is done.
5956 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos-separately
5957 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos-separately} is non-@code{nil}, one
5958 pseudo-article will be created for each file to be viewed. If
5959 @code{nil}, all files that use the same viewing command will be given as
5960 a list of parameters to that command.
5962 @vindex gnus-insert-pseudo-articles
5963 If @code{gnus-insert-pseudo-articles} is non-@code{nil}, insert
5964 pseudo-articles when decoding. It is @code{t} by default.
5966 So; there you are, reading your @emph{pseudo-articles} in your
5967 @emph{virtual newsgroup} from the @emph{virtual server}; and you think:
5968 Why isn't anything real anymore? How did we get here?
5971 @node Article Treatment
5972 @section Article Treatment
5974 Reading through this huge manual, you may have quite forgotten that the
5975 object of newsreaders is to actually, like, read what people have
5976 written. Reading articles. Unfortunately, people are quite bad at
5977 writing, so there are tons of functions and variables to make reading
5978 these articles easier.
5981 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
5982 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look niced.
5983 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
5984 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
5985 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
5986 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
5987 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
5991 @node Article Highlighting
5992 @subsection Article Highlighting
5995 Not only do you want your article buffer to look like fruit salad, but
5996 you want it to look like technicolor fruit salad.
6001 @kindex W H a (Summary)
6002 @findex gnus-article-highlight
6003 Highlight the current article (@code{gnus-article-highlight}).
6006 @kindex W H h (Summary)
6007 @findex gnus-article-highlight-headers
6008 @vindex gnus-header-face-alist
6009 Highlight the headers (@code{gnus-article-highlight-headers}). The
6010 highlighting will be done according to the @code{gnus-header-face-alist}
6011 variable, which is a list where each element has the form @var{(regexp
6012 name content)}. @var{regexp} is a regular expression for matching the
6013 header, @var{name} is the face used for highlighting the header name
6014 (@pxref{Faces & Fonts}) and @var{content} is the face for highlighting
6015 the header value. The first match made will be used. Note that
6016 @var{regexp} shouldn't have @samp{^} prepended---Gnus will add one.
6019 @kindex W H c (Summary)
6020 @findex gnus-article-highlight-citation
6021 Highlight cited text (@code{gnus-article-highlight-citation}).
6023 Some variables to customize the citation highlights:
6026 @vindex gnus-cite-parse-max-size
6028 @item gnus-cite-parse-max-size
6029 If the article size if bigger than this variable (which is 25000 by
6030 default), no citation highlighting will be performed.
6032 @item gnus-cite-prefix-regexp
6033 @vindex gnus-cite-prefix-regexp
6034 Regexp matching the longest possible citation prefix on a line.
6036 @item gnus-cite-max-prefix
6037 @vindex gnus-cite-max-prefix
6038 Maximum possible length for a citation prefix (default 20).
6040 @item gnus-cite-face-list
6041 @vindex gnus-cite-face-list
6042 List of faces used for highlighting citations (@pxref{Faces & Fonts}).
6043 When there are citations from multiple articles in the same message,
6044 Gnus will try to give each citation from each article its own face.
6045 This should make it easier to see who wrote what.
6047 @item gnus-supercite-regexp
6048 @vindex gnus-supercite-regexp
6049 Regexp matching normal Supercite attribution lines.
6051 @item gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
6052 @vindex gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
6053 Regexp matching mangled Supercite attribution lines.
6055 @item gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
6056 @vindex gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
6057 Minimum number of identical prefixes we have to see before we believe
6058 that it's a citation.
6060 @item gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
6061 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
6062 Regexp matching the beginning of an attribution line.
6064 @item gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
6065 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
6066 Regexp matching the end of an attribution line.
6068 @item gnus-cite-attribution-face
6069 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-face
6070 Face used for attribution lines. It is merged with the face for the
6071 cited text belonging to the attribution.
6077 @kindex W H s (Summary)
6078 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
6079 @vindex gnus-signature-face
6080 @findex gnus-article-highlight-signature
6081 Highlight the signature (@code{gnus-article-highlight-signature}).
6082 Everything after @code{gnus-signature-separator} (@pxref{Article
6083 Signature}) in an article will be considered a signature and will be
6084 highlighted with @code{gnus-signature-face}, which is @code{italic} by
6090 @node Article Fontisizing
6091 @subsection Article Fontisizing
6093 @cindex article emphasis
6095 @findex gnus-article-emphasize
6096 @kindex W e (Summary)
6097 People commonly add emphasis to words in news articles by writing things
6098 like @samp{_this_} or @samp{*this*}. Gnus can make this look nicer by
6099 running the article through the @kbd{W e}
6100 (@code{gnus-article-emphasize}) command.
6102 @vindex gnus-article-emphasis
6103 How the emphasis is computed is controlled by the
6104 @code{gnus-article-emphasis} variable. This is an alist where the first
6105 element is a regular expression to be matched. The second is a number
6106 that says what regular expression grouping is used to find the entire
6107 emphasized word. The third is a number that says what regexp grouping
6108 should be displayed and highlighted. (The text between these two
6109 groupings will be hidden.) The fourth is the face used for
6113 (setq gnus-article-emphasis
6114 '(("_\\(\\w+\\)_" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-underline)
6115 ("\\*\\(\\w+\\)\\*" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-bold)))
6118 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline
6119 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold
6120 @vindex gnus-emphasis-italic
6121 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold
6122 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-italic
6123 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold-italic
6124 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic
6125 By default, there are seven rules, and they use the following faces:
6126 @code{gnus-emphasis-bold}, @code{gnus-emphasis-italic},
6127 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline}, @code{gnus-emphasis-bold-italic},
6128 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-italic},
6129 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold}, and
6130 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic}.
6132 If you want to change these faces, you can either use @kbd{M-x
6133 customize}, or you can use @code{copy-face}. For instance, if you want
6134 to make @code{gnus-emphasis-italic} use a red face instead, you could
6138 (copy-face 'red 'gnus-emphasis-italic)
6142 @node Article Hiding
6143 @subsection Article Hiding
6144 @cindex article hiding
6146 Or rather, hiding certain things in each article. There usually is much
6147 too much cruft in most articles.
6152 @kindex W W a (Summary)
6153 @findex gnus-article-hide
6154 Do maximum hiding on the summary buffer (@kbd{gnus-article-hide}).
6157 @kindex W W h (Summary)
6158 @findex gnus-article-hide-headers
6159 Hide headers (@code{gnus-article-hide-headers}). @xref{Hiding
6163 @kindex W W b (Summary)
6164 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
6165 Hide headers that aren't particularly interesting
6166 (@code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers}). @xref{Hiding Headers}.
6169 @kindex W W s (Summary)
6170 @findex gnus-article-hide-signature
6171 Hide signature (@code{gnus-article-hide-signature}). @xref{Article
6175 @kindex W W p (Summary)
6176 @findex gnus-article-hide-pgp
6177 @vindex gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook
6178 Hide @sc{pgp} signatures (@code{gnus-article-hide-pgp}). The
6179 @code{gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook} hook will be run after a @sc{pgp}
6180 signature has been hidden.
6183 @kindex W W P (Summary)
6184 @findex gnus-article-hide-pem
6185 Hide @sc{pem} (privacy enhanced messages) cruft
6186 (@code{gnus-article-hide-pem}).
6189 @kindex W W c (Summary)
6190 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation
6191 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation}). Some variables for
6192 customizing the hiding:
6196 @item gnus-cite-hide-percentage
6197 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-percentage
6198 If the cited text is of a bigger percentage than this variable (default
6199 50), hide the cited text.
6201 @item gnus-cite-hide-absolute
6202 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-absolute
6203 The cited text must have at least this length (default 10) before it
6206 @item gnus-cited-text-button-line-format
6207 @vindex gnus-cited-text-button-line-format
6208 Gnus adds buttons to show where the cited text has been hidden, and to
6209 allow toggle hiding the text. The format of the variable is specified
6210 by this format-like variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). These
6215 Start point of the hidden text.
6217 End point of the hidden text.
6219 Length of the hidden text.
6222 @item gnus-cited-lines-visible
6223 @vindex gnus-cited-lines-visible
6224 The number of lines at the beginning of the cited text to leave shown.
6229 @kindex W W C (Summary)
6230 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups
6231 Hide cited text in articles that aren't roots
6232 (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups}). This isn't very
6233 useful as an interactive command, but might be a handy function to stick
6234 in @code{gnus-article-display-hook} (@pxref{Customizing Articles}).
6238 All these ``hiding'' commands are toggles, but if you give a negative
6239 prefix to these commands, they will show what they have previously
6240 hidden. If you give a positive prefix, they will always hide.
6242 Also @pxref{Article Highlighting} for further variables for
6243 citation customization.
6246 @node Article Washing
6247 @subsection Article Washing
6249 @cindex article washing
6251 We call this ``article washing'' for a really good reason. Namely, the
6252 @kbd{A} key was taken, so we had to use the @kbd{W} key instead.
6254 @dfn{Washing} is defined by us as ``changing something from something to
6255 something else'', but normally results in something looking better.
6261 @kindex W l (Summary)
6262 @findex gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking
6263 Remove page breaks from the current article
6264 (@code{gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking}).
6267 @kindex W r (Summary)
6268 @findex gnus-summary-caesar-message
6269 @c @icon{gnus-summary-caesar-message}
6270 Do a Caesar rotate (rot13) on the article buffer
6271 (@code{gnus-summary-caesar-message}).
6272 Unreadable articles that tell you to read them with Caesar rotate or rot13.
6273 (Typically offensive jokes and such.)
6275 It's commonly called ``rot13'' because each letter is rotated 13
6276 positions in the alphabet, e. g. @samp{B} (letter #2) -> @samp{O} (letter
6277 #15). It is sometimes referred to as ``Caesar rotate'' because Caesar
6278 is rumoured to have employed this form of, uh, somewhat weak encryption.
6281 @kindex W t (Summary)
6282 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-header
6283 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer
6284 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-header}).
6287 @kindex W v (Summary)
6288 @findex gnus-summary-verbose-header
6289 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer permanently
6290 (@code{gnus-summary-verbose-header}).
6293 @kindex W m (Summary)
6294 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-mime
6295 Toggle whether to run the article through @sc{mime} before displaying
6296 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-mime}).
6299 @kindex W o (Summary)
6300 @findex gnus-article-treat-overstrike
6301 Treat overstrike (@code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}).
6304 @kindex W d (Summary)
6305 @findex gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes
6306 Treat M******** sm*rtq**t*s (@code{gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes}).
6309 @kindex W w (Summary)
6310 @findex gnus-article-fill-cited-article
6311 Do word wrap (@code{gnus-article-fill-cited-article}). If you use this
6312 function in @code{gnus-article-display-hook}, it should be run fairly
6313 late and certainly after any highlighting.
6315 You can give the command a numerical prefix to specify the width to use
6319 @kindex W c (Summary)
6320 @findex gnus-article-remove-cr
6321 Remove CR (i. e., @samp{^M}s on the end of the lines)
6322 (@code{gnus-article-remove-cr}).
6325 @kindex W q (Summary)
6326 @findex gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable
6327 Treat quoted-printable (@code{gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable}).
6328 Quoted-Printable is one common @sc{mime} encoding employed when sending
6329 non-ASCII (i. e., 8-bit) articles. It typically makes strings like
6330 @samp{déjà vu} look like @samp{d=E9j=E0 vu}, which doesn't look very
6334 @kindex W f (Summary)
6336 @findex gnus-article-display-x-face
6337 @findex gnus-article-x-face-command
6338 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-command
6339 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly
6345 Look for and display any X-Face headers
6346 (@code{gnus-article-display-x-face}). The command executed by this
6347 function is given by the @code{gnus-article-x-face-command} variable.
6348 If this variable is a string, this string will be executed in a
6349 sub-shell. If it is a function, this function will be called with the
6350 face as the argument. If the @code{gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly} (which
6351 is a regexp) matches the @code{From} header, the face will not be shown.
6352 The default action under Emacs is to fork off an @code{xv} to view the
6353 face; under XEmacs the default action is to display the face before the
6354 @code{From} header. (It's nicer if XEmacs has been compiled with X-Face
6355 support---that will make display somewhat faster. If there's no native
6356 X-Face support, Gnus will try to convert the @code{X-Face} header using
6357 external programs from the @code{pbmplus} package and friends.) If you
6358 want to have this function in the display hook, it should probably come
6362 @kindex W b (Summary)
6363 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons
6364 Add clickable buttons to the article (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons}).
6365 @xref{Article Buttons}
6368 @kindex W B (Summary)
6369 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head
6370 Add clickable buttons to the article headers
6371 (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head}).
6374 @kindex W E l (Summary)
6375 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines
6376 Remove all blank lines from the beginning of the article
6377 (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines}).
6380 @kindex W E m (Summary)
6381 @findex gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines
6382 Replace all blank lines with empty lines and then all multiple empty
6383 lines with a single empty line.
6384 (@code{gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines}).
6387 @kindex W E t (Summary)
6388 @findex gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines
6389 Remove all blank lines at the end of the article
6390 (@code{gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines}).
6393 @kindex W E a (Summary)
6394 @findex gnus-article-strip-blank-lines
6395 Do all the three commands above
6396 (@code{gnus-article-strip-blank-lines}).
6399 @kindex W E s (Summary)
6400 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-space
6401 Remove all white space from the beginning of all lines of the article
6402 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-space}).
6407 @node Article Buttons
6408 @subsection Article Buttons
6411 People often include references to other stuff in articles, and it would
6412 be nice if Gnus could just fetch whatever it is that people talk about
6413 with the minimum of fuzz when you hit @kbd{RET} or use the middle mouse
6414 button on these references.
6416 Gnus adds @dfn{buttons} to certain standard references by default:
6417 Well-formed URLs, mail addresses and Message-IDs. This is controlled by
6418 two variables, one that handles article bodies and one that handles
6423 @item gnus-button-alist
6424 @vindex gnus-button-alist
6425 This is an alist where each entry has this form:
6428 (REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
6434 All text that match this regular expression will be considered an
6435 external reference. Here's a typical regexp that matches embedded URLs:
6436 @samp{<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>}.
6439 Gnus has to know which parts of the matches is to be highlighted. This
6440 is a number that says what sub-expression of the regexp is to be
6441 highlighted. If you want it all highlighted, you use 0 here.
6444 This form will be @code{eval}ed, and if the result is non-@code{nil},
6445 this is considered a match. This is useful if you want extra sifting to
6446 avoid false matches.
6449 This function will be called when you click on this button.
6452 As with @var{button-par}, this is a sub-expression number, but this one
6453 says which part of the match is to be sent as data to @var{function}.
6457 So the full entry for buttonizing URLs is then
6460 ("<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>" 0 t gnus-button-url 1)
6463 @item gnus-header-button-alist
6464 @vindex gnus-header-button-alist
6465 This is just like the other alist, except that it is applied to the
6466 article head only, and that each entry has an additional element that is
6467 used to say what headers to apply the buttonize coding to:
6470 (HEADER REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
6473 @var{HEADER} is a regular expression.
6475 @item gnus-button-url-regexp
6476 @vindex gnus-button-url-regexp
6477 A regular expression that matches embedded URLs. It is used in the
6478 default values of the variables above.
6480 @item gnus-article-button-face
6481 @vindex gnus-article-button-face
6482 Face used on buttons.
6484 @item gnus-article-mouse-face
6485 @vindex gnus-article-mouse-face
6486 Face used when the mouse cursor is over a button.
6492 @subsection Article Date
6494 The date is most likely generated in some obscure timezone you've never
6495 heard of, so it's quite nice to be able to find out what the time was
6496 when the article was sent.
6501 @kindex W T u (Summary)
6502 @findex gnus-article-date-ut
6503 Display the date in UT (aka. GMT, aka ZULU)
6504 (@code{gnus-article-date-ut}).
6507 @kindex W T l (Summary)
6508 @findex gnus-article-date-local
6509 Display the date in the local timezone (@code{gnus-article-date-local}).
6512 @kindex W T s (Summary)
6513 @vindex gnus-article-time-format
6514 @findex gnus-article-date-user
6515 @findex format-time-string
6516 Display the date using a user-defined format
6517 (@code{gnus-article-date-user}). The format is specified by the
6518 @code{gnus-article-time-format} variable, and is a string that's passed
6519 to @code{format-time-string}. See the documentation of that variable
6520 for a list of possible format specs.
6523 @kindex W T e (Summary)
6524 @findex gnus-article-date-lapsed
6525 Say how much time has elapsed between the article was posted and now
6526 (@code{gnus-article-date-lapsed}).
6529 @kindex W T o (Summary)
6530 @findex gnus-article-date-original
6531 Display the original date (@code{gnus-article-date-original}). This can
6532 be useful if you normally use some other conversion function and are
6533 worried that it might be doing something totally wrong. Say, claiming
6534 that the article was posted in 1854. Although something like that is
6535 @emph{totally} impossible. Don't you trust me? *titter*
6540 @node Article Signature
6541 @subsection Article Signature
6543 @cindex article signature
6545 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
6546 Each article is divided into two parts---the head and the body. The
6547 body can be divided into a signature part and a text part. The variable
6548 that says what is to be considered a signature is
6549 @code{gnus-signature-separator}. This is normally the standard
6550 @samp{^-- $} as mandated by son-of-RFC 1036. However, many people use
6551 non-standard signature separators, so this variable can also be a list
6552 of regular expressions to be tested, one by one. (Searches are done
6553 from the end of the body towards the beginning.) One likely value is:
6556 (setq gnus-signature-separator
6557 '("^-- $" ; The standard
6558 "^-- *$" ; A common mangling
6559 "^-------*$" ; Many people just use a looong
6560 ; line of dashes. Shame!
6561 "^ *--------*$" ; Double-shame!
6562 "^________*$" ; Underscores are also popular
6563 "^========*$")) ; Pervert!
6566 The more permissive you are, the more likely it is that you'll get false
6569 @vindex gnus-signature-limit
6570 @code{gnus-signature-limit} provides a limit to what is considered a
6575 If it is an integer, no signature may be longer (in characters) than
6578 If it is a floating point number, no signature may be longer (in lines)
6581 If it is a function, the function will be called without any parameters,
6582 and if it returns @code{nil}, there is no signature in the buffer.
6584 If it is a string, it will be used as a regexp. If it matches, the text
6585 in question is not a signature.
6588 This variable can also be a list where the elements may be of the types
6589 listed above. Here's an example:
6592 (setq gnus-signature-limit
6593 '(200.0 "^---*Forwarded article"))
6596 This means that if there are more than 200 lines after the signature
6597 separator, or the text after the signature separator is matched by
6598 the regular expression @samp{^---*Forwarded article}, then it isn't a
6599 signature after all.
6602 @node Article Commands
6603 @section Article Commands
6610 @kindex A P (Summary)
6611 @vindex gnus-ps-print-hook
6612 @findex gnus-summary-print-article
6613 Generate and print a PostScript image of the article buffer
6614 (@code{gnus-summary-print-article}). @code{gnus-ps-print-hook} will be
6615 run just before printing the buffer.
6620 @node Summary Sorting
6621 @section Summary Sorting
6622 @cindex summary sorting
6624 You can have the summary buffer sorted in various ways, even though I
6625 can't really see why you'd want that.
6630 @kindex C-c C-s C-n (Summary)
6631 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-number
6632 Sort by article number (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-number}).
6635 @kindex C-c C-s C-a (Summary)
6636 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-author
6637 Sort by author (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-author}).
6640 @kindex C-c C-s C-s (Summary)
6641 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-subject
6642 Sort by subject (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-subject}).
6645 @kindex C-c C-s C-d (Summary)
6646 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-date
6647 Sort by date (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-date}).
6650 @kindex C-c C-s C-l (Summary)
6651 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-lines
6652 Sort by lines (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-lines}).
6655 @kindex C-c C-s C-i (Summary)
6656 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-score
6657 Sort by score (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-score}).
6660 These functions will work both when you use threading and when you don't
6661 use threading. In the latter case, all summary lines will be sorted,
6662 line by line. In the former case, sorting will be done on a
6663 root-by-root basis, which might not be what you were looking for. To
6664 toggle whether to use threading, type @kbd{T T} (@pxref{Thread
6668 @node Finding the Parent
6669 @section Finding the Parent
6670 @cindex parent articles
6671 @cindex referring articles
6676 @findex gnus-summary-refer-parent-article
6677 If you'd like to read the parent of the current article, and it is not
6678 displayed in the summary buffer, you might still be able to. That is,
6679 if the current group is fetched by @sc{nntp}, the parent hasn't expired
6680 and the @code{References} in the current article are not mangled, you
6681 can just press @kbd{^} or @kbd{A r}
6682 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-parent-article}). If everything goes well,
6683 you'll get the parent. If the parent is already displayed in the
6684 summary buffer, point will just move to this article.
6686 If given a positive numerical prefix, fetch that many articles back into
6687 the ancestry. If given a negative numerical prefix, fetch just that
6688 ancestor. So if you say @kbd{3 ^}, Gnus will fetch the parent, the
6689 grandparent and the grandgrandparent of the current article. If you say
6690 @kbd{-3 ^}, Gnus will only fetch the grandgrandparent of the current
6694 @findex gnus-summary-refer-references
6695 @kindex A R (Summary)
6696 Fetch all articles mentioned in the @code{References} header of the
6697 article (@code{gnus-summary-refer-references}).
6700 @findex gnus-summary-refer-thread
6701 @kindex A T (Summary)
6702 Display the full thread where the current article appears
6703 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-thread}). This command has to fetch all the
6704 headers in the current group to work, so it usually takes a while. If
6705 you do it often, you may consider setting @code{gnus-fetch-old-headers}
6706 to @code{invisible} (@pxref{Filling In Threads}). This won't have any
6707 visible effects normally, but it'll make this command work a whole lot
6708 faster. Of course, it'll make group entry somewhat slow.
6710 @vindex gnus-refer-thread-limit
6711 The @code{gnus-refer-thread-limit} variable says how many old (i. e.,
6712 articles before the first displayed in the current group) headers to
6713 fetch when doing this command. The default is 200. If @code{t}, all
6714 the available headers will be fetched. This variable can be overridden
6715 by giving the @kbd{A T} command a numerical prefix.
6718 @findex gnus-summary-refer-article
6719 @kindex M-^ (Summary)
6721 @cindex fetching by Message-ID
6722 You can also ask the @sc{nntp} server for an arbitrary article, no
6723 matter what group it belongs to. @kbd{M-^}
6724 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-article}) will ask you for a
6725 @code{Message-ID}, which is one of those long, hard-to-read thingies
6726 that look something like @samp{<38o6up$6f2@@hymir.ifi.uio.no>}. You
6727 have to get it all exactly right. No fuzzy searches, I'm afraid.
6730 The current select method will be used when fetching by
6731 @code{Message-ID} from non-news select method, but you can override this
6732 by giving this command a prefix.
6734 @vindex gnus-refer-article-method
6735 If the group you are reading is located on a backend that does not
6736 support fetching by @code{Message-ID} very well (like @code{nnspool}),
6737 you can set @code{gnus-refer-article-method} to an @sc{nntp} method. It
6738 would, perhaps, be best if the @sc{nntp} server you consult is the one
6739 updating the spool you are reading from, but that's not really
6742 Most of the mail backends support fetching by @code{Message-ID}, but do
6743 not do a particularly excellent job at it. That is, @code{nnmbox} and
6744 @code{nnbabyl} are able to locate articles from any groups, while
6745 @code{nnml} and @code{nnfolder} are only able to locate articles that
6746 have been posted to the current group. (Anything else would be too time
6747 consuming.) @code{nnmh} does not support this at all.
6750 @node Alternative Approaches
6751 @section Alternative Approaches
6753 Different people like to read news using different methods. This being
6754 Gnus, we offer a small selection of minor modes for the summary buffers.
6757 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
6758 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
6763 @subsection Pick and Read
6764 @cindex pick and read
6766 Some newsreaders (like @code{nn} and, uhm, @code{Netnews} on VM/CMS) use
6767 a two-phased reading interface. The user first marks in a summary
6768 buffer the articles she wants to read. Then she starts reading the
6769 articles with just an article buffer displayed.
6771 @findex gnus-pick-mode
6772 @kindex M-x gnus-pick-mode
6773 Gnus provides a summary buffer minor mode that allows
6774 this---@code{gnus-pick-mode}. This basically means that a few process
6775 mark commands become one-keystroke commands to allow easy marking, and
6776 it provides one additional command for switching to the summary buffer.
6778 Here are the available keystrokes when using pick mode:
6783 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
6784 Pick the article on the current line
6785 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}). If given a numerical prefix,
6786 go to that article and pick it. (The line number is normally displayed
6787 at the beginning of the summary pick lines.)
6790 @kindex SPACE (Pick)
6791 @findex gnus-pick-next-page
6792 Scroll the summary buffer up one page (@code{gnus-pick-next-page}). If
6793 at the end of the buffer, start reading the picked articles.
6797 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
6798 Unpick the article (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
6802 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
6803 Unpick all articles (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
6807 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
6808 Pick the thread (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
6812 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
6813 Unpick the thread (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
6817 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
6818 Pick the region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
6822 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-region
6823 Unpick the region (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-region}).
6827 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
6828 Pick articles that match a regexp (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
6832 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp
6833 Unpick articles that match a regexp (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp}).
6837 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
6838 Pick the buffer (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
6842 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-buffer
6843 Unpick the buffer (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-buffer}).
6847 @findex gnus-pick-start-reading
6848 @vindex gnus-pick-display-summary
6849 Start reading the picked articles (@code{gnus-pick-start-reading}). If
6850 given a prefix, mark all unpicked articles as read first. If
6851 @code{gnus-pick-display-summary} is non-@code{nil}, the summary buffer
6852 will still be visible when you are reading.
6856 If this sounds like a good idea to you, you could say:
6859 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
6862 @vindex gnus-pick-mode-hook
6863 @code{gnus-pick-mode-hook} is run in pick minor mode buffers.
6865 @vindex gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read
6866 If @code{gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read} is non-@code{nil}, mark
6867 all unpicked articles as read. The default is @code{nil}.
6869 @vindex gnus-summary-pick-line-format
6870 The summary line format in pick mode is slightly different from the
6871 standard format. At the beginning of each line the line number is
6872 displayed. The pick mode line format is controlled by the
6873 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting
6874 Variables}). It accepts the same format specs that
6875 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} does (@pxref{Summary Buffer Lines}).
6879 @subsection Binary Groups
6880 @cindex binary groups
6882 @findex gnus-binary-mode
6883 @kindex M-x gnus-binary-mode
6884 If you spend much time in binary groups, you may grow tired of hitting
6885 @kbd{X u}, @kbd{n}, @kbd{RET} all the time. @kbd{M-x gnus-binary-mode}
6886 is a minor mode for summary buffers that makes all ordinary Gnus article
6887 selection functions uudecode series of articles and display the result
6888 instead of just displaying the articles the normal way.
6891 @findex gnus-binary-show-article
6892 The only way, in fact, to see the actual articles is the @kbd{g}
6893 command, when you have turned on this mode
6894 (@code{gnus-binary-show-article}).
6896 @vindex gnus-binary-mode-hook
6897 @code{gnus-binary-mode-hook} is called in binary minor mode buffers.
6901 @section Tree Display
6904 @vindex gnus-use-trees
6905 If you don't like the normal Gnus summary display, you might try setting
6906 @code{gnus-use-trees} to @code{t}. This will create (by default) an
6907 additional @dfn{tree buffer}. You can execute all summary mode commands
6910 There are a few variables to customize the tree display, of course:
6913 @item gnus-tree-mode-hook
6914 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-hook
6915 A hook called in all tree mode buffers.
6917 @item gnus-tree-mode-line-format
6918 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-line-format
6919 A format string for the mode bar in the tree mode buffers. The default
6920 is @samp{Gnus: %%b %S %Z}. For a list of valid specs, @pxref{Summary
6923 @item gnus-selected-tree-face
6924 @vindex gnus-selected-tree-face
6925 Face used for highlighting the selected article in the tree buffer. The
6926 default is @code{modeline}.
6928 @item gnus-tree-line-format
6929 @vindex gnus-tree-line-format
6930 A format string for the tree nodes. The name is a bit of a misnomer,
6931 though---it doesn't define a line, but just the node. The default value
6932 is @samp{%(%[%3,3n%]%)}, which displays the first three characters of
6933 the name of the poster. It is vital that all nodes are of the same
6934 length, so you @emph{must} use @samp{%4,4n}-like specifiers.
6940 The name of the poster.
6942 The @code{From} header.
6944 The number of the article.
6946 The opening bracket.
6948 The closing bracket.
6953 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
6955 Variables related to the display are:
6958 @item gnus-tree-brackets
6959 @vindex gnus-tree-brackets
6960 This is used for differentiating between ``real'' articles and
6961 ``sparse'' articles. The format is @var{((real-open . real-close)
6962 (sparse-open . sparse-close) (dummy-open . dummy-close))}, and the
6963 default is @code{((?[ . ?]) (?( . ?)) (?@{ . ?@}) (?< . ?>))}.
6965 @item gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
6966 @vindex gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
6967 This is a list that contains the characters used for connecting parent
6968 nodes to their children. The default is @code{(?- ?\\ ?|)}.
6972 @item gnus-tree-minimize-window
6973 @vindex gnus-tree-minimize-window
6974 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will try to keep the tree
6975 buffer as small as possible to allow more room for the other Gnus
6976 windows. If this variable is a number, the tree buffer will never be
6977 higher than that number. The default is @code{t}. Note that if you
6978 have several windows displayed side-by-side in a frame and the tree
6979 buffer is one of these, minimizing the tree window will also resize all
6980 other windows displayed next to it.
6982 @item gnus-generate-tree-function
6983 @vindex gnus-generate-tree-function
6984 @findex gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
6985 @findex gnus-generate-vertical-tree
6986 The function that actually generates the thread tree. Two predefined
6987 functions are available: @code{gnus-generate-horizontal-tree} and
6988 @code{gnus-generate-vertical-tree} (which is the default).
6992 Here's an example from a horizontal tree buffer:
6995 @{***@}-(***)-[odd]-[Gun]
7005 Here's the same thread displayed in a vertical tree buffer:
7009 |--------------------------\-----\-----\
7010 (***) [Bjo] [Gun] [Gun]
7012 [odd] [Jan] [odd] (***) [Jor]
7014 [Gun] [Eri] [Eri] [odd]
7019 If you're using horizontal trees, it might be nice to display the trees
7020 side-by-side with the summary buffer. You could add something like the
7021 following to your @file{.gnus.el} file:
7024 (setq gnus-use-trees t
7025 gnus-generate-tree-function 'gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
7026 gnus-tree-minimize-window nil)
7027 (gnus-add-configuration
7031 (summary 0.75 point)
7036 @xref{Windows Configuration}.
7039 @node Mail Group Commands
7040 @section Mail Group Commands
7041 @cindex mail group commands
7043 Some commands only make sense in mail groups. If these commands are
7044 invalid in the current group, they will raise a hell and let you know.
7046 All these commands (except the expiry and edit commands) use the
7047 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
7052 @kindex B e (Summary)
7053 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles
7054 Expire all expirable articles in the group
7055 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles}).
7058 @kindex B M-C-e (Summary)
7059 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles-now
7060 Delete all the expirable articles in the group
7061 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles-now}). This means that @strong{all}
7062 articles eligible for expiry in the current group will
7063 disappear forever into that big @file{/dev/null} in the sky.
7066 @kindex B DEL (Summary)
7067 @findex gnus-summary-delete-article
7068 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-delete}
7069 Delete the mail article. This is ``delete'' as in ``delete it from your
7070 disk forever and ever, never to return again.'' Use with caution.
7071 (@code{gnus-summary-delete-article}).
7074 @kindex B m (Summary)
7076 @findex gnus-summary-move-article
7077 Move the article from one mail group to another
7078 (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}).
7081 @kindex B c (Summary)
7083 @findex gnus-summary-copy-article
7084 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-copy}
7085 Copy the article from one group (mail group or not) to a mail group
7086 (@code{gnus-summary-copy-article}).
7089 @kindex B C (Summary)
7090 @cindex crosspost mail
7091 @findex gnus-summary-crosspost-article
7092 Crosspost the current article to some other group
7093 (@code{gnus-summary-crosspost-article}). This will create a new copy of
7094 the article in the other group, and the Xref headers of the article will
7095 be properly updated.
7098 @kindex B i (Summary)
7099 @findex gnus-summary-import-article
7100 Import an arbitrary file into the current mail newsgroup
7101 (@code{gnus-summary-import-article}). You will be prompted for a file
7102 name, a @code{From} header and a @code{Subject} header.
7105 @kindex B r (Summary)
7106 @findex gnus-summary-respool-article
7107 Respool the mail article (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}).
7108 @code{gnus-summary-respool-default-method} will be used as the default
7109 select method when respooling. This variable is @code{nil} by default,
7110 which means that the current group select method will be used instead.
7114 @kindex B w (Summary)
7116 @findex gnus-summary-edit-article
7117 @kindex C-c C-c (Article)
7118 Edit the current article (@code{gnus-summary-edit-article}). To finish
7119 editing and make the changes permanent, type @kbd{C-c C-c}
7120 (@kbd{gnus-summary-edit-article-done}). If you give a prefix to the
7121 @kbd{C-c C-c} command, Gnus won't re-highlight the article.
7124 @kindex B q (Summary)
7125 @findex gnus-summary-respool-query
7126 If you want to re-spool an article, you might be curious as to what group
7127 the article will end up in before you do the re-spooling. This command
7128 will tell you (@code{gnus-summary-respool-query}).
7131 @kindex B p (Summary)
7132 @findex gnus-summary-article-posted-p
7133 Some people have a tendency to send you "courtesy" copies when they
7134 follow up to articles you have posted. These usually have a
7135 @code{Newsgroups} header in them, but not always. This command
7136 (@code{gnus-summary-article-posted-p}) will try to fetch the current
7137 article from your news server (or rather, from
7138 @code{gnus-refer-article-method} or @code{gnus-select-method}) and will
7139 report back whether it found the article or not. Even if it says that
7140 it didn't find the article, it may have been posted anyway---mail
7141 propagation is much faster than news propagation, and the news copy may
7142 just not have arrived yet.
7146 @vindex gnus-move-split-methods
7147 @cindex moving articles
7148 If you move (or copy) articles regularly, you might wish to have Gnus
7149 suggest where to put the articles. @code{gnus-move-split-methods} is a
7150 variable that uses the same syntax as @code{gnus-split-methods}
7151 (@pxref{Saving Articles}). You may customize that variable to create
7152 suggestions you find reasonable.
7155 (setq gnus-move-split-methods
7156 '(("^From:.*Lars Magne" "nnml:junk")
7157 ("^Subject:.*gnus" "nnfolder:important")
7158 (".*" "nnml:misc")))
7162 @node Various Summary Stuff
7163 @section Various Summary Stuff
7166 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
7167 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
7168 * Summary Generation Commands:: (Re)generating the summary buffer.
7169 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
7173 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-hook
7174 @item gnus-summary-mode-hook
7175 This hook is called when creating a summary mode buffer.
7177 @vindex gnus-summary-generate-hook
7178 @item gnus-summary-generate-hook
7179 This is called as the last thing before doing the threading and the
7180 generation of the summary buffer. It's quite convenient for customizing
7181 the threading variables based on what data the newsgroup has. This hook
7182 is called from the summary buffer after most summary buffer variables
7185 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-hook
7186 @item gnus-summary-prepare-hook
7187 It is called after the summary buffer has been generated. You might use
7188 it to, for instance, highlight lines or modify the look of the buffer in
7189 some other ungodly manner. I don't care.
7191 @vindex gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
7192 @item gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
7193 When Gnus discovers two articles that have the same @code{Message-ID},
7194 it has to do something drastic. No articles are allowed to have the
7195 same @code{Message-ID}, but this may happen when reading mail from some
7196 sources. Gnus allows you to customize what happens with this variable.
7197 If it is @code{nil} (which is the default), Gnus will rename the
7198 @code{Message-ID} (for display purposes only) and display the article as
7199 any other article. If this variable is @code{t}, it won't display the
7200 article---it'll be as if it never existed.
7205 @node Summary Group Information
7206 @subsection Summary Group Information
7211 @kindex H f (Summary)
7212 @findex gnus-summary-fetch-faq
7213 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
7214 Try to fetch the FAQ (list of frequently asked questions) for the
7215 current group (@code{gnus-summary-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the
7216 FAQ from @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory
7217 on a remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories.
7218 In that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
7219 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will probably
7220 be used for fetching the file.
7223 @kindex H d (Summary)
7224 @findex gnus-summary-describe-group
7225 Give a brief description of the current group
7226 (@code{gnus-summary-describe-group}). If given a prefix, force
7227 rereading the description from the server.
7230 @kindex H h (Summary)
7231 @findex gnus-summary-describe-briefly
7232 Give an extremely brief description of the most important summary
7233 keystrokes (@code{gnus-summary-describe-briefly}).
7236 @kindex H i (Summary)
7237 @findex gnus-info-find-node
7238 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
7242 @node Searching for Articles
7243 @subsection Searching for Articles
7248 @kindex M-s (Summary)
7249 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
7250 Search through all subsequent articles for a regexp
7251 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-forward}).
7254 @kindex M-r (Summary)
7255 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-backward
7256 Search through all previous articles for a regexp
7257 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-backward}).
7261 @findex gnus-summary-execute-command
7262 This command will prompt you for a header field, a regular expression to
7263 match on this field, and a command to be executed if the match is made
7264 (@code{gnus-summary-execute-command}). If given a prefix, search
7268 @kindex M-& (Summary)
7269 @findex gnus-summary-universal-argument
7270 Perform any operation on all articles that have been marked with
7271 the process mark (@code{gnus-summary-universal-argument}).
7274 @node Summary Generation Commands
7275 @subsection Summary Generation Commands
7280 @kindex Y g (Summary)
7281 @findex gnus-summary-prepare
7282 Regenerate the current summary buffer (@code{gnus-summary-prepare}).
7285 @kindex Y c (Summary)
7286 @findex gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles
7287 Pull all cached articles (for the current group) into the summary buffer
7288 (@code{gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles}).
7293 @node Really Various Summary Commands
7294 @subsection Really Various Summary Commands
7299 @kindex C-d (Summary)
7300 @findex gnus-summary-enter-digest-group
7301 If the current article is a collection of other articles (for instance,
7302 a digest), you might use this command to enter a group based on the that
7303 article (@code{gnus-summary-enter-digest-group}). Gnus will try to
7304 guess what article type is currently displayed unless you give a prefix
7305 to this command, which forces a ``digest'' interpretation. Basically,
7306 whenever you see a message that is a collection of other messages of
7307 some format, you @kbd{C-d} and read these messages in a more convenient
7311 @kindex M-C-d (Summary)
7312 @findex gnus-summary-read-document
7313 This command is very similar to the one above, but lets you gather
7314 several documents into one biiig group
7315 (@code{gnus-summary-read-document}). It does this by opening several
7316 @code{nndoc} groups for each document, and then opening an
7317 @code{nnvirtual} group on top of these @code{nndoc} groups. This
7318 command understands the process/prefix convention
7319 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
7322 @kindex C-t (Summary)
7323 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-truncation
7324 Toggle truncation of summary lines
7325 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-truncation}). This will probably confuse the
7326 line centering function in the summary buffer, so it's not a good idea
7327 to have truncation switched off while reading articles.
7331 @findex gnus-summary-expand-window
7332 Expand the summary buffer window (@code{gnus-summary-expand-window}).
7333 If given a prefix, force an @code{article} window configuration.
7338 @node Exiting the Summary Buffer
7339 @section Exiting the Summary Buffer
7340 @cindex summary exit
7341 @cindex exiting groups
7343 Exiting from the summary buffer will normally update all info on the
7344 group and return you to the group buffer.
7350 @kindex Z Z (Summary)
7352 @findex gnus-summary-exit
7353 @vindex gnus-summary-exit-hook
7354 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook
7355 @c @icon{gnus-summary-exit}
7356 Exit the current group and update all information on the group
7357 (@code{gnus-summary-exit}). @code{gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook} is
7358 called before doing much of the exiting, which calls
7359 @code{gnus-summary-expire-articles} by default.
7360 @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} is called after finishing the exit
7361 process. @code{gnus-group-no-more-groups-hook} is run when returning to
7362 group mode having no more (unread) groups.
7366 @kindex Z E (Summary)
7368 @findex gnus-summary-exit-no-update
7369 Exit the current group without updating any information on the group
7370 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}).
7374 @kindex Z c (Summary)
7376 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit
7377 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}
7378 Mark all unticked articles in the group as read and then exit
7379 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}).
7382 @kindex Z C (Summary)
7383 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit
7384 Mark all articles, even the ticked ones, as read and then exit
7385 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit}).
7388 @kindex Z n (Summary)
7389 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group
7390 Mark all articles as read and go to the next group
7391 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group}).
7394 @kindex Z R (Summary)
7395 @findex gnus-summary-reselect-current-group
7396 Exit this group, and then enter it again
7397 (@code{gnus-summary-reselect-current-group}). If given a prefix, select
7398 all articles, both read and unread.
7402 @kindex Z G (Summary)
7403 @kindex M-g (Summary)
7404 @findex gnus-summary-rescan-group
7405 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-get}
7406 Exit the group, check for new articles in the group, and select the
7407 group (@code{gnus-summary-rescan-group}). If given a prefix, select all
7408 articles, both read and unread.
7411 @kindex Z N (Summary)
7412 @findex gnus-summary-next-group
7413 Exit the group and go to the next group
7414 (@code{gnus-summary-next-group}).
7417 @kindex Z P (Summary)
7418 @findex gnus-summary-prev-group
7419 Exit the group and go to the previous group
7420 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-group}).
7423 @kindex Z s (Summary)
7424 @findex gnus-summary-save-newsrc
7425 Save the current number of read/marked articles in the dribble buffer
7426 and then save the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-summary-save-newsrc}). If
7427 given a prefix, also save the @file{.newsrc} file(s). Using this
7428 command will make exit without updating (the @kbd{Q} command) worthless.
7431 @vindex gnus-exit-group-hook
7432 @code{gnus-exit-group-hook} is called when you exit the current
7435 @findex gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead
7436 @findex gnus-dead-summary-mode
7437 @vindex gnus-kill-summary-on-exit
7438 If you're in the habit of exiting groups, and then changing your mind
7439 about it, you might set @code{gnus-kill-summary-on-exit} to @code{nil}.
7440 If you do that, Gnus won't kill the summary buffer when you exit it.
7441 (Quelle surprise!) Instead it will change the name of the buffer to
7442 something like @samp{*Dead Summary ... *} and install a minor mode
7443 called @code{gnus-dead-summary-mode}. Now, if you switch back to this
7444 buffer, you'll find that all keys are mapped to a function called
7445 @code{gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead}. So tapping any keys in a dead
7446 summary buffer will result in a live, normal summary buffer.
7448 There will never be more than one dead summary buffer at any one time.
7450 @vindex gnus-use-cross-reference
7451 The data on the current group will be updated (which articles you have
7452 read, which articles you have replied to, etc.) when you exit the
7453 summary buffer. If the @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} variable is
7454 @code{t} (which is the default), articles that are cross-referenced to
7455 this group and are marked as read, will also be marked as read in the
7456 other subscribed groups they were cross-posted to. If this variable is
7457 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, the article will be marked as read in
7458 both subscribed and unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}).
7461 @node Crosspost Handling
7462 @section Crosspost Handling
7466 Marking cross-posted articles as read ensures that you'll never have to
7467 read the same article more than once. Unless, of course, somebody has
7468 posted it to several groups separately. Posting the same article to
7469 several groups (not cross-posting) is called @dfn{spamming}, and you are
7470 by law required to send nasty-grams to anyone who perpetrates such a
7471 heinous crime. You may want to try NoCeM handling to filter out spam
7474 Remember: Cross-posting is kinda ok, but posting the same article
7475 separately to several groups is not. Massive cross-posting (aka.
7476 @dfn{velveeta}) is to be avoided at all costs, and you can even use the
7477 @code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint} command to complain about
7478 excessive crossposting (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
7480 @cindex cross-posting
7483 One thing that may cause Gnus to not do the cross-posting thing
7484 correctly is if you use an @sc{nntp} server that supports @sc{xover}
7485 (which is very nice, because it speeds things up considerably) which
7486 does not include the @code{Xref} header in its @sc{nov} lines. This is
7487 Evil, but all too common, alas, alack. Gnus tries to Do The Right Thing
7488 even with @sc{xover} by registering the @code{Xref} lines of all
7489 articles you actually read, but if you kill the articles, or just mark
7490 them as read without reading them, Gnus will not get a chance to snoop
7491 the @code{Xref} lines out of these articles, and will be unable to use
7492 the cross reference mechanism.
7494 @cindex LIST overview.fmt
7495 @cindex overview.fmt
7496 To check whether your @sc{nntp} server includes the @code{Xref} header
7497 in its overview files, try @samp{telnet your.nntp.server nntp},
7498 @samp{MODE READER} on @code{inn} servers, and then say @samp{LIST
7499 overview.fmt}. This may not work, but if it does, and the last line you
7500 get does not read @samp{Xref:full}, then you should shout and whine at
7501 your news admin until she includes the @code{Xref} header in the
7504 @vindex gnus-nov-is-evil
7505 If you want Gnus to get the @code{Xref}s right all the time, you have to
7506 set @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{t}, which slows things down
7511 For an alternative approach, @pxref{Duplicate Suppression}.
7514 @node Duplicate Suppression
7515 @section Duplicate Suppression
7517 By default, Gnus tries to make sure that you don't have to read the same
7518 article more than once by utilizing the crossposting mechanism
7519 (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}). However, that simple and efficient
7520 approach may not work satisfactory for some users for various
7525 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to generate the @code{Xref} header. This
7526 is evil and not very common.
7529 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to include the @code{Xref} header in the
7530 @file{.overview} data bases. This is evil and all too common, alas.
7533 You may be reading the same group (or several related groups) from
7534 different @sc{nntp} servers.
7537 You may be getting mail that duplicates articles posted to groups.
7540 I'm sure there are other situations where @code{Xref} handling fails as
7541 well, but these four are the most common situations.
7543 If, and only if, @code{Xref} handling fails for you, then you may
7544 consider switching on @dfn{duplicate suppression}. If you do so, Gnus
7545 will remember the @code{Message-ID}s of all articles you have read or
7546 otherwise marked as read, and then, as if by magic, mark them as read
7547 all subsequent times you see them---in @emph{all} groups. Using this
7548 mechanism is quite likely to be somewhat inefficient, but not overly
7549 so. It's certainly preferable to reading the same articles more than
7552 Duplicate suppression is not a very subtle instrument. It's more like a
7553 sledge hammer than anything else. It works in a very simple
7554 fashion---if you have marked an article as read, it adds this Message-ID
7555 to a cache. The next time it sees this Message-ID, it will mark the
7556 article as read with the @samp{M} mark. It doesn't care what group it
7560 @item gnus-suppress-duplicates
7561 @vindex gnus-suppress-duplicates
7562 If non-@code{nil}, suppress duplicates.
7564 @item gnus-save-duplicate-list
7565 @vindex gnus-save-duplicate-list
7566 If non-@code{nil}, save the list of duplicates to a file. This will
7567 make startup and shutdown take longer, so the default is @code{nil}.
7568 However, this means that only duplicate articles read in a single Gnus
7569 session are suppressed.
7571 @item gnus-duplicate-list-length
7572 @vindex gnus-duplicate-list-length
7573 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the duplicate
7574 suppression list. The default is 10000.
7576 @item gnus-duplicate-file
7577 @vindex gnus-duplicate-file
7578 The name of the file to store the duplicate suppression list in. The
7579 default is @file{~/News/suppression}.
7582 If you have a tendency to stop and start Gnus often, setting
7583 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{t} is probably a good idea. If
7584 you leave Gnus running for weeks on end, you may have it @code{nil}. On
7585 the other hand, saving the list makes startup and shutdown much slower,
7586 so that means that if you stop and start Gnus often, you should set
7587 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{nil}. Uhm. I'll leave this up
7588 to you to figure out, I think.
7591 @node The Article Buffer
7592 @chapter The Article Buffer
7593 @cindex article buffer
7595 The articles are displayed in the article buffer, of which there is only
7596 one. All the summary buffers share the same article buffer unless you
7597 tell Gnus otherwise.
7600 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
7601 * Using MIME:: Pushing articles through @sc{mime} before reading them.
7602 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
7603 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
7604 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
7608 @node Hiding Headers
7609 @section Hiding Headers
7610 @cindex hiding headers
7611 @cindex deleting headers
7613 The top section of each article is the @dfn{head}. (The rest is the
7614 @dfn{body}, but you may have guessed that already.)
7616 @vindex gnus-show-all-headers
7617 There is a lot of useful information in the head: the name of the person
7618 who wrote the article, the date it was written and the subject of the
7619 article. That's well and nice, but there's also lots of information
7620 most people do not want to see---what systems the article has passed
7621 through before reaching you, the @code{Message-ID}, the
7622 @code{References}, etc. ad nauseum---and you'll probably want to get rid
7623 of some of those lines. If you want to keep all those lines in the
7624 article buffer, you can set @code{gnus-show-all-headers} to @code{t}.
7626 Gnus provides you with two variables for sifting headers:
7630 @item gnus-visible-headers
7631 @vindex gnus-visible-headers
7632 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression
7633 that says what headers you wish to keep in the article buffer. All
7634 headers that do not match this variable will be hidden.
7636 For instance, if you only want to see the name of the person who wrote
7637 the article and the subject, you'd say:
7640 (setq gnus-visible-headers "^From:\\|^Subject:")
7643 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
7646 @item gnus-ignored-headers
7647 @vindex gnus-ignored-headers
7648 This variable is the reverse of @code{gnus-visible-headers}. If this
7649 variable is set (and @code{gnus-visible-headers} is @code{nil}), it
7650 should be a regular expression that matches all lines that you want to
7651 hide. All lines that do not match this variable will remain visible.
7653 For instance, if you just want to get rid of the @code{References} line
7654 and the @code{Xref} line, you might say:
7657 (setq gnus-ignored-headers "^References:\\|^Xref:")
7660 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
7663 Note that if @code{gnus-visible-headers} is non-@code{nil}, this
7664 variable will have no effect.
7668 @vindex gnus-sorted-header-list
7669 Gnus can also sort the headers for you. (It does this by default.) You
7670 can control the sorting by setting the @code{gnus-sorted-header-list}
7671 variable. It is a list of regular expressions that says in what order
7672 the headers are to be displayed.
7674 For instance, if you want the name of the author of the article first,
7675 and then the subject, you might say something like:
7678 (setq gnus-sorted-header-list '("^From:" "^Subject:"))
7681 Any headers that are to remain visible, but are not listed in this
7682 variable, will be displayed in random order after all the headers listed in this variable.
7684 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
7685 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
7686 @vindex gnus-boring-article-headers
7687 You can hide further boring headers by entering
7688 @code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers} into
7689 @code{gnus-article-display-hook}. What this function does depends on
7690 the @code{gnus-boring-article-headers} variable. It's a list, but this
7691 list doesn't actually contain header names. Instead is lists various
7692 @dfn{boring conditions} that Gnus can check and remove from sight.
7694 These conditions are:
7697 Remove all empty headers.
7699 Remove the @code{Newsgroups} header if it only contains the current group
7702 Remove the @code{Followup-To} header if it is identical to the
7703 @code{Newsgroups} header.
7705 Remove the @code{Reply-To} header if it lists the same address as the
7708 Remove the @code{Date} header if the article is less than three days
7711 Remove the @code{To} header if it is very long.
7713 Remove all @code{To} headers if there are more than one.
7716 To include the four first elements, you could say something like;
7719 (setq gnus-boring-article-headers
7720 '(empty newsgroups followup-to reply-to))
7723 This is also the default value for this variable.
7727 @section Using @sc{mime}
7730 Mime is a standard for waving your hands through the air, aimlessly,
7731 while people stand around yawning.
7733 @sc{mime}, however, is a standard for encoding your articles, aimlessly,
7734 while all newsreaders die of fear.
7736 @sc{mime} may specify what character set the article uses, the encoding
7737 of the characters, and it also makes it possible to embed pictures and
7738 other naughty stuff in innocent-looking articles.
7740 @vindex gnus-show-mime
7741 @vindex gnus-show-mime-method
7742 @vindex gnus-strict-mime
7743 @findex metamail-buffer
7744 Gnus handles @sc{mime} by pushing the articles through
7745 @code{gnus-show-mime-method}, which is @code{metamail-buffer} by
7746 default. Set @code{gnus-show-mime} to @code{t} if you want to use
7747 @sc{mime} all the time. However, if @code{gnus-strict-mime} is
7748 non-@code{nil}, the @sc{mime} method will only be used if there are
7749 @sc{mime} headers in the article. If you have @code{gnus-show-mime}
7750 set, then you'll see some unfortunate display glitches in the article
7751 buffer. These can't be avoided.
7753 It might be best to just use the toggling functions from the summary
7754 buffer to avoid getting nasty surprises. (For instance, you enter the
7755 group @samp{alt.sing-a-long} and, before you know it, @sc{mime} has
7756 decoded the sound file in the article and some horrible sing-a-long song
7757 comes screaming out your speakers, and you can't find the volume
7758 button, because there isn't one, and people are starting to look at you,
7759 and you try to stop the program, but you can't, and you can't find the
7760 program to control the volume, and everybody else in the room suddenly
7761 decides to look at you disdainfully, and you'll feel rather stupid.)
7763 Any similarity to real events and people is purely coincidental. Ahem.
7766 @node Customizing Articles
7767 @section Customizing Articles
7768 @cindex article customization
7770 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
7771 The @code{gnus-article-display-hook} is called after the article has
7772 been inserted into the article buffer. It is meant to handle all
7773 treatment of the article before it is displayed.
7775 @findex gnus-article-maybe-highlight
7776 By default this hook just contains @code{gnus-article-hide-headers},
7777 @code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}, and
7778 @code{gnus-article-maybe-highlight}, but there are thousands, nay
7779 millions, of functions you can put in this hook. For an overview of
7780 functions @pxref{Article Highlighting}, @pxref{Article Hiding},
7781 @pxref{Article Washing}, @pxref{Article Buttons} and @pxref{Article
7782 Date}. Note that the order of functions in this hook might affect
7783 things, so you may have to fiddle a bit to get the desired results.
7785 You can, of course, write your own functions. The functions are called
7786 from the article buffer, and you can do anything you like, pretty much.
7787 There is no information that you have to keep in the buffer---you can
7788 change everything. However, you shouldn't delete any headers. Instead
7789 make them invisible if you want to make them go away.
7792 @node Article Keymap
7793 @section Article Keymap
7795 Most of the keystrokes in the summary buffer can also be used in the
7796 article buffer. They should behave as if you typed them in the summary
7797 buffer, which means that you don't actually have to have a summary
7798 buffer displayed while reading. You can do it all from the article
7801 A few additional keystrokes are available:
7806 @kindex SPACE (Article)
7807 @findex gnus-article-next-page
7808 Scroll forwards one page (@code{gnus-article-next-page}).
7811 @kindex DEL (Article)
7812 @findex gnus-article-prev-page
7813 Scroll backwards one page (@code{gnus-article-prev-page}).
7816 @kindex C-c ^ (Article)
7817 @findex gnus-article-refer-article
7818 If point is in the neighborhood of a @code{Message-ID} and you press
7819 @kbd{r}, Gnus will try to get that article from the server
7820 (@code{gnus-article-refer-article}).
7823 @kindex C-c C-m (Article)
7824 @findex gnus-article-mail
7825 Send a reply to the address near point (@code{gnus-article-mail}). If
7826 given a prefix, include the mail.
7830 @findex gnus-article-show-summary
7831 Reconfigure the buffers so that the summary buffer becomes visible
7832 (@code{gnus-article-show-summary}).
7836 @findex gnus-article-describe-briefly
7837 Give a very brief description of the available keystrokes
7838 (@code{gnus-article-describe-briefly}).
7841 @kindex TAB (Article)
7842 @findex gnus-article-next-button
7843 Go to the next button, if any (@code{gnus-article-next-button}). This
7844 only makes sense if you have buttonizing turned on.
7847 @kindex M-TAB (Article)
7848 @findex gnus-article-prev-button
7849 Go to the previous button, if any (@code{gnus-article-prev-button}).
7855 @section Misc Article
7859 @item gnus-single-article-buffer
7860 @vindex gnus-single-article-buffer
7861 If non-@code{nil}, use the same article buffer for all the groups.
7862 (This is the default.) If @code{nil}, each group will have its own
7865 @vindex gnus-article-prepare-hook
7866 @item gnus-article-prepare-hook
7867 This hook is called right after the article has been inserted into the
7868 article buffer. It is mainly intended for functions that do something
7869 depending on the contents; it should probably not be used for changing
7870 the contents of the article buffer.
7872 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
7873 @item gnus-article-display-hook
7874 This hook is called as the last thing when displaying an article, and is
7875 intended for modifying the contents of the buffer, doing highlights,
7876 hiding headers, and the like.
7878 @item gnus-article-mode-hook
7879 @vindex gnus-article-mode-hook
7880 Hook called in article mode buffers.
7882 @item gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
7883 @vindex gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
7884 Syntax table used in article buffers. It is initialized from
7885 @code{text-mode-syntax-table}.
7887 @vindex gnus-article-mode-line-format
7888 @item gnus-article-mode-line-format
7889 This variable is a format string along the same lines as
7890 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. It accepts the same
7891 format specifications as that variable, with one extension:
7895 The @dfn{wash status} of the article. This is a short string with one
7896 character for each possible article wash operation that may have been
7900 @vindex gnus-break-pages
7902 @item gnus-break-pages
7903 Controls whether @dfn{page breaking} is to take place. If this variable
7904 is non-@code{nil}, the articles will be divided into pages whenever a
7905 page delimiter appears in the article. If this variable is @code{nil},
7906 paging will not be done.
7908 @item gnus-page-delimiter
7909 @vindex gnus-page-delimiter
7910 This is the delimiter mentioned above. By default, it is @samp{^L}
7915 @node Composing Messages
7916 @chapter Composing Messages
7917 @cindex composing messages
7920 @cindex sending mail
7925 @kindex C-c C-c (Post)
7926 All commands for posting and mailing will put you in a message buffer
7927 where you can edit the article all you like, before you send the article
7928 by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}. @xref{Top, , Top, message, The Message
7929 Manual}. If you are in a foreign news group, and you wish to post the
7930 article using the foreign server, you can give a prefix to @kbd{C-c C-c}
7931 to make Gnus try to post using the foreign server.
7934 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
7935 * Post:: Posting and following up.
7936 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
7937 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
7938 * Archived Messages:: Where Gnus stores the messages you've sent.
7939 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
7940 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
7943 Also see @pxref{Canceling and Superseding} for information on how to
7944 remove articles you shouldn't have posted.
7950 Variables for customizing outgoing mail:
7953 @item gnus-uu-digest-headers
7954 @vindex gnus-uu-digest-headers
7955 List of regexps to match headers included in digested messages. The
7956 headers will be included in the sequence they are matched.
7958 @item gnus-add-to-list
7959 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
7960 If non-@code{nil}, add a @code{to-list} group parameter to mail groups
7961 that have none when you do a @kbd{a}.
7969 Variables for composing news articles:
7972 @item gnus-sent-message-ids-file
7973 @vindex gnus-sent-message-ids-file
7974 Gnus will keep a @code{Message-ID} history file of all the mails it has
7975 sent. If it discovers that it has already sent a mail, it will ask the
7976 user whether to re-send the mail. (This is primarily useful when
7977 dealing with @sc{soup} packets and the like where one is apt to send the
7978 same packet multiple times.) This variable says what the name of this
7979 history file is. It is @file{~/News/Sent-Message-IDs} by default. Set
7980 this variable to @code{nil} if you don't want Gnus to keep a history
7983 @item gnus-sent-message-ids-length
7984 @vindex gnus-sent-message-ids-length
7985 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the history
7986 file. It is 1000 by default.
7991 @node Posting Server
7992 @section Posting Server
7994 When you press those magical @kbd{C-c C-c} keys to ship off your latest
7995 (extremely intelligent, of course) article, where does it go?
7997 Thank you for asking. I hate you.
7999 @vindex gnus-post-method
8001 It can be quite complicated. Normally, Gnus will use the same native
8002 server. However. If your native server doesn't allow posting, just
8003 reading, you probably want to use some other server to post your
8004 (extremely intelligent and fabulously interesting) articles. You can
8005 then set the @code{gnus-post-method} to some other method:
8008 (setq gnus-post-method '(nnspool ""))
8011 Now, if you've done this, and then this server rejects your article, or
8012 this server is down, what do you do then? To override this variable you
8013 can use a non-zero prefix to the @kbd{C-c C-c} command to force using
8014 the ``current'' server for posting.
8016 If you give a zero prefix (i.e., @kbd{C-u 0 C-c C-c}) to that command,
8017 Gnus will prompt you for what method to use for posting.
8019 You can also set @code{gnus-post-method} to a list of select methods.
8020 If that's the case, Gnus will always prompt you for what method to use
8025 @section Mail and Post
8027 Here's a list of variables relevant to both mailing and
8031 @item gnus-mailing-list-groups
8032 @findex gnus-mailing-list-groups
8033 @cindex mailing lists
8035 If your news server offers groups that are really mailing lists
8036 gatewayed to the @sc{nntp} server, you can read those groups without
8037 problems, but you can't post/followup to them without some difficulty.
8038 One solution is to add a @code{to-address} to the group parameters
8039 (@pxref{Group Parameters}). An easier thing to do is set the
8040 @code{gnus-mailing-list-groups} to a regexp that matches the groups that
8041 really are mailing lists. Then, at least, followups to the mailing
8042 lists will work most of the time. Posting to these groups (@kbd{a}) is
8043 still a pain, though.
8047 You may want to do spell-checking on messages that you send out. Or, if
8048 you don't want to spell-check by hand, you could add automatic
8049 spell-checking via the @code{ispell} package:
8052 @findex ispell-message
8054 (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'ispell-message)
8058 @node Archived Messages
8059 @section Archived Messages
8060 @cindex archived messages
8061 @cindex sent messages
8063 Gnus provides a few different methods for storing the mail and news you
8064 send. The default method is to use the @dfn{archive virtual server} to
8065 store the messages. If you want to disable this completely, the
8066 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable should be @code{nil}, which
8069 @vindex gnus-message-archive-method
8070 @code{gnus-message-archive-method} says what virtual server Gnus is to
8071 use to store sent messages. The default is:
8075 (nnfolder-directory "~/Mail/archive")
8076 (nnfolder-active-file "~/Mail/archive/active")
8077 (nnfolder-get-new-mail nil)
8078 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t))
8081 You can, however, use any mail select method (@code{nnml},
8082 @code{nnmbox}, etc.). @code{nnfolder} is a quite likeable select method
8083 for doing this sort of thing, though. If you don't like the default
8084 directory chosen, you could say something like:
8087 (setq gnus-message-archive-method
8088 '(nnfolder "archive"
8089 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t)
8090 (nnfolder-active-file "~/News/sent-mail/active")
8091 (nnfolder-directory "~/News/sent-mail/")))
8094 @vindex gnus-message-archive-group
8096 Gnus will insert @code{Gcc} headers in all outgoing messages that point
8097 to one or more group(s) on that server. Which group to use is
8098 determined by the @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable.
8100 This variable can be used to do the following:
8104 Messages will be saved in that group.
8105 @item a list of strings
8106 Messages will be saved in all those groups.
8107 @item an alist of regexps, functions and forms
8108 When a key ``matches'', the result is used.
8110 No message archiving will take place. This is the default.
8115 Just saving to a single group called @samp{MisK}:
8117 (setq gnus-message-archive-group "MisK")
8120 Saving to two groups, @samp{MisK} and @samp{safe}:
8122 (setq gnus-message-archive-group '("MisK" "safe"))
8125 Save to different groups based on what group you are in:
8127 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
8128 '(("^alt" "sent-to-alt")
8129 ("mail" "sent-to-mail")
8130 (".*" "sent-to-misc")))
8135 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
8136 '((if (message-news-p)
8141 How about storing all news messages in one file, but storing all mail
8142 messages in one file per month:
8145 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
8146 '((if (message-news-p)
8148 (concat "mail." (format-time-string
8149 "%Y-%m" (current-time))))))
8152 (XEmacs 19.13 doesn't have @code{format-time-string}, so you'll have to
8153 use a different value for @code{gnus-message-archive-group} there.)
8155 Now, when you send a message off, it will be stored in the appropriate
8156 group. (If you want to disable storing for just one particular message,
8157 you can just remove the @code{Gcc} header that has been inserted.) The
8158 archive group will appear in the group buffer the next time you start
8159 Gnus, or the next time you press @kbd{F} in the group buffer. You can
8160 enter it and read the articles in it just like you'd read any other
8161 group. If the group gets really big and annoying, you can simply rename
8162 if (using @kbd{G r} in the group buffer) to something
8163 nice---@samp{misc-mail-september-1995}, or whatever. New messages will
8164 continue to be stored in the old (now empty) group.
8166 That's the default method of archiving sent messages. Gnus offers a
8167 different way for the people who don't like the default method. In that
8168 case you should set @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{nil};
8169 this will disable archiving.
8172 @item gnus-outgoing-message-group
8173 @vindex gnus-outgoing-message-group
8174 All outgoing messages will be put in this group. If you want to store
8175 all your outgoing mail and articles in the group @samp{nnml:archive},
8176 you set this variable to that value. This variable can also be a list of
8179 If you want to have greater control over what group to put each
8180 message in, you can set this variable to a function that checks the
8181 current newsgroup name and then returns a suitable group name (or list
8184 This variable can be used instead of @code{gnus-message-archive-group},
8185 but the latter is the preferred method.
8189 @c @node Posting Styles
8190 @c @section Posting Styles
8191 @c @cindex posting styles
8194 @c All them variables, they make my head swim.
8196 @c So what if you want a different @code{Organization} and signature based
8197 @c on what groups you post to? And you post both from your home machine
8198 @c and your work machine, and you want different @code{From} lines, and so
8201 @c @vindex gnus-posting-styles
8202 @c One way to do stuff like that is to write clever hooks that change the
8203 @c variables you need to have changed. That's a bit boring, so somebody
8204 @c came up with the bright idea of letting the user specify these things in
8205 @c a handy alist. Here's an example of a @code{gnus-posting-styles}
8210 @c (signature . "Peace and happiness")
8211 @c (organization . "What me?"))
8213 @c (signature . "Death to everybody"))
8214 @c ("comp.emacs.i-love-it"
8215 @c (organization . "Emacs is it")))
8218 @c As you might surmise from this example, this alist consists of several
8219 @c @dfn{styles}. Each style will be applicable if the first element
8220 @c ``matches'', in some form or other. The entire alist will be iterated
8221 @c over, from the beginning towards the end, and each match will be
8222 @c applied, which means that attributes in later styles that match override
8223 @c the same attributes in earlier matching styles. So
8224 @c @samp{comp.programming.literate} will have the @samp{Death to everybody}
8225 @c signature and the @samp{What me?} @code{Organization} header.
8227 @c The first element in each style is called the @code{match}. If it's a
8228 @c string, then Gnus will try to regexp match it against the group name.
8229 @c If it's a function symbol, that function will be called with no
8230 @c arguments. If it's a variable symbol, then the variable will be
8231 @c referenced. If it's a list, then that list will be @code{eval}ed. In
8232 @c any case, if this returns a non-@code{nil} value, then the style is said
8235 @c Each style may contain a arbitrary amount of @dfn{attributes}. Each
8236 @c attribute consists of a @var{(name . value)} pair. The attribute name
8237 @c can be one of @code{signature}, @code{organization} or @code{from}. The
8238 @c attribute name can also be a string. In that case, this will be used as
8239 @c a header name, and the value will be inserted in the headers of the
8242 @c The attribute value can be a string (used verbatim), a function (the
8243 @c return value will be used), a variable (its value will be used) or a
8244 @c list (it will be @code{eval}ed and the return value will be used).
8246 @c So here's a new example:
8249 @c (setq gnus-posting-styles
8251 @c (signature . "~/.signature")
8252 @c (from . "user@@foo (user)")
8253 @c ("X-Home-Page" . (getenv "WWW_HOME"))
8254 @c (organization . "People's Front Against MWM"))
8256 @c (signature . my-funny-signature-randomizer))
8257 @c ((equal (system-name) "gnarly")
8258 @c (signature . my-quote-randomizer))
8259 @c (posting-from-work-p
8260 @c (signature . "~/.work-signature")
8261 @c (from . "user@@bar.foo (user)")
8262 @c (organization . "Important Work, Inc"))
8264 @c (signature . "~/.mail-signature"))))
8271 If you are writing a message (mail or news) and suddenly remember that
8272 you have a steak in the oven (or some pesto in the food processor, you
8273 craaazy vegetarians), you'll probably wish there was a method to save
8274 the message you are writing so that you can continue editing it some
8275 other day, and send it when you feel its finished.
8277 Well, don't worry about it. Whenever you start composing a message of
8278 some sort using the Gnus mail and post commands, the buffer you get will
8279 automatically associate to an article in a special @dfn{draft} group.
8280 If you save the buffer the normal way (@kbd{C-x C-s}, for instance), the
8281 article will be saved there. (Auto-save files also go to the draft
8285 @vindex nndraft-directory
8286 The draft group is a special group (which is implemented as an
8287 @code{nndraft} group, if you absolutely have to know) called
8288 @samp{nndraft:drafts}. The variable @code{nndraft-directory} says where
8289 @code{nndraft} is to store its files. What makes this group special is
8290 that you can't tick any articles in it or mark any articles as
8291 read---all articles in the group are permanently unread.
8293 If the group doesn't exist, it will be created and you'll be subscribed
8294 to it. The only way to make it disappear from the Group buffer is to
8297 @c @findex gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft
8298 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Mail)
8299 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Post)
8300 @c @findex gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft
8301 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Mail)
8302 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Post)
8303 @c If you're writing some super-secret message that you later want to
8304 @c encode with PGP before sending, you may wish to turn the auto-saving
8305 @c (and association with the draft group) off. You never know who might be
8306 @c interested in reading all your extremely valuable and terribly horrible
8307 @c and interesting secrets. The @kbd{C-c M-d}
8308 @c (@code{gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft}) command does that for you.
8309 @c If you change your mind and want to turn the auto-saving back on again,
8310 @c @kbd{C-c C-d} (@code{gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft} does that.
8312 @c @vindex gnus-use-draft
8313 @c To leave association with the draft group off by default, set
8314 @c @code{gnus-use-draft} to @code{nil}. It is @code{t} by default.
8316 @findex gnus-draft-edit-message
8318 When you want to continue editing the article, you simply enter the
8319 draft group and push @kbd{D e} (@code{gnus-draft-edit-message}) to do
8320 that. You will be placed in a buffer where you left off.
8322 Rejected articles will also be put in this draft group (@pxref{Rejected
8325 @findex gnus-draft-send-all-messages
8326 @findex gnus-draft-send-message
8327 If you have lots of rejected messages you want to post (or mail) without
8328 doing further editing, you can use the @kbd{D s} command
8329 (@code{gnus-draft-send-message}). This command understands the
8330 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). The @kbd{D S}
8331 command (@code{gnus-draft-send-all-messages}) will ship off all messages
8334 If you have some messages that you wish not to send, you can use the
8335 @kbd{D t} (@code{gnus-draft-toggle-sending}) command to mark the message
8336 as unsendable. This is a toggling command.
8339 @node Rejected Articles
8340 @section Rejected Articles
8341 @cindex rejected articles
8343 Sometimes a news server will reject an article. Perhaps the server
8344 doesn't like your face. Perhaps it just feels miserable. Perhaps
8345 @emph{there be demons}. Perhaps you have included too much cited text.
8346 Perhaps the disk is full. Perhaps the server is down.
8348 These situations are, of course, totally beyond the control of Gnus.
8349 (Gnus, of course, loves the way you look, always feels great, has angels
8350 fluttering around inside of it, doesn't care about how much cited text
8351 you include, never runs full and never goes down.) So Gnus saves these
8352 articles until some later time when the server feels better.
8354 The rejected articles will automatically be put in a special draft group
8355 (@pxref{Drafts}). When the server comes back up again, you'd then
8356 typically enter that group and send all the articles off.
8359 @node Select Methods
8360 @chapter Select Methods
8361 @cindex foreign groups
8362 @cindex select methods
8364 A @dfn{foreign group} is a group not read by the usual (or
8365 default) means. It could be, for instance, a group from a different
8366 @sc{nntp} server, it could be a virtual group, or it could be your own
8367 personal mail group.
8369 A foreign group (or any group, really) is specified by a @dfn{name} and
8370 a @dfn{select method}. To take the latter first, a select method is a
8371 list where the first element says what backend to use (e.g. @code{nntp},
8372 @code{nnspool}, @code{nnml}) and the second element is the @dfn{server
8373 name}. There may be additional elements in the select method, where the
8374 value may have special meaning for the backend in question.
8376 One could say that a select method defines a @dfn{virtual server}---so
8377 we do just that (@pxref{The Server Buffer}).
8379 The @dfn{name} of the group is the name the backend will recognize the
8382 For instance, the group @samp{soc.motss} on the @sc{nntp} server
8383 @samp{some.where.edu} will have the name @samp{soc.motss} and select
8384 method @code{(nntp "some.where.edu")}. Gnus will call this group
8385 @samp{nntp+some.where.edu:soc.motss}, even though the @code{nntp}
8386 backend just knows this group as @samp{soc.motss}.
8388 The different methods all have their peculiarities, of course.
8391 * The Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
8392 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
8393 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
8394 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
8395 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
8396 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
8400 @node The Server Buffer
8401 @section The Server Buffer
8403 Traditionally, a @dfn{server} is a machine or a piece of software that
8404 one connects to, and then requests information from. Gnus does not
8405 connect directly to any real servers, but does all transactions through
8406 one backend or other. But that's just putting one layer more between
8407 the actual media and Gnus, so we might just as well say that each
8408 backend represents a virtual server.
8410 For instance, the @code{nntp} backend may be used to connect to several
8411 different actual @sc{nntp} servers, or, perhaps, to many different ports
8412 on the same actual @sc{nntp} server. You tell Gnus which backend to
8413 use, and what parameters to set by specifying a @dfn{select method}.
8415 These select method specifications can sometimes become quite
8416 complicated---say, for instance, that you want to read from the
8417 @sc{nntp} server @samp{news.funet.fi} on port number 13, which
8418 hangs if queried for @sc{nov} headers and has a buggy select. Ahem.
8419 Anyways, if you had to specify that for each group that used this
8420 server, that would be too much work, so Gnus offers a way of naming
8421 select methods, which is what you do in the server buffer.
8423 To enter the server buffer, use the @kbd{^}
8424 (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}) command in the group buffer.
8427 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
8428 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
8429 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
8430 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
8431 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
8432 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
8433 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
8436 @vindex gnus-server-mode-hook
8437 @code{gnus-server-mode-hook} is run when creating the server buffer.
8440 @node Server Buffer Format
8441 @subsection Server Buffer Format
8442 @cindex server buffer format
8444 @vindex gnus-server-line-format
8445 You can change the look of the server buffer lines by changing the
8446 @code{gnus-server-line-format} variable. This is a @code{format}-like
8447 variable, with some simple extensions:
8452 How the news is fetched---the backend name.
8455 The name of this server.
8458 Where the news is to be fetched from---the address.
8461 The opened/closed/denied status of the server.
8464 @vindex gnus-server-mode-line-format
8465 The mode line can also be customized by using the
8466 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format} variable. The following specs are
8477 Also @pxref{Formatting Variables}.
8480 @node Server Commands
8481 @subsection Server Commands
8482 @cindex server commands
8488 @findex gnus-server-add-server
8489 Add a new server (@code{gnus-server-add-server}).
8493 @findex gnus-server-edit-server
8494 Edit a server (@code{gnus-server-edit-server}).
8497 @kindex SPACE (Server)
8498 @findex gnus-server-read-server
8499 Browse the current server (@code{gnus-server-read-server}).
8503 @findex gnus-server-exit
8504 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-server-exit}).
8508 @findex gnus-server-kill-server
8509 Kill the current server (@code{gnus-server-kill-server}).
8513 @findex gnus-server-yank-server
8514 Yank the previously killed server (@code{gnus-server-yank-server}).
8518 @findex gnus-server-copy-server
8519 Copy the current server (@code{gnus-server-copy-server}).
8523 @findex gnus-server-list-servers
8524 List all servers (@code{gnus-server-list-servers}).
8528 @findex gnus-server-scan-server
8529 Request that the server scan its sources for new articles
8530 (@code{gnus-server-scan-server}). This is mainly sensible with mail
8535 @findex gnus-server-regenerate-server
8536 Request that the server regenerate all its data structures
8537 (@code{gnus-server-regenerate-server}). This can be useful if you have
8538 a mail backend that has gotten out of synch.
8543 @node Example Methods
8544 @subsection Example Methods
8546 Most select methods are pretty simple and self-explanatory:
8549 (nntp "news.funet.fi")
8552 Reading directly from the spool is even simpler:
8558 As you can see, the first element in a select method is the name of the
8559 backend, and the second is the @dfn{address}, or @dfn{name}, if you
8562 After these two elements, there may be an arbitrary number of
8563 @var{(variable form)} pairs.
8565 To go back to the first example---imagine that you want to read from
8566 port 15 on that machine. This is what the select method should
8570 (nntp "news.funet.fi" (nntp-port-number 15))
8573 You should read the documentation to each backend to find out what
8574 variables are relevant, but here's an @code{nnmh} example:
8576 @code{nnmh} is a mail backend that reads a spool-like structure. Say
8577 you have two structures that you wish to access: One is your private
8578 mail spool, and the other is a public one. Here's the possible spec for
8582 (nnmh "private" (nnmh-directory "~/private/mail/"))
8585 (This server is then called @samp{private}, but you may have guessed
8588 Here's the method for a public spool:
8592 (nnmh-directory "/usr/information/spool/")
8593 (nnmh-get-new-mail nil))
8596 If you are behind a firewall and only have access to the @sc{nntp}
8597 server from the firewall machine, you can instruct Gnus to @code{rlogin}
8598 on the firewall machine and telnet from there to the @sc{nntp} server.
8599 Doing this can be rather fiddly, but your virtual server definition
8600 should probably look something like this:
8604 (nntp-address "the.firewall.machine")
8605 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-rlogin)
8606 (nntp-end-of-line "\n")
8607 (nntp-rlogin-parameters
8608 ("telnet" "the.real.nntp.host" "nntp")))
8613 @node Creating a Virtual Server
8614 @subsection Creating a Virtual Server
8616 If you're saving lots of articles in the cache by using persistent
8617 articles, you may want to create a virtual server to read the cache.
8619 First you need to add a new server. The @kbd{a} command does that. It
8620 would probably be best to use @code{nnspool} to read the cache. You
8621 could also use @code{nnml} or @code{nnmh}, though.
8623 Type @kbd{a nnspool RET cache RET}.
8625 You should now have a brand new @code{nnspool} virtual server called
8626 @samp{cache}. You now need to edit it to have the right definitions.
8627 Type @kbd{e} to edit the server. You'll be entered into a buffer that
8628 will contain the following:
8638 (nnspool-spool-directory "~/News/cache/")
8639 (nnspool-nov-directory "~/News/cache/")
8640 (nnspool-active-file "~/News/cache/active"))
8643 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to return to the server buffer. If you now press
8644 @kbd{RET} over this virtual server, you should be entered into a browse
8645 buffer, and you should be able to enter any of the groups displayed.
8648 @node Server Variables
8649 @subsection Server Variables
8651 One sticky point when defining variables (both on backends and in Emacs
8652 in general) is that some variables are typically initialized from other
8653 variables when the definition of the variables is being loaded. If you
8654 change the "base" variable after the variables have been loaded, you
8655 won't change the "derived" variables.
8657 This typically affects directory and file variables. For instance,
8658 @code{nnml-directory} is @file{~/Mail/} by default, and all @code{nnml}
8659 directory variables are initialized from that variable, so
8660 @code{nnml-active-file} will be @file{~/Mail/active}. If you define a
8661 new virtual @code{nnml} server, it will @emph{not} suffice to set just
8662 @code{nnml-directory}---you have to explicitly set all the file
8663 variables to be what you want them to be. For a complete list of
8664 variables for each backend, see each backend's section later in this
8665 manual, but here's an example @code{nnml} definition:
8669 (nnml-directory "~/my-mail/")
8670 (nnml-active-file "~/my-mail/active")
8671 (nnml-newsgroups-file "~/my-mail/newsgroups"))
8675 @node Servers and Methods
8676 @subsection Servers and Methods
8678 Wherever you would normally use a select method
8679 (e.g. @code{gnus-secondary-select-method}, in the group select method,
8680 when browsing a foreign server) you can use a virtual server name
8681 instead. This could potentially save lots of typing. And it's nice all
8685 @node Unavailable Servers
8686 @subsection Unavailable Servers
8688 If a server seems to be unreachable, Gnus will mark that server as
8689 @code{denied}. That means that any subsequent attempt to make contact
8690 with that server will just be ignored. ``It can't be opened,'' Gnus
8691 will tell you, without making the least effort to see whether that is
8692 actually the case or not.
8694 That might seem quite naughty, but it does make sense most of the time.
8695 Let's say you have 10 groups subscribed to on server
8696 @samp{nephelococcygia.com}. This server is located somewhere quite far
8697 away from you and the machine is quite slow, so it takes 1 minute just
8698 to find out that it refuses connection to you today. If Gnus were to
8699 attempt to do that 10 times, you'd be quite annoyed, so Gnus won't
8700 attempt to do that. Once it has gotten a single ``connection refused'',
8701 it will regard that server as ``down''.
8703 So, what happens if the machine was only feeling unwell temporarily?
8704 How do you test to see whether the machine has come up again?
8706 You jump to the server buffer (@pxref{The Server Buffer}) and poke it
8707 with the following commands:
8713 @findex gnus-server-open-server
8714 Try to establish connection to the server on the current line
8715 (@code{gnus-server-open-server}).
8719 @findex gnus-server-close-server
8720 Close the connection (if any) to the server
8721 (@code{gnus-server-close-server}).
8725 @findex gnus-server-deny-server
8726 Mark the current server as unreachable
8727 (@code{gnus-server-deny-server}).
8730 @kindex M-o (Server)
8731 @findex gnus-server-open-all-servers
8732 Open the connections to all servers in the buffer
8733 (@code{gnus-server-open-all-servers}).
8736 @kindex M-c (Server)
8737 @findex gnus-server-close-all-servers
8738 Close the connections to all servers in the buffer
8739 (@code{gnus-server-close-all-servers}).
8743 @findex gnus-server-remove-denials
8744 Remove all marks to whether Gnus was denied connection from any servers
8745 (@code{gnus-server-remove-denials}).
8751 @section Getting News
8752 @cindex reading news
8753 @cindex news backends
8755 A newsreader is normally used for reading news. Gnus currently provides
8756 only two methods of getting news---it can read from an @sc{nntp} server,
8757 or it can read from a local spool.
8760 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
8761 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
8766 @subsection @sc{nntp}
8769 Subscribing to a foreign group from an @sc{nntp} server is rather easy.
8770 You just specify @code{nntp} as method and the address of the @sc{nntp}
8771 server as the, uhm, address.
8773 If the @sc{nntp} server is located at a non-standard port, setting the
8774 third element of the select method to this port number should allow you
8775 to connect to the right port. You'll have to edit the group info for
8776 that (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
8778 The name of the foreign group can be the same as a native group. In
8779 fact, you can subscribe to the same group from as many different servers
8780 you feel like. There will be no name collisions.
8782 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nntp}
8787 @item nntp-server-opened-hook
8788 @vindex nntp-server-opened-hook
8789 @cindex @sc{mode reader}
8791 @cindex authentification
8792 @cindex nntp authentification
8793 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
8794 @findex nntp-send-mode-reader
8795 is run after a connection has been made. It can be used to send
8796 commands to the @sc{nntp} server after it has been contacted. By
8797 default it sends the command @code{MODE READER} to the server with the
8798 @code{nntp-send-mode-reader} function. This function should always be
8799 present in this hook.
8801 @item nntp-authinfo-function
8802 @vindex nntp-authinfo-function
8803 This function will be used to send @samp{AUTHINFO} to the @sc{nntp}
8804 server. Available functions include:
8807 @item nntp-send-authinfo
8808 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
8809 This function will use your current login name as the user name and will
8810 prompt you for the password. This is the default.
8812 @item nntp-send-nosy-authinfo
8813 @findex nntp-send-nosy-authinfo
8814 This function will prompt you for both user name and password.
8816 @item nntp-send-authinfo-from-file
8817 @findex nntp-send-authinfo-from-file
8818 This function will use your current login name as the user name and will
8819 read the @sc{nntp} password from @file{~/.nntp-authinfo}.
8822 @item nntp-server-action-alist
8823 @vindex nntp-server-action-alist
8824 This is a list of regexps to match on server types and actions to be
8825 taken when matches are made. For instance, if you want Gnus to beep
8826 every time you connect to innd, you could say something like:
8829 (setq nntp-server-action-alist
8833 You probably don't want to do that, though.
8835 The default value is
8838 '(("nntpd 1\\.5\\.11t"
8839 (remove-hook 'nntp-server-opened-hook 'nntp-send-mode-reader)))
8842 This ensures that Gnus doesn't send the @code{MODE READER} command to
8843 nntpd 1.5.11t, since that command chokes that server, I've been told.
8845 @item nntp-maximum-request
8846 @vindex nntp-maximum-request
8847 If the @sc{nntp} server doesn't support @sc{nov} headers, this backend
8848 will collect headers by sending a series of @code{head} commands. To
8849 speed things up, the backend sends lots of these commands without
8850 waiting for reply, and then reads all the replies. This is controlled
8851 by the @code{nntp-maximum-request} variable, and is 400 by default. If
8852 your network is buggy, you should set this to 1.
8854 @item nntp-connection-timeout
8855 @vindex nntp-connection-timeout
8856 If you have lots of foreign @code{nntp} groups that you connect to
8857 regularly, you're sure to have problems with @sc{nntp} servers not
8858 responding properly, or being too loaded to reply within reasonable
8859 time. This is can lead to awkward problems, which can be helped
8860 somewhat by setting @code{nntp-connection-timeout}. This is an integer
8861 that says how many seconds the @code{nntp} backend should wait for a
8862 connection before giving up. If it is @code{nil}, which is the default,
8863 no timeouts are done.
8865 @c @item nntp-command-timeout
8866 @c @vindex nntp-command-timeout
8867 @c @cindex PPP connections
8868 @c @cindex dynamic IP addresses
8869 @c If you're running Gnus on a machine that has a dynamically assigned
8870 @c address, Gnus may become confused. If the address of your machine
8871 @c changes after connecting to the @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will simply sit
8872 @c waiting forever for replies from the server. To help with this
8873 @c unfortunate problem, you can set this command to a number. Gnus will
8874 @c then, if it sits waiting for a reply from the server longer than that
8875 @c number of seconds, shut down the connection, start a new one, and resend
8876 @c the command. This should hopefully be transparent to the user. A
8877 @c likely number is 30 seconds.
8879 @c @item nntp-retry-on-break
8880 @c @vindex nntp-retry-on-break
8881 @c If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you can also @kbd{C-g} if Gnus
8882 @c hangs. This will have much the same effect as the command timeout
8885 @item nntp-server-hook
8886 @vindex nntp-server-hook
8887 This hook is run as the last step when connecting to an @sc{nntp}
8890 @findex nntp-open-rlogin
8891 @findex nntp-open-telnet
8892 @findex nntp-open-network-stream
8893 @item nntp-open-connection-function
8894 @vindex nntp-open-connection-function
8895 This function is used to connect to the remote system. Three pre-made
8896 functions are @code{nntp-open-network-stream}, which is the default, and
8897 simply connects to some port or other on the remote system. The other
8898 two are @code{nntp-open-rlogin}, which does an @samp{rlogin} on the
8899 remote system, and then does a @samp{telnet} to the @sc{nntp} server
8900 available there, and @code{nntp-open-telnet}, which does a @samp{telnet}
8901 to the remote system and then another @samp{telnet} to get to the
8904 @code{nntp-open-rlogin}-related variables:
8908 @item nntp-rlogin-program
8909 @vindex nntp-rlogin-program
8910 Program used to log in on remote machines. The default is @samp{rsh},
8911 but @samp{ssh} is a popular alternative.
8913 @item nntp-rlogin-parameters
8914 @vindex nntp-rlogin-parameters
8915 This list will be used as the parameter list given to @code{rsh}.
8917 @item nntp-rlogin-user-name
8918 @vindex nntp-rlogin-user-name
8919 User name on the remote system.
8923 @code{nntp-open-telnet}-related variables:
8926 @item nntp-telnet-command
8927 @vindex nntp-telnet-command
8928 Command used to start @code{telnet}.
8930 @item nntp-telnet-switches
8931 @vindex nntp-telnet-switches
8932 List of strings to be used as the switches to the @code{telnet} command.
8934 @item nntp-telnet-user-name
8935 @vindex nntp-telnet-user-name
8936 User name for log in on the remote system.
8938 @item nntp-telnet-passwd
8939 @vindex nntp-telnet-passwd
8940 Password to use when logging in.
8942 @item nntp-telnet-parameters
8943 @vindex nntp-telnet-parameters
8944 A list of strings executed as a command after logging in
8949 @item nntp-end-of-line
8950 @vindex nntp-end-of-line
8951 String to use as end-of-line marker when talking to the @sc{nntp}
8952 server. This is @samp{\r\n} by default, but should be @samp{\n} when
8953 using @code{rlogin} to talk to the server.
8955 @item nntp-rlogin-user-name
8956 @vindex nntp-rlogin-user-name
8957 User name on the remote system when using the @code{rlogin} connect
8961 @vindex nntp-address
8962 The address of the remote system running the @sc{nntp} server.
8964 @item nntp-port-number
8965 @vindex nntp-port-number
8966 Port number to connect to when using the @code{nntp-open-network-stream}
8969 @item nntp-buggy-select
8970 @vindex nntp-buggy-select
8971 Set this to non-@code{nil} if your select routine is buggy.
8973 @item nntp-nov-is-evil
8974 @vindex nntp-nov-is-evil
8975 If the @sc{nntp} server does not support @sc{nov}, you could set this
8976 variable to @code{t}, but @code{nntp} usually checks automatically whether @sc{nov}
8979 @item nntp-xover-commands
8980 @vindex nntp-xover-commands
8983 List of strings used as commands to fetch @sc{nov} lines from a
8984 server. The default value of this variable is @code{("XOVER"
8988 @vindex nntp-nov-gap
8989 @code{nntp} normally sends just one big request for @sc{nov} lines to
8990 the server. The server responds with one huge list of lines. However,
8991 if you have read articles 2-5000 in the group, and only want to read
8992 article 1 and 5001, that means that @code{nntp} will fetch 4999 @sc{nov}
8993 lines that you will not need. This variable says how
8994 big a gap between two consecutive articles is allowed to be before the
8995 @code{XOVER} request is split into several request. Note that if your
8996 network is fast, setting this variable to a really small number means
8997 that fetching will probably be slower. If this variable is @code{nil},
8998 @code{nntp} will never split requests. The default is 5.
9000 @item nntp-prepare-server-hook
9001 @vindex nntp-prepare-server-hook
9002 A hook run before attempting to connect to an @sc{nntp} server.
9004 @item nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
9005 @vindex nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
9006 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, some noise will be made when a
9007 server closes connection.
9013 @subsection News Spool
9017 Subscribing to a foreign group from the local spool is extremely easy,
9018 and might be useful, for instance, to speed up reading groups that
9019 contain very big articles---@samp{alt.binaries.pictures.furniture}, for
9022 Anyways, you just specify @code{nnspool} as the method and @code{""} (or
9023 anything else) as the address.
9025 If you have access to a local spool, you should probably use that as the
9026 native select method (@pxref{Finding the News}). It is normally faster
9027 than using an @code{nntp} select method, but might not be. It depends.
9028 You just have to try to find out what's best at your site.
9032 @item nnspool-inews-program
9033 @vindex nnspool-inews-program
9034 Program used to post an article.
9036 @item nnspool-inews-switches
9037 @vindex nnspool-inews-switches
9038 Parameters given to the inews program when posting an article.
9040 @item nnspool-spool-directory
9041 @vindex nnspool-spool-directory
9042 Where @code{nnspool} looks for the articles. This is normally
9043 @file{/usr/spool/news/}.
9045 @item nnspool-nov-directory
9046 @vindex nnspool-nov-directory
9047 Where @code{nnspool} will look for @sc{nov} files. This is normally
9048 @file{/usr/spool/news/over.view/}.
9050 @item nnspool-lib-dir
9051 @vindex nnspool-lib-dir
9052 Where the news lib dir is (@file{/usr/lib/news/} by default).
9054 @item nnspool-active-file
9055 @vindex nnspool-active-file
9056 The path to the active file.
9058 @item nnspool-newsgroups-file
9059 @vindex nnspool-newsgroups-file
9060 The path to the group descriptions file.
9062 @item nnspool-history-file
9063 @vindex nnspool-history-file
9064 The path to the news history file.
9066 @item nnspool-active-times-file
9067 @vindex nnspool-active-times-file
9068 The path to the active date file.
9070 @item nnspool-nov-is-evil
9071 @vindex nnspool-nov-is-evil
9072 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnspool} won't try to use any @sc{nov} files
9075 @item nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
9076 @vindex nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
9078 If non-@code{nil}, which is the default, use @code{sed} to get the
9079 relevant portion from the overview file. If nil, @code{nnspool} will
9080 load the entire file into a buffer and process it there.
9086 @section Getting Mail
9087 @cindex reading mail
9090 Reading mail with a newsreader---isn't that just plain WeIrD? But of
9094 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
9095 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
9096 * Mail Backend Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
9097 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
9098 * Mail and Procmail:: Reading mail groups that procmail create.
9099 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
9100 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
9101 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
9102 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
9103 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail backends for reading other files.
9104 * Choosing a Mail Backend:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
9108 @node Getting Started Reading Mail
9109 @subsection Getting Started Reading Mail
9111 It's quite easy to use Gnus to read your new mail. You just plonk the
9112 mail backend of your choice into @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods},
9113 and things will happen automatically.
9115 For instance, if you want to use @code{nnml} (which is a "one file per
9116 mail" backend), you could put the following in your @file{.gnus} file:
9119 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
9120 '((nnml "private")))
9123 Now, the next time you start Gnus, this backend will be queried for new
9124 articles, and it will move all the messages in your spool file to its
9125 directory, which is @code{~/Mail/} by default. The new group that will
9126 be created (@samp{mail.misc}) will be subscribed, and you can read it
9127 like any other group.
9129 You will probably want to split the mail into several groups, though:
9132 (setq nnmail-split-methods
9133 '(("junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
9134 ("crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
9138 This will result in three new @code{nnml} mail groups being created:
9139 @samp{nnml:junk}, @samp{nnml:crazy}, and @samp{nnml:other}. All the
9140 mail that doesn't fit into the first two groups will be placed in the
9143 This should be sufficient for reading mail with Gnus. You might want to
9144 give the other sections in this part of the manual a perusal, though.
9145 Especially @pxref{Choosing a Mail Backend} and @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
9148 @node Splitting Mail
9149 @subsection Splitting Mail
9150 @cindex splitting mail
9151 @cindex mail splitting
9153 @vindex nnmail-split-methods
9154 The @code{nnmail-split-methods} variable says how the incoming mail is
9155 to be split into groups.
9158 (setq nnmail-split-methods
9159 '(("mail.junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
9160 ("mail.crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
9164 This variable is a list of lists, where the first element of each of
9165 these lists is the name of the mail group (they do not have to be called
9166 something beginning with @samp{mail}, by the way), and the second
9167 element is a regular expression used on the header of each mail to
9168 determine if it belongs in this mail group. The first string may
9169 contain @samp{\\1} forms, like the ones used by @code{replace-match} to
9170 insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For instance:
9173 ("list.\\1" "From:.*\\(.*\\)-list@@majordomo.com")
9176 If the first element is the special symbol @code{junk}, then messages
9177 that match the regexp will disappear into the aether. Use with
9180 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
9181 called narrowed to the headers with the first element of the rule as the
9182 argument. It should return a non-@code{nil} value if it thinks that the
9183 mail belongs in that group.
9185 The last of these groups should always be a general one, and the regular
9186 expression should @emph{always} be @samp{} so that it matches any mails
9187 that haven't been matched by any of the other regexps. (These rules are
9188 processed from the beginning of the alist toward the end. The first
9189 rule to make a match will "win", unless you have crossposting enabled.
9190 In that case, all matching rules will "win".)
9192 If you like to tinker with this yourself, you can set this variable to a
9193 function of your choice. This function will be called without any
9194 arguments in a buffer narrowed to the headers of an incoming mail
9195 message. The function should return a list of group names that it
9196 thinks should carry this mail message.
9198 Note that the mail backends are free to maul the poor, innocent,
9199 incoming headers all they want to. They all add @code{Lines} headers;
9200 some add @code{X-Gnus-Group} headers; most rename the Unix mbox
9201 @code{From<SPACE>} line to something else.
9203 @vindex nnmail-crosspost
9204 The mail backends all support cross-posting. If several regexps match,
9205 the mail will be ``cross-posted'' to all those groups.
9206 @code{nnmail-crosspost} says whether to use this mechanism or not. Note
9207 that no articles are crossposted to the general (@samp{}) group.
9209 @vindex nnmail-crosspost-link-function
9212 @code{nnmh} and @code{nnml} makes crossposts by creating hard links to
9213 the crossposted articles. However, not all file systems support hard
9214 links. If that's the case for you, set
9215 @code{nnmail-crosspost-link-function} to @code{copy-file}. (This
9216 variable is @code{add-name-to-file} by default.)
9218 @kindex M-x nnmail-split-history
9219 @kindex nnmail-split-history
9220 If you wish to see where the previous mail split put the messages, you
9221 can use the @kbd{M-x nnmail-split-history} command.
9223 Gnus gives you all the opportunity you could possibly want for shooting
9224 yourself in the foot. Let's say you create a group that will contain
9225 all the mail you get from your boss. And then you accidentally
9226 unsubscribe from the group. Gnus will still put all the mail from your
9227 boss in the unsubscribed group, and so, when your boss mails you ``Have
9228 that report ready by Monday or you're fired!'', you'll never see it and,
9229 come Tuesday, you'll still believe that you're gainfully employed while
9230 you really should be out collecting empty bottles to save up for next
9234 @node Mail Backend Variables
9235 @subsection Mail Backend Variables
9237 These variables are (for the most part) pertinent to all the various
9241 @vindex nnmail-read-incoming-hook
9242 @item nnmail-read-incoming-hook
9243 The mail backends all call this hook after reading new mail. You can
9244 use this hook to notify any mail watch programs, if you want to.
9246 @vindex nnmail-spool-file
9247 @item nnmail-spool-file
9251 @vindex nnmail-pop-password
9252 @vindex nnmail-pop-password-required
9253 The backends will look for new mail in this file. If this variable is
9254 @code{nil}, the mail backends will never attempt to fetch mail by
9255 themselves. If you are using a POP mail server and your name is
9256 @samp{larsi}, you should set this variable to @samp{po:larsi}. If
9257 your name is not @samp{larsi}, you should probably modify that
9258 slightly, but you may have guessed that already, you smart & handsome
9259 devil! You can also set this variable to @code{pop}, and Gnus will try
9260 to figure out the POP mail string by itself. In any case, Gnus will
9261 call @code{movemail} which will contact the POP server named in the
9262 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable. If the POP server needs a
9263 password, you can either set @code{nnmail-pop-password-required} to
9264 @code{t} and be prompted for the password, or set
9265 @code{nnmail-pop-password} to the password itself.
9267 @code{nnmail-spool-file} can also be a list of mailboxes.
9269 Your Emacs has to have been configured with @samp{--with-pop} before
9270 compilation. This is the default, but some installations have it
9273 When you use a mail backend, Gnus will slurp all your mail from your
9274 inbox and plonk it down in your home directory. Gnus doesn't move any
9275 mail if you're not using a mail backend---you have to do a lot of magic
9276 invocations first. At the time when you have finished drawing the
9277 pentagram, lightened the candles, and sacrificed the goat, you really
9278 shouldn't be too surprised when Gnus moves your mail.
9280 @vindex nnmail-use-procmail
9281 @vindex nnmail-procmail-suffix
9282 @item nnmail-use-procmail
9283 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will look in
9284 @code{nnmail-procmail-directory} for incoming mail. All the files in
9285 that directory that have names ending in @code{nnmail-procmail-suffix}
9286 will be considered incoming mailboxes, and will be searched for new
9289 @vindex nnmail-crash-box
9290 @item nnmail-crash-box
9291 When a mail backend reads a spool file, mail is first moved to this
9292 file, which is @file{~/.gnus-crash-box} by default. If this file
9293 already exists, it will always be read (and incorporated) before any
9296 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
9297 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
9298 This is run in a buffer that holds all the new incoming mail, and can be
9299 used for, well, anything, really.
9301 @vindex nnmail-split-hook
9302 @item nnmail-split-hook
9303 @findex article-decode-rfc1522
9304 @findex RFC1522 decoding
9305 Hook run in the buffer where the mail headers of each message is kept
9306 just before the splitting based on these headers is done. The hook is
9307 free to modify the buffer contents in any way it sees fit---the buffer
9308 is discarded after the splitting has been done, and no changes performed
9309 in the buffer will show up in any files. @code{gnus-article-decode-rfc1522}
9310 is one likely function to add to this hook.
9312 @vindex nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
9313 @vindex nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
9314 @item nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
9315 @itemx nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
9316 These are two useful hooks executed when treating new incoming
9317 mail---@code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook} (is called just before
9318 starting to handle the new mail) and
9319 @code{nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook} (is called when the mail handling
9320 is done). Here's and example of using these two hooks to change the
9321 default file modes the new mail files get:
9324 (add-hook 'gnus-pre-get-new-mail-hook
9325 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 511)))
9327 (add-hook 'gnus-post-get-new-mail-hook
9328 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 551)))
9331 @item nnmail-tmp-directory
9332 @vindex nnmail-tmp-directory
9333 This variable says where to move incoming mail to -- while processing
9334 it. This is usually done in the same directory that the mail backend
9335 inhabits (e.g., @file{~/Mail/}), but if this variable is non-@code{nil},
9336 it will be used instead.
9338 @item nnmail-movemail-program
9339 @vindex nnmail-movemail-program
9340 This program is executed to move mail from the user's inbox to her home
9341 directory. The default is @samp{movemail}.
9343 This can also be a function. In that case, the function will be called
9344 with two parameters -- the name of the inbox, and the file to be moved
9347 @item nnmail-delete-incoming
9348 @vindex nnmail-delete-incoming
9349 @cindex incoming mail files
9350 @cindex deleting incoming files
9351 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will delete the temporary incoming
9352 file after splitting mail into the proper groups. This is @code{t} by
9355 @c This is @code{nil} by
9356 @c default for reasons of security.
9358 @c Since Red Gnus is an alpha release, it is to be expected to lose mail.
9359 (No Gnus release since (ding) Gnus 0.10 (or something like that) have
9360 lost mail, I think, but that's not the point. (Except certain versions
9361 of Red Gnus.)) By not deleting the Incoming* files, one can be sure not
9362 to lose mail -- if Gnus totally whacks out, one can always recover what
9365 You may delete the @file{Incoming*} files at will.
9367 @item nnmail-use-long-file-names
9368 @vindex nnmail-use-long-file-names
9369 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will use long file and directory
9370 names. Groups like @samp{mail.misc} will end up in directories
9371 (assuming use of @code{nnml} backend) or files (assuming use of
9372 @code{nnfolder} backend) like @file{mail.misc}. If it is @code{nil},
9373 the same group will end up in @file{mail/misc}.
9375 @item nnmail-delete-file-function
9376 @vindex nnmail-delete-file-function
9378 Function called to delete files. It is @code{delete-file} by default.
9380 @item nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
9381 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
9382 If non-@code{nil}, put the @code{Message-ID}s of articles imported into
9383 the backend (via @code{Gcc}, for instance) into the mail duplication
9384 discovery cache. The default is @code{nil}.
9389 @node Fancy Mail Splitting
9390 @subsection Fancy Mail Splitting
9391 @cindex mail splitting
9392 @cindex fancy mail splitting
9394 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy
9395 @findex nnmail-split-fancy
9396 If the rather simple, standard method for specifying how to split mail
9397 doesn't allow you to do what you want, you can set
9398 @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy}. Then you can
9399 play with the @code{nnmail-split-fancy} variable.
9401 Let's look at an example value of this variable first:
9404 ;; Messages from the mailer daemon are not crossposted to any of
9405 ;; the ordinary groups. Warnings are put in a separate group
9406 ;; from real errors.
9407 (| ("from" mail (| ("subject" "warn.*" "mail.warning")
9409 ;; Non-error messages are crossposted to all relevant
9410 ;; groups, but we don't crosspost between the group for the
9411 ;; (ding) list and the group for other (ding) related mail.
9412 (& (| (any "ding@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "ding.list")
9413 ("subject" "ding" "ding.misc"))
9414 ;; Other mailing lists...
9415 (any "procmail@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "procmail.list")
9416 (any "SmartList@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "SmartList.list")
9418 (any "larsi@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "people.Lars_Magne_Ingebrigtsen"))
9419 ;; Unmatched mail goes to the catch all group.
9423 This variable has the format of a @dfn{split}. A split is a (possibly)
9424 recursive structure where each split may contain other splits. Here are
9425 the five possible split syntaxes:
9430 @samp{group}: If the split is a string, that will be taken as a group name.
9433 @var{(FIELD VALUE SPLIT)}: If the split is a list, the first element of
9434 which is a string, then store the message as specified by SPLIT, if
9435 header FIELD (a regexp) contains VALUE (also a regexp).
9438 @var{(| SPLIT...)}: If the split is a list, and the first element is
9439 @code{|} (vertical bar), then process each SPLIT until one of them
9440 matches. A SPLIT is said to match if it will cause the mail message to
9441 be stored in one or more groups.
9444 @var{(& SPLIT...)}: If the split is a list, and the first element is
9445 @code{&}, then process all SPLITs in the list.
9448 @code{junk}: If the split is the symbol @code{junk}, then don't save
9449 this message anywhere.
9452 @var{(: function arg1 arg2 ...)}: If the split is a list, and the first
9453 element is @code{:}, then the second element will be called as a
9454 function with @var{args} given as arguments. The function should return
9459 In these splits, @var{FIELD} must match a complete field name.
9460 @var{VALUE} must match a complete word according to the fundamental mode
9461 syntax table. You can use @code{.*} in the regexps to match partial
9462 field names or words. In other words, all @var{VALUE}'s are wrapped in
9463 @samp{\<} and @samp{\>} pairs.
9465 @vindex nnmail-split-abbrev-alist
9466 @var{FIELD} and @var{VALUE} can also be lisp symbols, in that case they
9467 are expanded as specified by the variable
9468 @code{nnmail-split-abbrev-alist}. This is an alist of cons cells, where
9469 the @code{car} of a cell contains the key, and the @code{cdr} contains the associated
9472 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table
9473 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table} is the syntax table in effect
9474 when all this splitting is performed.
9476 If you want to have Gnus create groups dynamically based on some
9477 information in the headers (i.e., do @code{replace-match}-like
9478 substitions in the group names), you can say things like:
9481 (any "debian-\(\\w*\\)@@lists.debian.org" "mail.debian.\\1")
9484 @node Mail and Procmail
9485 @subsection Mail and Procmail
9490 Many people use @code{procmail} (or some other mail filter program or
9491 external delivery agent---@code{slocal}, @code{elm}, etc) to split
9492 incoming mail into groups. If you do that, you should set
9493 @code{nnmail-spool-file} to @code{procmail} to ensure that the mail
9494 backends never ever try to fetch mail by themselves.
9496 This also means that you probably don't want to set
9497 @code{nnmail-split-methods} either, which has some, perhaps, unexpected
9500 When a mail backend is queried for what groups it carries, it replies
9501 with the contents of that variable, along with any groups it has figured
9502 out that it carries by other means. None of the backends, except
9503 @code{nnmh}, actually go out to the disk and check what groups actually
9504 exist. (It's not trivial to distinguish between what the user thinks is
9505 a basis for a newsgroup and what is just a plain old file or directory.)
9507 This means that you have to tell Gnus (and the backends) by hand what
9510 Let's take the @code{nnmh} backend as an example:
9512 The folders are located in @code{nnmh-directory}, say, @file{~/Mail/}.
9513 There are three folders, @file{foo}, @file{bar} and @file{mail.baz}.
9515 Go to the group buffer and type @kbd{G m}. When prompted, answer
9516 @samp{foo} for the name and @samp{nnmh} for the method. Repeat
9517 twice for the two other groups, @samp{bar} and @samp{mail.baz}. Be sure
9518 to include all your mail groups.
9520 That's it. You are now set to read your mail. An active file for this
9521 method will be created automatically.
9523 @vindex nnmail-procmail-suffix
9524 @vindex nnmail-procmail-directory
9525 If you use @code{nnfolder} or any other backend that store more than a
9526 single article in each file, you should never have procmail add mails to
9527 the file that Gnus sees. Instead, procmail should put all incoming mail
9528 in @code{nnmail-procmail-directory}. To arrive at the file name to put
9529 the incoming mail in, append @code{nnmail-procmail-suffix} to the group
9530 name. The mail backends will read the mail from these files.
9532 @vindex nnmail-resplit-incoming
9533 When Gnus reads a file called @file{mail.misc.spool}, this mail will be
9534 put in the @code{mail.misc}, as one would expect. However, if you want
9535 Gnus to split the mail the normal way, you could set
9536 @code{nnmail-resplit-incoming} to @code{t}.
9538 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
9539 If you use @code{procmail} to split things directly into an @code{nnmh}
9540 directory (which you shouldn't do), you should set
9541 @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} to non-@code{nil} to prevent Gnus from
9542 ever expiring the final article (i.e., the article with the highest
9543 article number) in a mail newsgroup. This is quite, quite important.
9545 Here's an example setup: The incoming spools are located in
9546 @file{~/incoming/} and have @samp{""} as suffixes (i.e., the incoming
9547 spool files have the same names as the equivalent groups). The
9548 @code{nnfolder} backend is to be used as the mail interface, and the
9549 @code{nnfolder} directory is @file{~/fMail/}.
9552 (setq nnfolder-directory "~/fMail/")
9553 (setq nnmail-spool-file 'procmail)
9554 (setq nnmail-procmail-directory "~/incoming/")
9555 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnfolder "")))
9556 (setq nnmail-procmail-suffix "")
9560 @node Incorporating Old Mail
9561 @subsection Incorporating Old Mail
9563 Most people have lots of old mail stored in various file formats. If
9564 you have set up Gnus to read mail using one of the spiffy Gnus mail
9565 backends, you'll probably wish to have that old mail incorporated into
9568 Doing so can be quite easy.
9570 To take an example: You're reading mail using @code{nnml}
9571 (@pxref{Mail Spool}), and have set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to a
9572 satisfactory value (@pxref{Splitting Mail}). You have an old Unix mbox
9573 file filled with important, but old, mail. You want to move it into
9574 your @code{nnml} groups.
9580 Go to the group buffer.
9583 Type `G f' and give the path to the mbox file when prompted to create an
9584 @code{nndoc} group from the mbox file (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
9587 Type `SPACE' to enter the newly created group.
9590 Type `M P b' to process-mark all articles in this group's buffer
9591 (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
9594 Type `B r' to respool all the process-marked articles, and answer
9595 @samp{nnml} when prompted (@pxref{Mail Group Commands}).
9598 All the mail messages in the mbox file will now also be spread out over
9599 all your @code{nnml} groups. Try entering them and check whether things
9600 have gone without a glitch. If things look ok, you may consider
9601 deleting the mbox file, but I wouldn't do that unless I was absolutely
9602 sure that all the mail has ended up where it should be.
9604 Respooling is also a handy thing to do if you're switching from one mail
9605 backend to another. Just respool all the mail in the old mail groups
9606 using the new mail backend.
9610 @subsection Expiring Mail
9611 @cindex article expiry
9613 Traditional mail readers have a tendency to remove mail articles when
9614 you mark them as read, in some way. Gnus takes a fundamentally
9615 different approach to mail reading.
9617 Gnus basically considers mail just to be news that has been received in
9618 a rather peculiar manner. It does not think that it has the power to
9619 actually change the mail, or delete any mail messages. If you enter a
9620 mail group, and mark articles as ``read'', or kill them in some other
9621 fashion, the mail articles will still exist on the system. I repeat:
9622 Gnus will not delete your old, read mail. Unless you ask it to, of
9625 To make Gnus get rid of your unwanted mail, you have to mark the
9626 articles as @dfn{expirable}. This does not mean that the articles will
9627 disappear right away, however. In general, a mail article will be
9628 deleted from your system if, 1) it is marked as expirable, AND 2) it is
9629 more than one week old. If you do not mark an article as expirable, it
9630 will remain on your system until hell freezes over. This bears
9631 repeating one more time, with some spurious capitalizations: IF you do
9632 NOT mark articles as EXPIRABLE, Gnus will NEVER delete those ARTICLES.
9634 @vindex gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
9635 You do not have to mark articles as expirable by hand. Groups that
9636 match the regular expression @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups} will
9637 have all articles that you read marked as expirable automatically. All
9638 articles marked as expirable have an @samp{E} in the first
9639 column in the summary buffer.
9641 By default, if you have auto expiry switched on, Gnus will mark all the
9642 articles you read as expirable, no matter if they were read or unread
9643 before. To avoid having articles marked as read marked as expirable
9644 automatically, you can put something like the following in your
9647 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
9649 (remove-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook
9650 'gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read)
9651 (add-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook 'gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read)
9654 Note that making a group auto-expirable doesn't mean that all read
9655 articles are expired---only the articles marked as expirable
9656 will be expired. Also note that using the @kbd{d} command won't make
9657 groups expirable---only semi-automatic marking of articles as read will
9658 mark the articles as expirable in auto-expirable groups.
9660 Let's say you subscribe to a couple of mailing lists, and you want the
9661 articles you have read to disappear after a while:
9664 (setq gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
9665 "mail.nonsense-list\\|mail.nice-list")
9668 Another way to have auto-expiry happen is to have the element
9669 @code{auto-expire} in the group parameters of the group.
9671 If you use adaptive scoring (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}) and
9672 auto-expiring, you'll have problems. Auto-expiring and adaptive scoring
9673 don't really mix very well.
9675 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait
9676 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable supplies the default time an
9677 expirable article has to live. Gnus starts counting days from when the
9678 message @emph{arrived}, not from when it was sent. The default is seven
9681 Gnus also supplies a function that lets you fine-tune how long articles
9682 are to live, based on what group they are in. Let's say you want to
9683 have one month expiry period in the @samp{mail.private} group, a one day
9684 expiry period in the @samp{mail.junk} group, and a six day expiry period
9687 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
9689 (setq nnmail-expiry-wait-function
9691 (cond ((string= group "mail.private")
9693 ((string= group "mail.junk")
9695 ((string= group "important")
9701 The group names this function is fed are ``unadorned'' group
9702 names---no @samp{nnml:} prefixes and the like.
9704 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable and
9705 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} function can either be a number (not
9706 necessarily an integer) or one of the symbols @code{immediate} or
9709 You can also use the @code{expiry-wait} group parameter to selectively
9710 change the expiry period (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
9712 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
9713 If @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will never
9714 expire the final article in a mail newsgroup. This is to make life
9715 easier for procmail users.
9717 @vindex gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups
9718 By the way: That line up there, about Gnus never expiring non-expirable
9719 articles, is a lie. If you put @code{total-expire} in the group
9720 parameters, articles will not be marked as expirable, but all read
9721 articles will be put through the expiry process. Use with extreme
9722 caution. Even more dangerous is the
9723 @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups} variable. All groups that match
9724 this regexp will have all read articles put through the expiry process,
9725 which means that @emph{all} old mail articles in the groups in question
9726 will be deleted after a while. Use with extreme caution, and don't come
9727 crying to me when you discover that the regexp you used matched the
9728 wrong group and all your important mail has disappeared. Be a
9729 @emph{man}! Or a @emph{woman}! Whatever you feel more comfortable
9732 Most people make most of their mail groups total-expirable, though.
9736 @subsection Washing Mail
9737 @cindex mail washing
9738 @cindex list server brain damage
9739 @cindex incoming mail treatment
9741 Mailers and list servers are notorious for doing all sorts of really,
9742 really stupid things with mail. ``Hey, RFC822 doesn't explicitly
9743 prohibit us from adding the string @code{wE aRe ElItE!!!!!1!!} to the
9744 end of all lines passing through our server, so let's do that!!!!1!''
9745 Yes, but RFC822 wasn't designed to be read by morons. Things that were
9746 considered to be self-evident were not discussed. So. Here we are.
9748 Case in point: The German version of Microsoft Exchange adds @samp{AW:
9749 } to the subjects of replies instead of @samp{Re: }. I could pretend to
9750 be shocked and dismayed by this, but I haven't got the energy. It is to
9753 Gnus provides a plethora of functions for washing articles while
9754 displaying them, but it might be nicer to do the filtering before
9755 storing the mail to disc. For that purpose, we have three hooks and
9756 various functions that can be put in these hooks.
9759 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
9760 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
9761 This hook is called before doing anything with the mail and is meant for
9762 grand, sweeping gestures. Functions to be used include:
9765 @item nnheader-ms-strip-cr
9766 @findex nnheader-ms-strip-cr
9767 Remove trailing carriage returns from each line. This is default on
9768 Emacs running on MS machines.
9772 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
9773 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
9774 This hook is called narrowed to each header. It can be used when
9775 cleaning up the headers. Functions that can be used include:
9778 @item nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
9779 @findex nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
9780 Clear leading white space that ``helpful'' listservs have added to the
9781 headers to make them look nice. Aaah.
9783 @item nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
9784 @findex nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
9785 Some list servers add an identifier---for example, @samp{(idm)}---to the
9786 beginning of all @code{Subject} headers. I'm sure that's nice for
9787 people who use stone age mail readers. This function will remove
9788 strings that match the @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} regexp, which can
9789 also be a list of regexp.
9791 For instance, if you want to remove the @samp{(idm)} and the
9792 @samp{nagnagnag} identifiers:
9795 (setq nnmail-list-identifiers
9796 '("(idm)" "nagnagnag"))
9799 @item nnmail-remove-tabs
9800 @findex nnmail-remove-tabs
9801 Translate all @samp{TAB} characters into @samp{SPACE} characters.
9805 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
9806 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
9807 This hook is called narrowed to each message. Functions to be used
9811 @item article-de-quoted-unreadable
9812 @findex article-de-quoted-unreadable
9813 Decode Quoted Readable encoding.
9820 @subsection Duplicates
9822 @vindex nnmail-treat-duplicates
9823 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-length
9824 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-file
9825 @cindex duplicate mails
9826 If you are a member of a couple of mailing lists, you will sometimes
9827 receive two copies of the same mail. This can be quite annoying, so
9828 @code{nnmail} checks for and treats any duplicates it might find. To do
9829 this, it keeps a cache of old @code{Message-ID}s---
9830 @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file}, which is @file{~/.nnmail-cache} by
9831 default. The approximate maximum number of @code{Message-ID}s stored
9832 there is controlled by the @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length}
9833 variable, which is 1000 by default. (So 1000 @code{Message-ID}s will be
9834 stored.) If all this sounds scary to you, you can set
9835 @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} to @code{warn} (which is what it is by
9836 default), and @code{nnmail} won't delete duplicate mails. Instead it
9837 will insert a warning into the head of the mail saying that it thinks
9838 that this is a duplicate of a different message.
9840 This variable can also be a function. If that's the case, the function
9841 will be called from a buffer narrowed to the message in question with
9842 the @code{Message-ID} as a parameter. The function must return either
9843 @code{nil}, @code{warn}, or @code{delete}.
9845 You can turn this feature off completely by setting the variable to
9848 If you want all the duplicate mails to be put into a special
9849 @dfn{duplicates} group, you could do that using the normal mail split
9853 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
9854 '(| ;; Messages duplicates go to a separate group.
9855 ("gnus-warning" "duplication of message" "duplicate")
9856 ;; Message from daemons, postmaster, and the like to another.
9857 (any mail "mail.misc")
9864 (setq nnmail-split-methods
9865 '(("duplicates" "^Gnus-Warning:")
9870 Here's a neat feature: If you know that the recipient reads her mail
9871 with Gnus, and that she has @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} set to
9872 @code{delete}, you can send her as many insults as you like, just by
9873 using a @code{Message-ID} of a mail that you know that she's already
9874 received. Think of all the fun! She'll never see any of it! Whee!
9877 @node Not Reading Mail
9878 @subsection Not Reading Mail
9880 If you start using any of the mail backends, they have the annoying
9881 habit of assuming that you want to read mail with them. This might not
9882 be unreasonable, but it might not be what you want.
9884 If you set @code{nnmail-spool-file} to @code{nil}, none of the backends
9885 will ever attempt to read incoming mail, which should help.
9887 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
9888 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
9889 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
9890 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
9891 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
9892 This might be too much, if, for instance, you are reading mail quite
9893 happily with @code{nnml} and just want to peek at some old @sc{rmail}
9894 file you have stashed away with @code{nnbabyl}. All backends have
9895 variables called backend-@code{get-new-mail}. If you want to disable
9896 the @code{nnbabyl} mail reading, you edit the virtual server for the
9897 group to have a setting where @code{nnbabyl-get-new-mail} to @code{nil}.
9899 All the mail backends will call @code{nn}*@code{-prepare-save-mail-hook}
9900 narrowed to the article to be saved before saving it when reading
9904 @node Choosing a Mail Backend
9905 @subsection Choosing a Mail Backend
9907 Gnus will read the mail spool when you activate a mail group. The mail
9908 file is first copied to your home directory. What happens after that
9909 depends on what format you want to store your mail in.
9912 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
9913 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
9914 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
9915 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like backend.
9916 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
9921 @subsubsection Unix Mail Box
9923 @cindex unix mail box
9925 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
9926 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
9927 The @dfn{nnmbox} backend will use the standard Un*x mbox file to store
9928 mail. @code{nnmbox} will add extra headers to each mail article to say
9929 which group it belongs in.
9931 Virtual server settings:
9934 @item nnmbox-mbox-file
9935 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
9936 The name of the mail box in the user's home directory.
9938 @item nnmbox-active-file
9939 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
9940 The name of the active file for the mail box.
9942 @item nnmbox-get-new-mail
9943 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
9944 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmbox} will read incoming mail and split it
9950 @subsubsection Rmail Babyl
9954 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
9955 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
9956 The @dfn{nnbabyl} backend will use a babyl mail box (aka. @dfn{rmail
9957 mbox}) to store mail. @code{nnbabyl} will add extra headers to each mail
9958 article to say which group it belongs in.
9960 Virtual server settings:
9963 @item nnbabyl-mbox-file
9964 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
9965 The name of the rmail mbox file.
9967 @item nnbabyl-active-file
9968 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
9969 The name of the active file for the rmail box.
9971 @item nnbabyl-get-new-mail
9972 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
9973 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnbabyl} will read incoming mail.
9978 @subsubsection Mail Spool
9980 @cindex mail @sc{nov} spool
9982 The @dfn{nnml} spool mail format isn't compatible with any other known
9983 format. It should be used with some caution.
9985 @vindex nnml-directory
9986 If you use this backend, Gnus will split all incoming mail into files,
9987 one file for each mail, and put the articles into the corresponding
9988 directories under the directory specified by the @code{nnml-directory}
9989 variable. The default value is @file{~/Mail/}.
9991 You do not have to create any directories beforehand; Gnus will take
9994 If you have a strict limit as to how many files you are allowed to store
9995 in your account, you should not use this backend. As each mail gets its
9996 own file, you might very well occupy thousands of inodes within a few
9997 weeks. If this is no problem for you, and it isn't a problem for you
9998 having your friendly systems administrator walking around, madly,
9999 shouting ``Who is eating all my inodes?! Who? Who!?!'', then you should
10000 know that this is probably the fastest format to use. You do not have
10001 to trudge through a big mbox file just to read your new mail.
10003 @code{nnml} is probably the slowest backend when it comes to article
10004 splitting. It has to create lots of files, and it also generates
10005 @sc{nov} databases for the incoming mails. This makes it the fastest
10006 backend when it comes to reading mail.
10008 Virtual server settings:
10011 @item nnml-directory
10012 @vindex nnml-directory
10013 All @code{nnml} directories will be placed under this directory.
10015 @item nnml-active-file
10016 @vindex nnml-active-file
10017 The active file for the @code{nnml} server.
10019 @item nnml-newsgroups-file
10020 @vindex nnml-newsgroups-file
10021 The @code{nnml} group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
10024 @item nnml-get-new-mail
10025 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
10026 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnml} will read incoming mail.
10028 @item nnml-nov-is-evil
10029 @vindex nnml-nov-is-evil
10030 If non-@code{nil}, this backend will ignore any @sc{nov} files.
10032 @item nnml-nov-file-name
10033 @vindex nnml-nov-file-name
10034 The name of the @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.overview}.
10036 @item nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
10037 @vindex nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
10038 Hook run narrowed to an article before saving.
10042 @findex nnml-generate-nov-databases
10043 If your @code{nnml} groups and @sc{nov} files get totally out of whack,
10044 you can do a complete update by typing @kbd{M-x
10045 nnml-generate-nov-databases}. This command will trawl through the
10046 entire @code{nnml} hierarchy, looking at each and every article, so it
10047 might take a while to complete. A better interface to this
10048 functionality can be found in the server buffer (@pxref{Server
10053 @subsubsection MH Spool
10055 @cindex mh-e mail spool
10057 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, except that is doesn't generate
10058 @sc{nov} databases and it doesn't keep an active file. This makes
10059 @code{nnmh} a @emph{much} slower backend than @code{nnml}, but it also
10060 makes it easier to write procmail scripts for.
10062 Virtual server settings:
10065 @item nnmh-directory
10066 @vindex nnmh-directory
10067 All @code{nnmh} directories will be located under this directory.
10069 @item nnmh-get-new-mail
10070 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
10071 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will read incoming mail.
10074 @vindex nnmh-be-safe
10075 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will go to ridiculous lengths to make
10076 sure that the articles in the folder are actually what Gnus thinks they
10077 are. It will check date stamps and stat everything in sight, so
10078 setting this to @code{t} will mean a serious slow-down. If you never
10079 use anything but Gnus to read the @code{nnmh} articles, you do not have
10080 to set this variable to @code{t}.
10085 @subsubsection Mail Folders
10087 @cindex mbox folders
10088 @cindex mail folders
10090 @code{nnfolder} is a backend for storing each mail group in a separate
10091 file. Each file is in the standard Un*x mbox format. @code{nnfolder}
10092 will add extra headers to keep track of article numbers and arrival
10095 Virtual server settings:
10098 @item nnfolder-directory
10099 @vindex nnfolder-directory
10100 All the @code{nnfolder} mail boxes will be stored under this directory.
10102 @item nnfolder-active-file
10103 @vindex nnfolder-active-file
10104 The name of the active file.
10106 @item nnfolder-newsgroups-file
10107 @vindex nnfolder-newsgroups-file
10108 The name of the group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File Format}.
10110 @item nnfolder-get-new-mail
10111 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
10112 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnfolder} will read incoming mail.
10115 @findex nnfolder-generate-active-file
10116 @kindex M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file
10117 If you have lots of @code{nnfolder}-like files you'd like to read with
10118 @code{nnfolder}, you can use the @kbd{M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file}
10119 command to make @code{nnfolder} aware of all likely files in
10120 @code{nnfolder-directory}.
10123 @node Other Sources
10124 @section Other Sources
10126 Gnus can do more than just read news or mail. The methods described
10127 below allow Gnus to view directories and files as if they were
10131 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
10132 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
10133 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
10134 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{SOUP} packets ``offline''.
10135 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
10136 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
10140 @node Directory Groups
10141 @subsection Directory Groups
10143 @cindex directory groups
10145 If you have a directory that has lots of articles in separate files in
10146 it, you might treat it as a newsgroup. The files have to have numerical
10149 This might be an opportune moment to mention @code{ange-ftp} (and its
10150 successor @code{efs}), that most wonderful of all wonderful Emacs
10151 packages. When I wrote @code{nndir}, I didn't think much about it---a
10152 backend to read directories. Big deal.
10154 @code{ange-ftp} changes that picture dramatically. For instance, if you
10155 enter the @code{ange-ftp} file name
10156 @file{/ftp.hpc.uh.edu:/pub/emacs/ding-list/} as the directory name,
10157 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will actually allow you to read this
10158 directory over at @samp{sina} as a newsgroup. Distributed news ahoy!
10160 @code{nndir} will use @sc{nov} files if they are present.
10162 @code{nndir} is a ``read-only'' backend---you can't delete or expire
10163 articles with this method. You can use @code{nnmh} or @code{nnml} for
10164 whatever you use @code{nndir} for, so you could switch to any of those
10165 methods if you feel the need to have a non-read-only @code{nndir}.
10168 @node Anything Groups
10169 @subsection Anything Groups
10172 From the @code{nndir} backend (which reads a single spool-like
10173 directory), it's just a hop and a skip to @code{nneething}, which
10174 pretends that any arbitrary directory is a newsgroup. Strange, but
10177 When @code{nneething} is presented with a directory, it will scan this
10178 directory and assign article numbers to each file. When you enter such
10179 a group, @code{nneething} must create ``headers'' that Gnus can use.
10180 After all, Gnus is a newsreader, in case you're
10181 forgetting. @code{nneething} does this in a two-step process. First, it
10182 snoops each file in question. If the file looks like an article (i.e.,
10183 the first few lines look like headers), it will use this as the head.
10184 If this is just some arbitrary file without a head (e.g. a C source
10185 file), @code{nneething} will cobble up a header out of thin air. It
10186 will use file ownership, name and date and do whatever it can with these
10189 All this should happen automatically for you, and you will be presented
10190 with something that looks very much like a newsgroup. Totally like a
10191 newsgroup, to be precise. If you select an article, it will be displayed
10192 in the article buffer, just as usual.
10194 If you select a line that represents a directory, Gnus will pop you into
10195 a new summary buffer for this @code{nneething} group. And so on. You can
10196 traverse the entire disk this way, if you feel like, but remember that
10197 Gnus is not dired, really, and does not intend to be, either.
10199 There are two overall modes to this action---ephemeral or solid. When
10200 doing the ephemeral thing (i.e., @kbd{G D} from the group buffer), Gnus
10201 will not store information on what files you have read, and what files
10202 are new, and so on. If you create a solid @code{nneething} group the
10203 normal way with @kbd{G m}, Gnus will store a mapping table between
10204 article numbers and file names, and you can treat this group like any
10205 other groups. When you activate a solid @code{nneething} group, you will
10206 be told how many unread articles it contains, etc., etc.
10211 @item nneething-map-file-directory
10212 @vindex nneething-map-file-directory
10213 All the mapping files for solid @code{nneething} groups will be stored
10214 in this directory, which defaults to @file{~/.nneething/}.
10216 @item nneething-exclude-files
10217 @vindex nneething-exclude-files
10218 All files that match this regexp will be ignored. Nice to use to exclude
10219 auto-save files and the like, which is what it does by default.
10221 @item nneething-map-file
10222 @vindex nneething-map-file
10223 Name of the map files.
10227 @node Document Groups
10228 @subsection Document Groups
10230 @cindex documentation group
10233 @code{nndoc} is a cute little thing that will let you read a single file
10234 as a newsgroup. Several files types are supported:
10241 The babyl (rmail) mail box.
10246 The standard Unix mbox file.
10248 @cindex MMDF mail box
10250 The MMDF mail box format.
10253 Several news articles appended into a file.
10256 @cindex rnews batch files
10257 The rnews batch transport format.
10258 @cindex forwarded messages
10261 Forwarded articles.
10265 @cindex MIME digest
10266 @cindex 1153 digest
10267 @cindex RFC 1153 digest
10268 @cindex RFC 341 digest
10269 MIME (RFC 1341) digest format.
10271 @item standard-digest
10272 The standard (RFC 1153) digest format.
10275 Non-standard digest format---matches most things, but does it badly.
10278 You can also use the special ``file type'' @code{guess}, which means
10279 that @code{nndoc} will try to guess what file type it is looking at.
10280 @code{digest} means that @code{nndoc} should guess what digest type the
10283 @code{nndoc} will not try to change the file or insert any extra headers into
10284 it---it will simply, like, let you use the file as the basis for a
10285 group. And that's it.
10287 If you have some old archived articles that you want to insert into your
10288 new & spiffy Gnus mail backend, @code{nndoc} can probably help you with
10289 that. Say you have an old @file{RMAIL} file with mail that you now want
10290 to split into your new @code{nnml} groups. You look at that file using
10291 @code{nndoc} (using the @kbd{G f} command in the group buffer
10292 (@pxref{Foreign Groups})), set the process mark on all the articles in
10293 the buffer (@kbd{M P b}, for instance), and then re-spool (@kbd{B r})
10294 using @code{nnml}. If all goes well, all the mail in the @file{RMAIL}
10295 file is now also stored in lots of @code{nnml} directories, and you can
10296 delete that pesky @file{RMAIL} file. If you have the guts!
10298 Virtual server variables:
10301 @item nndoc-article-type
10302 @vindex nndoc-article-type
10303 This should be one of @code{mbox}, @code{babyl}, @code{digest},
10304 @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{mmdf}, @code{forward}, @code{rfc934},
10305 @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{mime-digest}, @code{standard-digest},
10306 @code{slack-digest}, @code{clari-briefs} or @code{guess}.
10308 @item nndoc-post-type
10309 @vindex nndoc-post-type
10310 This variable says whether Gnus is to consider the group a news group or
10311 a mail group. There are two valid values: @code{mail} (the default)
10316 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
10320 @node Document Server Internals
10321 @subsubsection Document Server Internals
10323 Adding new document types to be recognized by @code{nndoc} isn't
10324 difficult. You just have to whip up a definition of what the document
10325 looks like, write a predicate function to recognize that document type,
10326 and then hook into @code{nndoc}.
10328 First, here's an example document type definition:
10332 (article-begin . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n")
10333 (body-end . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n"))
10336 The definition is simply a unique @dfn{name} followed by a series of
10337 regexp pseudo-variable settings. Below are the possible
10338 variables---don't be daunted by the number of variables; most document
10339 types can be defined with very few settings:
10342 @item first-article
10343 If present, @code{nndoc} will skip past all text until it finds
10344 something that match this regexp. All text before this will be
10347 @item article-begin
10348 This setting has to be present in all document type definitions. It
10349 says what the beginning of each article looks like.
10351 @item head-begin-function
10352 If present, this should be a function that moves point to the head of
10355 @item nndoc-head-begin
10356 If present, this should be a regexp that matches the head of the
10359 @item nndoc-head-end
10360 This should match the end of the head of the article. It defaults to
10361 @samp{^$}---the empty line.
10363 @item body-begin-function
10364 If present, this function should move point to the beginning of the body
10368 This should match the beginning of the body of the article. It defaults
10371 @item body-end-function
10372 If present, this function should move point to the end of the body of
10376 If present, this should match the end of the body of the article.
10379 If present, this should match the end of the file. All text after this
10380 regexp will be totally ignored.
10384 So, using these variables @code{nndoc} is able to dissect a document
10385 file into a series of articles, each with a head and a body. However, a
10386 few more variables are needed since not all document types are all that
10387 news-like---variables needed to transform the head or the body into
10388 something that's palatable for Gnus:
10391 @item prepare-body-function
10392 If present, this function will be called when requesting an article. It
10393 will be called with point at the start of the body, and is useful if the
10394 document has encoded some parts of its contents.
10396 @item article-transform-function
10397 If present, this function is called when requesting an article. It's
10398 meant to be used for more wide-ranging transformation of both head and
10399 body of the article.
10401 @item generate-head-function
10402 If present, this function is called to generate a head that Gnus can
10403 understand. It is called with the article number as a parameter, and is
10404 expected to generate a nice head for the article in question. It is
10405 called when requesting the headers of all articles.
10409 Let's look at the most complicated example I can come up with---standard
10414 (first-article . ,(concat "^" (make-string 70 ?-) "\n\n+"))
10415 (article-begin . ,(concat "\n\n" (make-string 30 ?-) "\n\n+"))
10416 (prepare-body-function . nndoc-unquote-dashes)
10417 (body-end-function . nndoc-digest-body-end)
10418 (head-end . "^ ?$")
10419 (body-begin . "^ ?\n")
10420 (file-end . "^End of .*digest.*[0-9].*\n\\*\\*\\|^End of.*Digest *$")
10421 (subtype digest guess))
10424 We see that all text before a 70-width line of dashes is ignored; all
10425 text after a line that starts with that @samp{^End of} is also ignored;
10426 each article begins with a 30-width line of dashes; the line separating
10427 the head from the body may contain a single space; and that the body is
10428 run through @code{nndoc-unquote-dashes} before being delivered.
10430 To hook your own document definition into @code{nndoc}, use the
10431 @code{nndoc-add-type} function. It takes two parameters---the first is
10432 the definition itself and the second (optional) parameter says where in
10433 the document type definition alist to put this definition. The alist is
10434 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
10435 is of @code{mmdf} type, and so on. These type predicates should return
10436 @code{nil} if the document is not of the correct type; @code{t} if it is
10437 of the correct type; and a number if the document might be of the
10438 correct type. A high number means high probability; a low number means
10439 low probability with @samp{0} being the lowest valid number.
10447 In the PC world people often talk about ``offline'' newsreaders. These
10448 are thingies that are combined reader/news transport monstrosities.
10449 With built-in modem programs. Yecchh!
10451 Of course, us Unix Weenie types of human beans use things like
10452 @code{uucp} and, like, @code{nntpd} and set up proper news and mail
10453 transport things like Ghod intended. And then we just use normal
10456 However, it can sometimes be convenient to do something a that's a bit
10457 easier on the brain if you have a very slow modem, and you're not really
10458 that interested in doing things properly.
10460 A file format called @sc{soup} has been developed for transporting news
10461 and mail from servers to home machines and back again. It can be a bit
10464 First some terminology:
10469 This is the machine that is connected to the outside world and where you
10470 get news and/or mail from.
10473 This is the machine that you want to do the actual reading and responding
10474 on. It is typically not connected to the rest of the world in any way.
10477 Something that contains messages and/or commands. There are two kinds
10481 @item message packets
10482 These are packets made at the server, and typically contain lots of
10483 messages for you to read. These are called @file{SoupoutX.tgz} by
10484 default, where @var{X} is a number.
10486 @item response packets
10487 These are packets made at the home machine, and typically contains
10488 replies that you've written. These are called @file{SoupinX.tgz} by
10489 default, where @var{X} is a number.
10499 You log in on the server and create a @sc{soup} packet. You can either
10500 use a dedicated @sc{soup} thingie (like the @code{awk} program), or you
10501 can use Gnus to create the packet with its @sc{soup} commands (@kbd{O
10502 s} and/or @kbd{G s b}; and then @kbd{G s p}) (@pxref{SOUP Commands}).
10505 You transfer the packet home. Rail, boat, car or modem will do fine.
10508 You put the packet in your home directory.
10511 You fire up Gnus on your home machine using the @code{nnsoup} backend as
10512 the native or secondary server.
10515 You read articles and mail and answer and followup to the things you
10516 want (@pxref{SOUP Replies}).
10519 You do the @kbd{G s r} command to pack these replies into a @sc{soup}
10523 You transfer this packet to the server.
10526 You use Gnus to mail this packet out with the @kbd{G s s} command.
10529 You then repeat until you die.
10533 So you basically have a bipartite system---you use @code{nnsoup} for
10534 reading and Gnus for packing/sending these @sc{soup} packets.
10537 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
10538 * SOUP Groups:: A backend for reading @sc{soup} packets.
10539 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
10543 @node SOUP Commands
10544 @subsubsection SOUP Commands
10546 These are commands for creating and manipulating @sc{soup} packets.
10550 @kindex G s b (Group)
10551 @findex gnus-group-brew-soup
10552 Pack all unread articles in the current group
10553 (@code{gnus-group-brew-soup}). This command understands the
10554 process/prefix convention.
10557 @kindex G s w (Group)
10558 @findex gnus-soup-save-areas
10559 Save all @sc{soup} data files (@code{gnus-soup-save-areas}).
10562 @kindex G s s (Group)
10563 @findex gnus-soup-send-replies
10564 Send all replies from the replies packet
10565 (@code{gnus-soup-send-replies}).
10568 @kindex G s p (Group)
10569 @findex gnus-soup-pack-packet
10570 Pack all files into a @sc{soup} packet (@code{gnus-soup-pack-packet}).
10573 @kindex G s r (Group)
10574 @findex nnsoup-pack-replies
10575 Pack all replies into a replies packet (@code{nnsoup-pack-replies}).
10578 @kindex O s (Summary)
10579 @findex gnus-soup-add-article
10580 This summary-mode command adds the current article to a @sc{soup} packet
10581 (@code{gnus-soup-add-article}). It understands the process/prefix
10582 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
10587 There are a few variables to customize where Gnus will put all these
10592 @item gnus-soup-directory
10593 @vindex gnus-soup-directory
10594 Directory where Gnus will save intermediate files while composing
10595 @sc{soup} packets. The default is @file{~/SoupBrew/}.
10597 @item gnus-soup-replies-directory
10598 @vindex gnus-soup-replies-directory
10599 This is what Gnus will use as a temporary directory while sending our
10600 reply packets. @file{~/SoupBrew/SoupReplies/} is the default.
10602 @item gnus-soup-prefix-file
10603 @vindex gnus-soup-prefix-file
10604 Name of the file where Gnus stores the last used prefix. The default is
10605 @samp{gnus-prefix}.
10607 @item gnus-soup-packer
10608 @vindex gnus-soup-packer
10609 A format string command for packing a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
10610 @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupout%d.tgz}.
10612 @item gnus-soup-unpacker
10613 @vindex gnus-soup-unpacker
10614 Format string command for unpacking a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
10615 @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
10617 @item gnus-soup-packet-directory
10618 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-directory
10619 Where Gnus will look for reply packets. The default is @file{~/}.
10621 @item gnus-soup-packet-regexp
10622 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-regexp
10623 Regular expression matching @sc{soup} reply packets in
10624 @code{gnus-soup-packet-directory}.
10630 @subsubsection @sc{soup} Groups
10633 @code{nnsoup} is the backend for reading @sc{soup} packets. It will
10634 read incoming packets, unpack them, and put them in a directory where
10635 you can read them at leisure.
10637 These are the variables you can use to customize its behavior:
10641 @item nnsoup-tmp-directory
10642 @vindex nnsoup-tmp-directory
10643 When @code{nnsoup} unpacks a @sc{soup} packet, it does it in this
10644 directory. (@file{/tmp/} by default.)
10646 @item nnsoup-directory
10647 @vindex nnsoup-directory
10648 @code{nnsoup} then moves each message and index file to this directory.
10649 The default is @file{~/SOUP/}.
10651 @item nnsoup-replies-directory
10652 @vindex nnsoup-replies-directory
10653 All replies will be stored in this directory before being packed into a
10654 reply packet. The default is @file{~/SOUP/replies/"}.
10656 @item nnsoup-replies-format-type
10657 @vindex nnsoup-replies-format-type
10658 The @sc{soup} format of the replies packets. The default is @samp{?n}
10659 (rnews), and I don't think you should touch that variable. I probably
10660 shouldn't even have documented it. Drats! Too late!
10662 @item nnsoup-replies-index-type
10663 @vindex nnsoup-replies-index-type
10664 The index type of the replies packet. The default is @samp{?n}, which
10665 means ``none''. Don't fiddle with this one either!
10667 @item nnsoup-active-file
10668 @vindex nnsoup-active-file
10669 Where @code{nnsoup} stores lots of information. This is not an ``active
10670 file'' in the @code{nntp} sense; it's an Emacs Lisp file. If you lose
10671 this file or mess it up in any way, you're dead. The default is
10672 @file{~/SOUP/active}.
10674 @item nnsoup-packer
10675 @vindex nnsoup-packer
10676 Format string command for packing a reply @sc{soup} packet. The default
10677 is @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupin%d.tgz}.
10679 @item nnsoup-unpacker
10680 @vindex nnsoup-unpacker
10681 Format string command for unpacking incoming @sc{soup} packets. The
10682 default is @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
10684 @item nnsoup-packet-directory
10685 @vindex nnsoup-packet-directory
10686 Where @code{nnsoup} will look for incoming packets. The default is
10689 @item nnsoup-packet-regexp
10690 @vindex nnsoup-packet-regexp
10691 Regular expression matching incoming @sc{soup} packets. The default is
10694 @item nnsoup-always-save
10695 @vindex nnsoup-always-save
10696 If non-@code{nil}, save the replies buffer after each posted message.
10702 @subsubsection SOUP Replies
10704 Just using @code{nnsoup} won't mean that your postings and mailings end
10705 up in @sc{soup} reply packets automagically. You have to work a bit
10706 more for that to happen.
10708 @findex nnsoup-set-variables
10709 The @code{nnsoup-set-variables} command will set the appropriate
10710 variables to ensure that all your followups and replies end up in the
10713 In specific, this is what it does:
10716 (setq message-send-news-function 'nnsoup-request-post)
10717 (setq message-send-mail-function 'nnsoup-request-mail)
10720 And that's it, really. If you only want news to go into the @sc{soup}
10721 system you just use the first line. If you only want mail to be
10722 @sc{soup}ed you use the second.
10726 @subsection Web Searches
10730 @cindex InReference
10731 @cindex Usenet searches
10732 @cindex searching the Usenet
10734 It's, like, too neat to search the Usenet for articles that match a
10735 string, but it, like, totally @emph{sucks}, like, totally, to use one of
10736 those, like, Web browsers, and you, like, have to, rilly, like, look at
10737 the commercials, so, like, with Gnus you can do @emph{rad}, rilly,
10738 searches without having to use a browser.
10740 The @code{nnweb} backend allows an easy interface to the mighty search
10741 engine. You create an @code{nnweb} group, enter a search pattern, and
10742 then enter the group and read the articles like you would any normal
10743 group. The @kbd{G w} command in the group buffer (@pxref{Foreign
10744 Groups}) will do this in an easy-to-use fashion.
10746 @code{nnweb} groups don't really lend themselves to being solid
10747 groups---they have a very fleeting idea of article numbers. In fact,
10748 each time you enter an @code{nnweb} group (not even changing the search
10749 pattern), you are likely to get the articles ordered in a different
10750 manner. Not even using duplicate suppression (@pxref{Duplicate
10751 Suppression}) will help, since @code{nnweb} doesn't even know the
10752 @code{Message-ID} of the articles before reading them using some search
10753 engines (DejaNews, for instance). The only possible way to keep track
10754 of which articles you've read is by scoring on the @code{Date}
10755 header---mark all articles posted before the last date you read the
10758 If the search engine changes its output substantially, @code{nnweb}
10759 won't be able to parse it and will fail. One could hardly fault the Web
10760 providers if they were to do this---their @emph{raison d'être} is to
10761 make money off of advertisements, not to provide services to the
10762 community. Since @code{nnweb} washes the ads off all the articles, one
10763 might think that the providers might be somewhat miffed. We'll see.
10765 You must have the @code{url} and @code{w3} package installed to be able
10766 to use @code{nnweb}.
10768 Virtual server variables:
10773 What search engine type is being used. The currently supported types
10774 are @code{dejanews}, @code{dejanewsold}, @code{altavista} and
10778 @vindex nnweb-search
10779 The search string to feed to the search engine.
10781 @item nnweb-max-hits
10782 @vindex nnweb-max-hits
10783 Advisory maximum number of hits per search to display. The default is
10786 @item nnweb-type-definition
10787 @vindex nnweb-type-definition
10788 Type-to-definition alist. This alist says what @code{nnweb} should do
10789 with the various search engine types. The following elements must be
10794 Function to decode the article and provide something that Gnus
10798 Function to create an article number to message header and URL alist.
10801 Function to send the search string to the search engine.
10804 The address the aforementioned function should send the search string
10808 Format string URL to fetch an article by @code{Message-ID}.
10815 @node Mail-To-News Gateways
10816 @subsection Mail-To-News Gateways
10817 @cindex mail-to-news gateways
10820 If your local @code{nntp} server doesn't allow posting, for some reason
10821 or other, you can post using one of the numerous mail-to-news gateways.
10822 The @code{nngateway} backend provides the interface.
10824 Note that you can't read anything from this backend---it can only be
10830 @item nngateway-address
10831 @vindex nngateway-address
10832 This is the address of the mail-to-news gateway.
10834 @item nngateway-header-transformation
10835 @vindex nngateway-header-transformation
10836 News headers often have to be transformed in some odd way or other
10837 for the mail-to-news gateway to accept it. This variable says what
10838 transformation should be called, and defaults to
10839 @code{nngateway-simple-header-transformation}. The function is called
10840 narrowed to the headers to be transformed and with one parameter---the
10843 This default function just inserts a new @code{To} header based on the
10844 @code{Newsgroups} header and the gateway address.
10845 For instance, an article with this @code{Newsgroups} header:
10848 Newsgroups: alt.religion.emacs
10851 will get this @code{From} header inserted:
10854 To: alt-religion-emacs@@GATEWAY
10859 So, to use this, simply say something like:
10862 (setq gnus-post-method '(nngateway "GATEWAY.ADDRESS"))
10866 @node Combined Groups
10867 @section Combined Groups
10869 Gnus allows combining a mixture of all the other group types into bigger
10873 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
10874 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
10878 @node Virtual Groups
10879 @subsection Virtual Groups
10881 @cindex virtual groups
10883 An @dfn{nnvirtual group} is really nothing more than a collection of
10886 For instance, if you are tired of reading many small groups, you can
10887 put them all in one big group, and then grow tired of reading one
10888 big, unwieldy group. The joys of computing!
10890 You specify @code{nnvirtual} as the method. The address should be a
10891 regexp to match component groups.
10893 All marks in the virtual group will stick to the articles in the
10894 component groups. So if you tick an article in a virtual group, the
10895 article will also be ticked in the component group from whence it came.
10896 (And vice versa---marks from the component groups will also be shown in
10897 the virtual group.)
10899 Here's an example @code{nnvirtual} method that collects all Andrea Dworkin
10900 newsgroups into one, big, happy newsgroup:
10903 (nnvirtual "^alt\\.fan\\.andrea-dworkin$\\|^rec\\.dworkin.*")
10906 The component groups can be native or foreign; everything should work
10907 smoothly, but if your computer explodes, it was probably my fault.
10909 Collecting the same group from several servers might actually be a good
10910 idea if users have set the Distribution header to limit distribution.
10911 If you would like to read @samp{soc.motss} both from a server in Japan
10912 and a server in Norway, you could use the following as the group regexp:
10915 "^nntp+some.server.jp:soc.motss$\\|^nntp+some.server.no:soc.motss$"
10918 This should work kinda smoothly---all articles from both groups should
10919 end up in this one, and there should be no duplicates. Threading (and
10920 the rest) will still work as usual, but there might be problems with the
10921 sequence of articles. Sorting on date might be an option here
10922 (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
10924 One limitation, however---all groups included in a virtual
10925 group have to be alive (i.e., subscribed or unsubscribed). Killed or
10926 zombie groups can't be component groups for @code{nnvirtual} groups.
10928 @vindex nnvirtual-always-rescan
10929 If the @code{nnvirtual-always-rescan} is non-@code{nil},
10930 @code{nnvirtual} will always scan groups for unread articles when
10931 entering a virtual group. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
10932 default) and you read articles in a component group after the virtual
10933 group has been activated, the read articles from the component group
10934 will show up when you enter the virtual group. You'll also see this
10935 effect if you have two virtual groups that have a component group in
10936 common. If that's the case, you should set this variable to @code{t}.
10937 Or you can just tap @code{M-g} on the virtual group every time before
10938 you enter it---it'll have much the same effect.
10941 @node Kibozed Groups
10942 @subsection Kibozed Groups
10946 @dfn{Kibozing} is defined by @sc{oed} as ``grepping through (parts of)
10947 the news feed''. @code{nnkiboze} is a backend that will do this for
10948 you. Oh joy! Now you can grind any @sc{nntp} server down to a halt
10949 with useless requests! Oh happiness!
10951 @kindex G k (Group)
10952 To create a kibozed group, use the @kbd{G k} command in the group
10955 The address field of the @code{nnkiboze} method is, as with
10956 @code{nnvirtual}, a regexp to match groups to be ``included'' in the
10957 @code{nnkiboze} group. That's where most similarities between @code{nnkiboze}
10958 and @code{nnvirtual} end.
10960 In addition to this regexp detailing component groups, an @code{nnkiboze} group
10961 must have a score file to say what articles are to be included in
10962 the group (@pxref{Scoring}).
10964 @kindex M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups
10965 @findex nnkiboze-generate-groups
10966 You must run @kbd{M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups} after creating the
10967 @code{nnkiboze} groups you want to have. This command will take time. Lots of
10968 time. Oodles and oodles of time. Gnus has to fetch the headers from
10969 all the articles in all the component groups and run them through the
10970 scoring process to determine if there are any articles in the groups
10971 that are to be part of the @code{nnkiboze} groups.
10973 Please limit the number of component groups by using restrictive
10974 regexps. Otherwise your sysadmin may become annoyed with you, and the
10975 @sc{nntp} site may throw you off and never let you back in again.
10976 Stranger things have happened.
10978 @code{nnkiboze} component groups do not have to be alive---they can be dead,
10979 and they can be foreign. No restrictions.
10981 @vindex nnkiboze-directory
10982 The generation of an @code{nnkiboze} group means writing two files in
10983 @code{nnkiboze-directory}, which is @file{~/News/} by default. One
10984 contains the @sc{nov} header lines for all the articles in the group,
10985 and the other is an additional @file{.newsrc} file to store information
10986 on what groups have been searched through to find component articles.
10988 Articles marked as read in the @code{nnkiboze} group will have
10989 their @sc{nov} lines removed from the @sc{nov} file.
10992 @node Gnus Unplugged
10993 @section Gnus Unplugged
10998 @cindex Gnus Unplugged
11000 In olden times (ca. February '88), people used to run their newsreaders
11001 on big machines with permanent connections to the net. News transport
11002 was dealt with by news servers, and all the newsreaders had to do was to
11003 read news. Believe it or not.
11005 Nowadays most people read news and mail at home, and use some sort of
11006 modem to connect to the net. To avoid running up huge phone bills, it
11007 would be nice to have a way to slurp down all the news and mail, hang up
11008 the phone, read for several hours, and then upload any responses you
11009 have to make. And then you repeat the procedure.
11011 Of course, you can use news servers for doing this as well. I've used
11012 @code{inn} together with @code{slurp}, @code{pop} and @code{sendmail}
11013 for some years, but doing that's a bore. Moving the news server
11014 functionality up to the newsreader makes sense if you're the only person
11015 reading news on a machine.
11017 Using Gnus as an ``offline'' newsreader is quite simple.
11021 First, set up Gnus as you would do if you were running it on a machine
11022 that has full connection to the net. Go ahead. I'll still be waiting
11026 Then, put the following magical incantation at the end of your
11027 @file{.gnus.el} file:
11034 That's it. Gnus is now an ``offline'' newsreader.
11036 Of course, to use it as such, you have to learn a few new commands.
11039 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
11040 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
11041 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
11042 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
11043 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
11044 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
11049 @subsection Agent Basics
11051 First, let's get some terminology out of the way.
11053 The Gnus Agent is said to be @dfn{unplugged} when you have severed the
11054 connection to the net (and notified the Agent that this is the case).
11055 When the connection to the net is up again (and Gnus knows this), the
11056 Agent is @dfn{plugged}.
11058 The @dfn{local} machine is the one you're running on, and which isn't
11059 connected to the net continously.
11061 @dfn{Downloading} means fetching things from the net to your local
11062 machine. @dfn{Uploading} is doing the opposite.
11064 Let's take a typical Gnus session using the Agent.
11069 You start Gnus with @code{gnus-unplugged}. This brings up the Gnus
11070 Agent in a disconnected state. You can read all the news that you have
11071 already fetched while in this mode.
11074 You then decide to see whether any new news has arrived. You connect
11075 your machine to the net (using PPP or whatever), and then hit @kbd{J j}
11076 to make Gnus become @dfn{plugged}.
11079 You can then read the new news immediately, or you can download the news
11080 onto your local machine. If you want to do the latter, you press @kbd{J
11081 s} to fetch all the eligible articles in all the groups. (To let Gnus
11082 know which articles you want to download, @pxref{Agent Categories}.)
11085 After fetching the articles, you press @kbd{J j} to make Gnus become
11086 unplugged again, and you shut down the PPP thing (or whatever). And
11087 then you read the news offline.
11090 And then you go to step 2.
11093 Here are some things you should do the first time (or so) that you use
11099 Decide which servers should be covered by the Agent. If you have a mail
11100 backend, it would probably be nonsensical to have it covered by the
11101 Agent. Go to the server buffer (@kbd{^} in the group buffer) and press
11102 @kbd{J a} the server (or servers) that you wish to have covered by the
11103 Agent (@pxref{Server Agent Commands}). This will typically be only the
11104 primary select method, which is listed on the bottom in the buffer.
11107 Decide on download policy. @xref{Agent Categories}
11114 @node Agent Categories
11115 @subsection Agent Categories
11117 One of the main reasons to integrate the news transport layer into the
11118 newsreader is to allow greater control over what articles to download.
11119 There's not much point in downloading huge amounts of articles, just to
11120 find out that you're not interested in reading any of them. It's better
11121 to be somewhat more conservative in choosing what to download, and then
11122 mark the articles for downloading manually if it should turn out that
11123 you're interested in the articles anyway.
11125 The main way to control what is to be downloaded is to create a
11126 @dfn{category} and then assign some (or all) groups to this category.
11127 Gnus has its own buffer for creating and managing categories.
11130 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
11131 * The Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
11132 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
11136 @node Category Syntax
11137 @subsubsection Category Syntax
11139 A category consists of two things.
11143 A predicate which (generally) gives a rough outline of which articles
11144 are eligible for downloading; and
11147 a score rule which (generally) gives you a finer granularity when
11148 deciding what articles to download. (Note that this @dfn{download
11149 score} is wholly unrelated to normal scores.)
11152 A predicate consists of predicates with logical operators sprinkled in
11155 Perhaps some examples are in order.
11157 Here's a simple predicate. (It's the default predicate, in fact, used
11158 for all groups that don't belong to any other category.)
11164 Quite simple, eh? This predicate is true if and only if the article is
11165 short (for some value of ``short'').
11167 Here's a more complex predicate:
11176 This means that an article should be downloaded if it has a high score,
11177 or if the score is not low and the article is not long. You get the
11180 The available logical operators are @code{or}, @code{and} and
11181 @code{not}. (If you prefer, you can use the more ``C''-ish operators
11182 @samp{|}, @code{&} and @code{!} instead.)
11184 The following predicates are pre-defined, but if none of these fit what
11185 you want to do, you can write your own.
11189 True iff the article is shorter than @code{gnus-agent-short-article}
11190 lines; default 100.
11193 True iff the article is longer than @code{gnus-agent-long-article}
11194 lines; default 200.
11197 True iff the article has a download score less than
11198 @code{gnus-agent-low-score}; default 0.
11201 True iff the article has a download score greater than
11202 @code{gnus-agent-high-score}; default 0.
11205 True iff the Gnus Agent guesses that the article is spam. The
11206 heuristics may change over time, but at present it just computes a
11207 checksum and sees whether articles match.
11216 If you want to create your own predicate function, here's what you have
11217 to know: The functions are called with no parameters, but the
11218 @code{gnus-headers} and @code{gnus-score} dynamic variables are bound to
11221 Now, the syntax of the download score is the same as the syntax of
11222 normal score files, except that all elements that require actually
11223 seeing the article itself are verboten. This means that only the
11224 following headers can be scored on: @code{From}, @code{Subject},
11225 @code{Date}, @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars}, @code{Message-ID},
11226 and @code{References}.
11229 @node The Category Buffer
11230 @subsubsection The Category Buffer
11232 You'd normally do all category maintenance from the category buffer.
11233 When you enter it for the first time (with the @kbd{J c} command from
11234 the group buffer), you'll only see the @code{default} category.
11236 The following commands are available in this buffer:
11240 @kindex q (Category)
11241 @findex gnus-category-exit
11242 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-category-exit}).
11245 @kindex k (Category)
11246 @findex gnus-category-kill
11247 Kill the current category (@code{gnus-category-kill}).
11250 @kindex c (Category)
11251 @findex gnus-category-copy
11252 Copy the current category (@code{gnus-category-copy}).
11255 @kindex a (Category)
11256 @findex gnus-category-add
11257 Add a new category (@code{gnus-category-add}).
11260 @kindex p (Category)
11261 @findex gnus-category-edit-predicate
11262 Edit the predicate of the current category
11263 (@code{gnus-category-edit-predicate}).
11266 @kindex g (Category)
11267 @findex gnus-category-edit-groups
11268 Edit the list of groups belonging to the current category
11269 (@code{gnus-category-edit-groups}).
11272 @kindex s (Category)
11273 @findex gnus-category-edit-score
11274 Edit the download score rule of the current category
11275 (@code{gnus-category-edit-score}).
11278 @kindex l (Category)
11279 @findex gnus-category-list
11280 List all the categories (@code{gnus-category-list}).
11284 @node Category Variables
11285 @subsubsection Category Variables
11288 @item gnus-category-mode-hook
11289 @vindex gnus-category-mode-hook
11290 Hook run in category buffers.
11292 @item gnus-category-line-format
11293 @vindex gnus-category-line-format
11294 Format of the lines in the category buffer (@pxref{Formatting
11295 Variables}). Legal elements are:
11299 The name of the category.
11302 The number of groups in the category.
11305 @item gnus-category-mode-line-format
11306 @vindex gnus-category-mode-line-format
11307 Format of the category mode line.
11309 @item gnus-agent-short-article
11310 @vindex gnus-agent-short-article
11311 Articles that have fewer lines than this are short. Default 100.
11313 @item gnus-agent-long-article
11314 @vindex gnus-agent-long-article
11315 Articles that have more lines than this are long. Default 200.
11317 @item gnus-agent-low-score
11318 @vindex gnus-agent-low-score
11319 Articles that have a score lower than this have a low score. Default
11322 @item gnus-agent-high-score
11323 @vindex gnus-agent-high-score
11324 Articles that have a score higher than this have a high score. Default
11330 @node Agent Commands
11331 @subsection Agent Commands
11333 All the Gnus Agent commands are on the @kbd{J} submap. The @kbd{J j}
11334 (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-plugged} command works in all modes, and
11335 toggles the plugged/unplugged state of the Gnus Agent.
11339 * Group Agent Commands::
11340 * Summary Agent Commands::
11341 * Server Agent Commands::
11344 You can run a complete batch fetch from the command line with the
11345 following incantation:
11347 @cindex gnus-agent-batch-fetch
11349 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-agent-batch-fetch
11354 @node Group Agent Commands
11355 @subsubsection Group Agent Commands
11359 @kindex J u (Agent Group)
11360 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-group
11361 Fetch all eligible articles in the current group
11362 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-group}).
11365 @kindex J c (Agent Group)
11366 @findex gnus-enter-category-buffer
11367 Enter the Agent category buffer (@code{gnus-enter-category-buffer}).
11370 @kindex J s (Agent Group)
11371 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-session
11372 Fetch all eligible articles in all groups
11373 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-session}).
11376 @kindex J S (Agent Group)
11377 @findex gnus-group-send-drafts
11378 Send all sendable messages in the draft group
11379 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-session}). @xref{Drafts}
11382 @kindex J a (Agent Group)
11383 @findex gnus-agent-add-group
11384 Add the current group to an Agent category
11385 (@code{gnus-agent-add-group}).
11390 @node Summary Agent Commands
11391 @subsubsection Summary Agent Commands
11395 @kindex J # (Agent Summary)
11396 @findex gnus-agent-mark-article
11397 Mark the article for downloading (@code{gnus-agent-mark-article}).
11400 @kindex J M-# (Agent Summary)
11401 @findex gnus-agent-unmark-article
11402 Remove the downloading mark from the article
11403 (@code{gnus-agent-unmark-article}).
11406 @kindex @@ (Agent Summary)
11407 @findex gnus-agent-toggle-mark
11408 Toggle whether to download the article (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-mark}).
11411 @kindex J c (Agent Summary)
11412 @findex gnus-agent-catchup
11413 Mark all undownloaded articles as read (@code{gnus-agent-catchup}).
11418 @node Server Agent Commands
11419 @subsubsection Server Agent Commands
11423 @kindex J a (Agent Server)
11424 @findex gnus-agent-add-server
11425 Add the current server to the list of servers covered by the Gnus Agent
11426 (@code{gnus-agent-add-server}).
11429 @kindex J r (Agent Server)
11430 @findex gnus-agent-remove-server
11431 Remove the current server from the list of servers covered by the Gnus
11432 Agent (@code{gnus-agent-remove-server}).
11437 @node Outgoing Messages
11438 @subsection Outgoing Messages
11440 When Gnus is unplugged, all outgoing messages (both mail and news) are
11441 stored in the draft groups (@pxref{Drafts}). You can view them there
11442 after posting, and edit them at will.
11444 When Gnus is plugged again, you can send the messages either from the
11445 draft group with the special commands available there, or you can use
11446 the @kbd{J S} command in the group buffer to send all the sendable
11447 messages in the draft group.
11451 @node Agent Variables
11452 @subsection Agent Variables
11455 @item gnus-agent-directory
11456 @vindex gnus-agent-directory
11457 Where the Gnus Agent will store its files. The default is
11458 @file{~/News/agent/}.
11460 @item gnus-agent-plugged-hook
11461 @vindex gnus-agent-plugged-hook
11462 Hook run when connecting to the network.
11464 @item gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
11465 @vindex gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
11466 Hook run when disconnecting from the network.
11471 @node Example Setup
11472 @subsection Example Setup
11474 If you don't want to read this manual, and you have a fairly standard
11475 setup, you may be able to use something like the following as your
11476 @file{.gnus.el} file to get started.
11479 ;;; Define how Gnus is to fetch news. We do this over NNTP
11480 ;;; from your ISP's server.
11481 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "nntp.your-isp.com"))
11483 ;;; Define how Gnus is to read your mail. We read mail from
11484 ;;; your ISP's POP server.
11485 (setenv "MAILHOST" "pop.your-isp.com")
11486 (setq nnmail-spool-file "po:username")
11488 ;;; Say how Gnus is to store the mail. We use nnml groups.
11489 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
11491 ;;; Make Gnus into an offline newsreader.
11495 That should be it, basically. Put that in your @file{~/.gnus.el} file,
11496 edit to suit your needs, start up PPP (or whatever), and type @kbd{M-x
11499 If this is the first time you've run Gnus, you will be subscribed
11500 automatically to a few default newsgroups. You'll probably want to
11501 subscribe to more groups, and to do that, you have to query the
11502 @sc{nntp} server for a complete list of groups with the @kbd{A A}
11503 command. This usually takes quite a while, but you only have to do it
11506 After reading and parsing a while, you'll be presented with a list of
11507 groups. Subscribe to the ones you want to read with the @kbd{u}
11508 command. @kbd{l} to make all the killed groups disappear after you've
11509 subscribe to all the groups you want to read. (@kbd{A k} will bring
11510 back all the killed groups.)
11512 You can now read the groups at once, or you can download the articles
11513 with the @kbd{J s} command. And then read the rest of this manual to
11514 find out which of the other gazillion things you want to customize.
11521 Other people use @dfn{kill files}, but we here at Gnus Towers like
11522 scoring better than killing, so we'd rather switch than fight. They do
11523 something completely different as well, so sit up straight and pay
11526 @vindex gnus-summary-mark-below
11527 All articles have a default score (@code{gnus-summary-default-score}),
11528 which is 0 by default. This score may be raised or lowered either
11529 interactively or by score files. Articles that have a score lower than
11530 @code{gnus-summary-mark-below} are marked as read.
11532 Gnus will read any @dfn{score files} that apply to the current group
11533 before generating the summary buffer.
11535 There are several commands in the summary buffer that insert score
11536 entries based on the current article. You can, for instance, ask Gnus to
11537 lower or increase the score of all articles with a certain subject.
11539 There are two sorts of scoring entries: Permanent and temporary.
11540 Temporary score entries are self-expiring entries. Any entries that are
11541 temporary and have not been used for, say, a week, will be removed
11542 silently to help keep the sizes of the score files down.
11545 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
11546 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
11547 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
11548 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
11549 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
11550 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
11551 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
11552 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
11553 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
11554 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
11555 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
11556 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
11557 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
11558 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
11559 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
11560 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
11564 @node Summary Score Commands
11565 @section Summary Score Commands
11566 @cindex score commands
11568 The score commands that alter score entries do not actually modify real
11569 score files. That would be too inefficient. Gnus maintains a cache of
11570 previously loaded score files, one of which is considered the
11571 @dfn{current score file alist}. The score commands simply insert
11572 entries into this list, and upon group exit, this list is saved.
11574 The current score file is by default the group's local score file, even
11575 if no such score file actually exists. To insert score commands into
11576 some other score file (e.g. @file{all.SCORE}), you must first make this
11577 score file the current one.
11579 General score commands that don't actually change the score file:
11584 @kindex V s (Summary)
11585 @findex gnus-summary-set-score
11586 Set the score of the current article (@code{gnus-summary-set-score}).
11589 @kindex V S (Summary)
11590 @findex gnus-summary-current-score
11591 Display the score of the current article
11592 (@code{gnus-summary-current-score}).
11595 @kindex V t (Summary)
11596 @findex gnus-score-find-trace
11597 Display all score rules that have been used on the current article
11598 (@code{gnus-score-find-trace}).
11601 @kindex V R (Summary)
11602 @findex gnus-summary-rescore
11603 Run the current summary through the scoring process
11604 (@code{gnus-summary-rescore}). This might be useful if you're playing
11605 around with your score files behind Gnus' back and want to see the
11606 effect you're having.
11609 @kindex V a (Summary)
11610 @findex gnus-summary-score-entry
11611 Add a new score entry, and allow specifying all elements
11612 (@code{gnus-summary-score-entry}).
11615 @kindex V c (Summary)
11616 @findex gnus-score-change-score-file
11617 Make a different score file the current
11618 (@code{gnus-score-change-score-file}).
11621 @kindex V e (Summary)
11622 @findex gnus-score-edit-current-scores
11623 Edit the current score file (@code{gnus-score-edit-current-scores}).
11624 You will be popped into a @code{gnus-score-mode} buffer (@pxref{Score
11628 @kindex V f (Summary)
11629 @findex gnus-score-edit-file
11630 Edit a score file and make this score file the current one
11631 (@code{gnus-score-edit-file}).
11634 @kindex V F (Summary)
11635 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
11636 Flush the score cache (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}). This is useful
11637 after editing score files.
11640 @kindex V C (Summary)
11641 @findex gnus-score-customize
11642 Customize a score file in a visually pleasing manner
11643 (@code{gnus-score-customize}).
11647 The rest of these commands modify the local score file.
11652 @kindex V m (Summary)
11653 @findex gnus-score-set-mark-below
11654 Prompt for a score, and mark all articles with a score below this as
11655 read (@code{gnus-score-set-mark-below}).
11658 @kindex V x (Summary)
11659 @findex gnus-score-set-expunge-below
11660 Prompt for a score, and add a score rule to the current score file to
11661 expunge all articles below this score
11662 (@code{gnus-score-set-expunge-below}).
11665 The keystrokes for actually making score entries follow a very regular
11666 pattern, so there's no need to list all the commands. (Hundreds of
11669 @findex gnus-summary-increase-score
11670 @findex gnus-summary-lower-score
11674 The first key is either @kbd{I} (upper case i) for increasing the score
11675 or @kbd{L} for lowering the score.
11677 The second key says what header you want to score on. The following
11678 keys are available:
11682 Score on the author name.
11685 Score on the subject line.
11688 Score on the Xref line---i.e., the cross-posting line.
11691 Score on thread---the References line.
11697 Score on the number of lines.
11700 Score on the Message-ID.
11703 Score on followups.
11713 The third key is the match type. Which match types are valid depends on
11714 what headers you are scoring on.
11726 Substring matching.
11729 Fuzzy matching (@pxref{Fuzzy Matching}).
11758 Greater than number.
11763 The fourth and final key says whether this is a temporary (i.e., expiring)
11764 score entry, or a permanent (i.e., non-expiring) score entry, or whether
11765 it is to be done immediately, without adding to the score file.
11769 Temporary score entry.
11772 Permanent score entry.
11775 Immediately scoring.
11780 So, let's say you want to increase the score on the current author with
11781 exact matching permanently: @kbd{I a e p}. If you want to lower the
11782 score based on the subject line, using substring matching, and make a
11783 temporary score entry: @kbd{L s s t}. Pretty easy.
11785 To make things a bit more complicated, there are shortcuts. If you use
11786 a capital letter on either the second or third keys, Gnus will use
11787 defaults for the remaining one or two keystrokes. The defaults are
11788 ``substring'' and ``temporary''. So @kbd{I A} is the same as @kbd{I a s
11789 t}, and @kbd{I a R} is the same as @kbd{I a r t}.
11791 These functions take both the numerical prefix and the symbolic prefix
11792 (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}). A numerical prefix says how much to lower
11793 (or increase) the score of the article. A symbolic prefix of @code{a}
11794 says to use the @file{all.SCORE} file for the command instead of the
11795 current score file.
11797 @vindex gnus-score-mimic-keymap
11798 The @code{gnus-score-mimic-keymap} says whether these commands will
11799 pretend they are keymaps or not.
11802 @node Group Score Commands
11803 @section Group Score Commands
11804 @cindex group score commands
11806 There aren't many of these as yet, I'm afraid.
11811 @kindex W f (Group)
11812 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
11813 Gnus maintains a cache of score alists to avoid having to reload them
11814 all the time. This command will flush the cache
11815 (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}).
11820 @node Score Variables
11821 @section Score Variables
11822 @cindex score variables
11826 @item gnus-use-scoring
11827 @vindex gnus-use-scoring
11828 If @code{nil}, Gnus will not check for score files, and will not, in
11829 general, do any score-related work. This is @code{t} by default.
11831 @item gnus-kill-killed
11832 @vindex gnus-kill-killed
11833 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will never apply score files to
11834 articles that have already been through the kill process. While this
11835 may save you lots of time, it also means that if you apply a kill file
11836 to a group, and then change the kill file and want to run it over you
11837 group again to kill more articles, it won't work. You have to set this
11838 variable to @code{t} to do that. (It is @code{t} by default.)
11840 @item gnus-kill-files-directory
11841 @vindex gnus-kill-files-directory
11842 All kill and score files will be stored in this directory, which is
11843 initialized from the @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable by default.
11844 This is @file{~/News/} by default.
11846 @item gnus-score-file-suffix
11847 @vindex gnus-score-file-suffix
11848 Suffix to add to the group name to arrive at the score file name
11849 (@samp{SCORE} by default.)
11851 @item gnus-score-uncacheable-files
11852 @vindex gnus-score-uncacheable-files
11853 @cindex score cache
11854 All score files are normally cached to avoid excessive re-loading of
11855 score files. However, if this might make you Emacs grow big and
11856 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
11857 @file{all.SCORE}, while it might be a good idea to not cache
11858 @file{comp.infosystems.www.authoring.misc.ADAPT}. In fact, this
11859 variable is @samp{ADAPT$} by default, so no adaptive score files will
11862 @item gnus-save-score
11863 @vindex gnus-save-score
11864 If you have really complicated score files, and do lots of batch
11865 scoring, then you might set this variable to @code{t}. This will make
11866 Gnus save the scores into the @file{.newsrc.eld} file.
11868 @item gnus-score-interactive-default-score
11869 @vindex gnus-score-interactive-default-score
11870 Score used by all the interactive raise/lower commands to raise/lower
11871 score with. Default is 1000, which may seem excessive, but this is to
11872 ensure that the adaptive scoring scheme gets enough room to play with.
11873 We don't want the small changes from the adaptive scoring to overwrite
11874 manually entered data.
11876 @item gnus-summary-default-score
11877 @vindex gnus-summary-default-score
11878 Default score of an article, which is 0 by default.
11880 @item gnus-summary-expunge-below
11881 @vindex gnus-summary-expunge-below
11882 Don't display the summary lines of articles that have scores lower than
11883 this variable. This is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
11884 articles will be hidden. This variable is local to the summary buffers,
11885 and has to be set from @code{gnus-summary-mode-hook}.
11887 @item gnus-score-over-mark
11888 @vindex gnus-score-over-mark
11889 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score over the
11890 default. Default is @samp{+}.
11892 @item gnus-score-below-mark
11893 @vindex gnus-score-below-mark
11894 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score below the
11895 default. Default is @samp{-}.
11897 @item gnus-score-find-score-files-function
11898 @vindex gnus-score-find-score-files-function
11899 Function used to find score files for the current group. This function
11900 is called with the name of the group as the argument.
11902 Predefined functions available are:
11905 @item gnus-score-find-single
11906 @findex gnus-score-find-single
11907 Only apply the group's own score file.
11909 @item gnus-score-find-bnews
11910 @findex gnus-score-find-bnews
11911 Apply all score files that match, using bnews syntax. This is the
11912 default. If the current group is @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}, for instance,
11913 @file{all.emacs.all.SCORE}, @file{not.alt.all.SCORE} and
11914 @file{gnu.all.SCORE} would all apply. In short, the instances of
11915 @samp{all} in the score file names are translated into @samp{.*}, and
11916 then a regexp match is done.
11918 This means that if you have some score entries that you want to apply to
11919 all groups, then you put those entries in the @file{all.SCORE} file.
11921 The score files are applied in a semi-random order, although Gnus will
11922 try to apply the more general score files before the more specific score
11923 files. It does this by looking at the number of elements in the score
11924 file names---discarding the @samp{all} elements.
11926 @item gnus-score-find-hierarchical
11927 @findex gnus-score-find-hierarchical
11928 Apply all score files from all the parent groups. This means that you
11929 can't have score files like @file{all.SCORE}, but you can have
11930 @file{SCORE}, @file{comp.SCORE} and @file{comp.emacs.SCORE}.
11933 This variable can also be a list of functions. In that case, all these
11934 functions will be called, and all the returned lists of score files will
11935 be applied. These functions can also return lists of score alists
11936 directly. In that case, the functions that return these non-file score
11937 alists should probably be placed before the ``real'' score file
11938 functions, to ensure that the last score file returned is the local
11941 @item gnus-score-expiry-days
11942 @vindex gnus-score-expiry-days
11943 This variable says how many days should pass before an unused score file
11944 entry is expired. If this variable is @code{nil}, no score file entries
11945 are expired. It's 7 by default.
11947 @item gnus-update-score-entry-dates
11948 @vindex gnus-update-score-entry-dates
11949 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, matching score entries will have
11950 their dates updated. (This is how Gnus controls expiry---all
11951 non-matching entries will become too old while matching entries will
11952 stay fresh and young.) However, if you set this variable to @code{nil},
11953 even matching entries will grow old and will have to face that oh-so
11956 @item gnus-score-after-write-file-function
11957 @vindex gnus-score-after-write-file-function
11958 Function called with the name of the score file just written.
11963 @node Score File Format
11964 @section Score File Format
11965 @cindex score file format
11967 A score file is an @code{emacs-lisp} file that normally contains just a
11968 single form. Casual users are not expected to edit these files;
11969 everything can be changed from the summary buffer.
11971 Anyway, if you'd like to dig into it yourself, here's an example:
11975 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" -10000)
11977 ("larsi\\|lmi" -50000 nil R))
11979 ("Ding is Badd" nil 728373))
11981 ("alt.politics" -1000 728372 s))
11986 (mark-and-expunge -10)
11990 (files "/hom/larsi/News/gnu.SCORE")
11991 (exclude-files "all.SCORE")
11992 (local (gnus-newsgroup-auto-expire t)
11993 (gnus-summary-make-false-root empty))
11997 This example demonstrates most score file elements. For a different
11998 approach, see @pxref{Advanced Scoring}.
12000 Even though this looks much like lisp code, nothing here is actually
12001 @code{eval}ed. The lisp reader is used to read this form, though, so it
12002 has to be valid syntactically, if not semantically.
12004 Six keys are supported by this alist:
12009 If the key is a string, it is the name of the header to perform the
12010 match on. Scoring can only be performed on these eight headers:
12011 @code{From}, @code{Subject}, @code{References}, @code{Message-ID},
12012 @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars} and @code{Date}. In addition to
12013 these headers, there are three strings to tell Gnus to fetch the entire
12014 article and do the match on larger parts of the article: @code{Body}
12015 will perform the match on the body of the article, @code{Head} will
12016 perform the match on the head of the article, and @code{All} will
12017 perform the match on the entire article. Note that using any of these
12018 last three keys will slow down group entry @emph{considerably}. The
12019 final ``header'' you can score on is @code{Followup}. These score
12020 entries will result in new score entries being added for all follow-ups
12021 to articles that matches these score entries.
12023 Following this key is a arbitrary number of score entries, where each
12024 score entry has one to four elements.
12028 The first element is the @dfn{match element}. On most headers this will
12029 be a string, but on the Lines and Chars headers, this must be an
12033 If the second element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{score
12034 element}. This number should be an integer in the neginf to posinf
12035 interval. This number is added to the score of the article if the match
12036 is successful. If this element is not present, the
12037 @code{gnus-score-interactive-default-score} number will be used
12038 instead. This is 1000 by default.
12041 If the third element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{date
12042 element}. This date says when the last time this score entry matched,
12043 which provides a mechanism for expiring the score entries. It this
12044 element is not present, the score entry is permanent. The date is
12045 represented by the number of days since December 31, 1 BCE.
12048 If the fourth element is present, it should be a symbol---the @dfn{type
12049 element}. This element specifies what function should be used to see
12050 whether this score entry matches the article. What match types that can
12051 be used depends on what header you wish to perform the match on.
12054 @item From, Subject, References, Xref, Message-ID
12055 For most header types, there are the @code{r} and @code{R} (regexp), as
12056 well as @code{s} and @code{S} (substring) types, and @code{e} and
12057 @code{E} (exact match), and @code{w} (word match) types. If this
12058 element is not present, Gnus will assume that substring matching should
12059 be used. @code{R}, @code{S}, and @code{E} differ from the others in
12060 that the matches will be done in a case-sensitive manner. All these
12061 one-letter types are really just abbreviations for the @code{regexp},
12062 @code{string}, @code{exact}, and @code{word} types, which you can use
12063 instead, if you feel like.
12066 These two headers use different match types: @code{<}, @code{>},
12067 @code{=}, @code{>=} and @code{<=}. When matching on @code{Lines}, be
12068 careful because some backends (like @code{nndir}) do not generate
12069 @code{Lines} header, so every article ends up being marked as having 0
12070 lines. This can lead to strange results if you happen to lower score of
12071 the articles with few lines.
12074 For the Date header we have three kinda silly match types:
12075 @code{before}, @code{at} and @code{after}. I can't really imagine this
12076 ever being useful, but, like, it would feel kinda silly not to provide
12077 this function. Just in case. You never know. Better safe than sorry.
12078 Once burnt, twice shy. Don't judge a book by its cover. Never not have
12079 sex on a first date. (I have been told that at least one person, and I
12080 quote, ``found this function indispensable'', however.)
12084 A more useful match type is @code{regexp}. With it, you can match the
12085 date string using a regular expression. The date is normalized to
12086 ISO8601 compact format first---@var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS}. If
12087 you want to match all articles that have been posted on April 1st in
12088 every year, you could use @samp{....0401.........} as a match string,
12089 for instance. (Note that the date is kept in its original time zone, so
12090 this will match articles that were posted when it was April 1st where
12091 the article was posted from. Time zones are such wholesome fun for the
12094 @item Head, Body, All
12095 These three match keys use the same match types as the @code{From} (etc)
12099 This match key is somewhat special, in that it will match the
12100 @code{From} header, and affect the score of not only the matching
12101 articles, but also all followups to the matching articles. This allows
12102 you e.g. increase the score of followups to your own articles, or
12103 decrease the score of followups to the articles of some known
12104 trouble-maker. Uses the same match types as the @code{From} header
12105 uses. (Using this match key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT}
12109 This match key works along the same lines as the @code{Followup} match
12110 key. If you say that you want to score on a (sub-)thread started by an article with a @code{Message-ID} @var{X}, then you add a
12111 @samp{thread} match. This will add a new @samp{thread} match for each
12112 article that has @var{X} in its @code{References} header. (These new
12113 @samp{thread} matches will use the @code{Message-ID}s of these matching
12114 articles.) This will ensure that you can raise/lower the score of an
12115 entire thread, even though some articles in the thread may not have
12116 complete @code{References} headers. Note that using this may lead to
12117 undeterministic scores of the articles in the thread. (Using this match
12118 key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT} files.)
12122 @cindex Score File Atoms
12124 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
12125 lower than this number will be marked as read.
12128 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
12129 lower than this number will be removed from the summary buffer.
12131 @item mark-and-expunge
12132 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
12133 lower than this number will be marked as read and removed from the
12136 @item thread-mark-and-expunge
12137 The value of this entry should be a number. All articles that belong to
12138 a thread that has a total score below this number will be marked as read
12139 and removed from the summary buffer. @code{gnus-thread-score-function}
12140 says how to compute the total score for a thread.
12143 The value of this entry should be any number of file names. These files
12144 are assumed to be score files as well, and will be loaded the same way
12147 @item exclude-files
12148 The clue of this entry should be any number of files. These files will
12149 not be loaded, even though they would normally be so, for some reason or
12153 The value of this entry will be @code{eval}el. This element will be
12154 ignored when handling global score files.
12157 Read-only score files will not be updated or saved. Global score files
12158 should feature this atom (@pxref{Global Score Files}).
12161 The value of this entry should be a number. Articles that do not have
12162 parents will get this number added to their scores. Imagine you follow
12163 some high-volume newsgroup, like @samp{comp.lang.c}. Most likely you
12164 will only follow a few of the threads, also want to see any new threads.
12166 You can do this with the following two score file entries:
12170 (mark-and-expunge -100)
12173 When you enter the group the first time, you will only see the new
12174 threads. You then raise the score of the threads that you find
12175 interesting (with @kbd{I T} or @kbd{I S}), and ignore (@kbd{C y}) the
12176 rest. Next time you enter the group, you will see new articles in the
12177 interesting threads, plus any new threads.
12179 I.e.---the orphan score atom is for high-volume groups where there
12180 exist a few interesting threads which can't be found automatically by
12181 ordinary scoring rules.
12184 This entry controls the adaptive scoring. If it is @code{t}, the
12185 default adaptive scoring rules will be used. If it is @code{ignore}, no
12186 adaptive scoring will be performed on this group. If it is a list, this
12187 list will be used as the adaptive scoring rules. If it isn't present,
12188 or is something other than @code{t} or @code{ignore}, the default
12189 adaptive scoring rules will be used. If you want to use adaptive
12190 scoring on most groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
12191 @code{t}, and insert an @code{(adapt ignore)} in the groups where you do
12192 not want adaptive scoring. If you only want adaptive scoring in a few
12193 groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to @code{nil}, and
12194 insert @code{(adapt t)} in the score files of the groups where you want
12198 All adaptive score entries will go to the file named by this entry. It
12199 will also be applied when entering the group. This atom might be handy
12200 if you want to adapt on several groups at once, using the same adaptive
12201 file for a number of groups.
12204 @cindex local variables
12205 The value of this entry should be a list of @code{(VAR VALUE)} pairs.
12206 Each @var{var} will be made buffer-local to the current summary buffer,
12207 and set to the value specified. This is a convenient, if somewhat
12208 strange, way of setting variables in some groups if you don't like hooks
12209 much. Note that the @var{value} won't be evaluated.
12213 @node Score File Editing
12214 @section Score File Editing
12216 You normally enter all scoring commands from the summary buffer, but you
12217 might feel the urge to edit them by hand as well, so we've supplied you
12218 with a mode for that.
12220 It's simply a slightly customized @code{emacs-lisp} mode, with these
12221 additional commands:
12226 @kindex C-c C-c (Score)
12227 @findex gnus-score-edit-done
12228 Save the changes you have made and return to the summary buffer
12229 (@code{gnus-score-edit-done}).
12232 @kindex C-c C-d (Score)
12233 @findex gnus-score-edit-insert-date
12234 Insert the current date in numerical format
12235 (@code{gnus-score-edit-insert-date}). This is really the day number, if
12236 you were wondering.
12239 @kindex C-c C-p (Score)
12240 @findex gnus-score-pretty-print
12241 The adaptive score files are saved in an unformatted fashion. If you
12242 intend to read one of these files, you want to @dfn{pretty print} it
12243 first. This command (@code{gnus-score-pretty-print}) does that for
12248 Type @kbd{M-x gnus-score-mode} to use this mode.
12250 @vindex gnus-score-mode-hook
12251 @code{gnus-score-menu-hook} is run in score mode buffers.
12253 In the summary buffer you can use commands like @kbd{V f} and @kbd{V
12254 e} to begin editing score files.
12257 @node Adaptive Scoring
12258 @section Adaptive Scoring
12259 @cindex adaptive scoring
12261 If all this scoring is getting you down, Gnus has a way of making it all
12262 happen automatically---as if by magic. Or rather, as if by artificial
12263 stupidity, to be precise.
12265 @vindex gnus-use-adaptive-scoring
12266 When you read an article, or mark an article as read, or kill an
12267 article, you leave marks behind. On exit from the group, Gnus can sniff
12268 these marks and add score elements depending on what marks it finds.
12269 You turn on this ability by setting @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
12270 @code{t} or @code{(line)}. If you want score adaptively on separate
12271 words appearing in the subjects, you should set this variable to
12272 @code{(word)}. If you want to use both adaptive methods, set this
12273 variable to @code{(word line)}.
12275 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
12276 To give you complete control over the scoring process, you can customize
12277 the @code{gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist} variable. For instance, it
12278 might look something like this:
12281 (defvar gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
12282 '((gnus-unread-mark)
12283 (gnus-ticked-mark (from 4))
12284 (gnus-dormant-mark (from 5))
12285 (gnus-del-mark (from -4) (subject -1))
12286 (gnus-read-mark (from 4) (subject 2))
12287 (gnus-expirable-mark (from -1) (subject -1))
12288 (gnus-killed-mark (from -1) (subject -3))
12289 (gnus-kill-file-mark)
12290 (gnus-ancient-mark)
12291 (gnus-low-score-mark)
12292 (gnus-catchup-mark (from -1) (subject -1))))
12295 As you see, each element in this alist has a mark as a key (either a
12296 variable name or a ``real'' mark---a character). Following this key is
12297 a arbitrary number of header/score pairs. If there are no header/score
12298 pairs following the key, no adaptive scoring will be done on articles
12299 that have that key as the article mark. For instance, articles with
12300 @code{gnus-unread-mark} in the example above will not get adaptive score
12303 Each article can have only one mark, so just a single of these rules
12304 will be applied to each article.
12306 To take @code{gnus-del-mark} as an example---this alist says that all
12307 articles that have that mark (i.e., are marked with @samp{D}) will have a
12308 score entry added to lower based on the @code{From} header by -4, and
12309 lowered by @code{Subject} by -1. Change this to fit your prejudices.
12311 If you have marked 10 articles with the same subject with
12312 @code{gnus-del-mark}, the rule for that mark will be applied ten times.
12313 That means that that subject will get a score of ten times -1, which
12314 should be, unless I'm much mistaken, -10.
12316 If you have auto-expirable (mail) groups (@pxref{Expiring Mail}), all
12317 the read articles will be marked with the @samp{E} mark. This'll
12318 probably make adaptive scoring slightly impossible, so auto-expiring and
12319 adaptive scoring doesn't really mix very well.
12321 The headers you can score on are @code{from}, @code{subject},
12322 @code{message-id}, @code{references}, @code{xref}, @code{lines},
12323 @code{chars} and @code{date}. In addition, you can score on
12324 @code{followup}, which will create an adaptive score entry that matches
12325 on the @code{References} header using the @code{Message-ID} of the
12326 current article, thereby matching the following thread.
12328 You can also score on @code{thread}, which will try to score all
12329 articles that appear in a thread. @code{thread} matches uses a
12330 @code{Message-ID} to match on the @code{References} header of the
12331 article. If the match is made, the @code{Message-ID} of the article is
12332 added to the @code{thread} rule. (Think about it. I'd recommend two
12333 aspirins afterwards.)
12335 If you use this scheme, you should set the score file atom @code{mark}
12336 to something small---like -300, perhaps, to avoid having small random
12337 changes result in articles getting marked as read.
12339 After using adaptive scoring for a week or so, Gnus should start to
12340 become properly trained and enhance the authors you like best, and kill
12341 the authors you like least, without you having to say so explicitly.
12343 You can control what groups the adaptive scoring is to be performed on
12344 by using the score files (@pxref{Score File Format}). This will also
12345 let you use different rules in different groups.
12347 @vindex gnus-adaptive-file-suffix
12348 The adaptive score entries will be put into a file where the name is the
12349 group name with @code{gnus-adaptive-file-suffix} appended. The default
12352 @vindex gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit
12353 When doing adaptive scoring, substring or fuzzy matching would probably
12354 give you the best results in most cases. However, if the header one
12355 matches is short, the possibility for false positives is great, so if
12356 the length of the match is less than
12357 @code{gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit}, exact matching will be used. If
12358 this variable is @code{nil}, exact matching will always be used to avoid
12361 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
12362 As mentioned above, you can adapt either on individual words or entire
12363 headers. If you adapt on words, the
12364 @code{gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist} variable says what score
12365 each instance of a word should add given a mark.
12368 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
12369 `((,gnus-read-mark . 30)
12370 (,gnus-catchup-mark . -10)
12371 (,gnus-killed-mark . -20)
12372 (,gnus-del-mark . -15)))
12375 This is the default value. If you have adaption on words enabled, every
12376 word that appears in subjects of articles marked with
12377 @code{gnus-read-mark} will result in a score rule that increase the
12378 score with 30 points.
12380 @vindex gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words
12381 @vindex gnus-ignored-adaptive-words
12382 Words that appear in the @code{gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words} list
12383 will be ignored. If you wish to add more words to be ignored, use the
12384 @code{gnus-ignored-adaptive-words} list instead.
12386 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table
12387 When the scoring is done, @code{gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table} is the
12388 syntax table in effect. It is similar to the standard syntax table, but
12389 it considers numbers to be non-word-constituent characters.
12391 After using this scheme for a while, it might be nice to write a
12392 @code{gnus-psychoanalyze-user} command to go through the rules and see
12393 what words you like and what words you don't like. Or perhaps not.
12395 Note that the adaptive word scoring thing is highly experimental and is
12396 likely to change in the future. Initial impressions seem to indicate
12397 that it's totally useless as it stands. Some more work (involving more
12398 rigorous statistical methods) will have to be done to make this useful.
12401 @node Home Score File
12402 @section Home Score File
12404 The score file where new score file entries will go is called the
12405 @dfn{home score file}. This is normally (and by default) the score file
12406 for the group itself. For instance, the home score file for
12407 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} is @file{gnu.emacs.gnus.SCORE}.
12409 However, this may not be what you want. It is often convenient to share
12410 a common home score file among many groups---all @samp{emacs} groups
12411 could perhaps use the same home score file.
12413 @vindex gnus-home-score-file
12414 The variable that controls this is @code{gnus-home-score-file}. It can
12419 A string. Then this file will be used as the home score file for all
12423 A function. The result of this function will be used as the home score
12424 file. The function will be called with the name of the group as the
12428 A list. The elements in this list can be:
12432 @var{(regexp file-name)}. If the @var{regexp} matches the group name,
12433 the @var{file-name} will will be used as the home score file.
12436 A function. If the function returns non-nil, the result will be used as
12437 the home score file.
12440 A string. Use the string as the home score file.
12443 The list will be traversed from the beginning towards the end looking
12448 So, if you want to use just a single score file, you could say:
12451 (setq gnus-home-score-file
12452 "my-total-score-file.SCORE")
12455 If you want to use @file{gnu.SCORE} for all @samp{gnu} groups and
12456 @file{rec.SCORE} for all @samp{rec} groups (and so on), you can say:
12459 (setq gnus-home-score-file
12460 'gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file)
12463 This is a ready-made function provided for your convenience.
12465 If you want to have one score file for the @samp{emacs} groups and
12466 another for the @samp{comp} groups, while letting all other groups use
12467 their own home score files:
12470 (setq gnus-home-score-file
12471 ;; All groups that match the regexp "\\.emacs"
12472 '("\\.emacs" "emacs.SCORE")
12473 ;; All the comp groups in one score file
12474 ("^comp" "comp.SCORE"))
12477 @vindex gnus-home-adapt-file
12478 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file} works exactly the same way as
12479 @code{gnus-home-score-file}, but says what the home adaptive score file
12480 is instead. All new adaptive file entries will go into the file
12481 specified by this variable, and the same syntax is allowed.
12483 In addition to using @code{gnus-home-score-file} and
12484 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file}, you can also use group parameters
12485 (@pxref{Group Parameters}) and topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
12486 Parameters}) to achieve much the same. Group and topic parameters take
12487 precedence over this variable.
12490 @node Followups To Yourself
12491 @section Followups To Yourself
12493 Gnus offers two commands for picking out the @code{Message-ID} header in
12494 the current buffer. Gnus will then add a score rule that scores using
12495 this @code{Message-ID} on the @code{References} header of other
12496 articles. This will, in effect, increase the score of all articles that
12497 respond to the article in the current buffer. Quite useful if you want
12498 to easily note when people answer what you've said.
12502 @item gnus-score-followup-article
12503 @findex gnus-score-followup-article
12504 This will add a score to articles that directly follow up your own
12507 @item gnus-score-followup-thread
12508 @findex gnus-score-followup-thread
12509 This will add a score to all articles that appear in a thread ``below''
12513 @vindex message-sent-hook
12514 These two functions are both primarily meant to be used in hooks like
12515 @code{message-sent-hook}.
12517 If you look closely at your own @code{Message-ID}, you'll notice that
12518 the first two or three characters are always the same. Here's two of
12522 <x6u3u47icf.fsf@@eyesore.no>
12523 <x6sp9o7ibw.fsf@@eyesore.no>
12526 So ``my'' ident on this machine is @samp{x6}. This can be
12527 exploited---the following rule will raise the score on all followups to
12532 ("<x6[0-9a-z]+\\.fsf\\(_-_\\)?@@.*eyesore.no>"
12536 Whether it's the first two or first three characters that are ``yours''
12537 is system-dependent.
12541 @section Scoring Tips
12542 @cindex scoring tips
12548 @cindex scoring crossposts
12549 If you want to lower the score of crossposts, the line to match on is
12550 the @code{Xref} header.
12552 ("xref" (" talk.politics.misc:" -1000))
12555 @item Multiple crossposts
12556 If you want to lower the score of articles that have been crossposted to
12557 more than, say, 3 groups:
12559 ("xref" ("[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+" -1000 nil r))
12562 @item Matching on the body
12563 This is generally not a very good idea---it takes a very long time.
12564 Gnus actually has to fetch each individual article from the server. But
12565 you might want to anyway, I guess. Even though there are three match
12566 keys (@code{Head}, @code{Body} and @code{All}), you should choose one
12567 and stick with it in each score file. If you use any two, each article
12568 will be fetched @emph{twice}. If you want to match a bit on the
12569 @code{Head} and a bit on the @code{Body}, just use @code{All} for all
12572 @item Marking as read
12573 You will probably want to mark articles that has a score below a certain
12574 number as read. This is most easily achieved by putting the following
12575 in your @file{all.SCORE} file:
12579 You may also consider doing something similar with @code{expunge}.
12581 @item Negated character classes
12582 If you say stuff like @code{[^abcd]*}, you may get unexpected results.
12583 That will match newlines, which might lead to, well, The Unknown. Say
12584 @code{[^abcd\n]*} instead.
12588 @node Reverse Scoring
12589 @section Reverse Scoring
12590 @cindex reverse scoring
12592 If you want to keep just articles that have @samp{Sex with Emacs} in the
12593 subject header, and expunge all other articles, you could put something
12594 like this in your score file:
12598 ("Sex with Emacs" 2))
12603 So, you raise all articles that match @samp{Sex with Emacs} and mark the
12604 rest as read, and expunge them to boot.
12607 @node Global Score Files
12608 @section Global Score Files
12609 @cindex global score files
12611 Sure, other newsreaders have ``global kill files''. These are usually
12612 nothing more than a single kill file that applies to all groups, stored
12613 in the user's home directory. Bah! Puny, weak newsreaders!
12615 What I'm talking about here are Global Score Files. Score files from
12616 all over the world, from users everywhere, uniting all nations in one
12617 big, happy score file union! Ange-score! New and untested!
12619 @vindex gnus-global-score-files
12620 All you have to do to use other people's score files is to set the
12621 @code{gnus-global-score-files} variable. One entry for each score file,
12622 or each score file directory. Gnus will decide by itself what score
12623 files are applicable to which group.
12625 Say you want to use the score file
12626 @file{/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE} and
12627 all score files in the @file{/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score} directory:
12630 (setq gnus-global-score-files
12631 '("/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE"
12632 "/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score/"))
12635 @findex gnus-score-search-global-directories
12636 Simple, eh? Directory names must end with a @samp{/}. These
12637 directories are typically scanned only once during each Gnus session.
12638 If you feel the need to manually re-scan the remote directories, you can
12639 use the @code{gnus-score-search-global-directories} command.
12641 Note that, at present, using this option will slow down group entry
12642 somewhat. (That is---a lot.)
12644 If you want to start maintaining score files for other people to use,
12645 just put your score file up for anonymous ftp and announce it to the
12646 world. Become a retro-moderator! Participate in the retro-moderator
12647 wars sure to ensue, where retro-moderators battle it out for the
12648 sympathy of the people, luring them to use their score files on false
12649 premises! Yay! The net is saved!
12651 Here are some tips for the would-be retro-moderator, off the top of my
12657 Articles heavily crossposted are probably junk.
12659 To lower a single inappropriate article, lower by @code{Message-ID}.
12661 Particularly brilliant authors can be raised on a permanent basis.
12663 Authors that repeatedly post off-charter for the group can safely be
12664 lowered out of existence.
12666 Set the @code{mark} and @code{expunge} atoms to obliterate the nastiest
12667 articles completely.
12670 Use expiring score entries to keep the size of the file down. You
12671 should probably have a long expiry period, though, as some sites keep
12672 old articles for a long time.
12675 ... I wonder whether other newsreaders will support global score files
12676 in the future. @emph{Snicker}. Yup, any day now, newsreaders like Blue
12677 Wave, xrn and 1stReader are bound to implement scoring. Should we start
12678 holding our breath yet?
12682 @section Kill Files
12685 Gnus still supports those pesky old kill files. In fact, the kill file
12686 entries can now be expiring, which is something I wrote before Daniel
12687 Quinlan thought of doing score files, so I've left the code in there.
12689 In short, kill processing is a lot slower (and I do mean @emph{a lot})
12690 than score processing, so it might be a good idea to rewrite your kill
12691 files into score files.
12693 Anyway, a kill file is a normal @code{emacs-lisp} file. You can put any
12694 forms into this file, which means that you can use kill files as some
12695 sort of primitive hook function to be run on group entry, even though
12696 that isn't a very good idea.
12698 Normal kill files look like this:
12701 (gnus-kill "From" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
12702 (gnus-kill "Subject" "ding")
12706 This will mark every article written by me as read, and remove the
12707 marked articles from the summary buffer. Very useful, you'll agree.
12709 Other programs use a totally different kill file syntax. If Gnus
12710 encounters what looks like a @code{rn} kill file, it will take a stab at
12713 Two summary functions for editing a GNUS kill file:
12718 @kindex M-k (Summary)
12719 @findex gnus-summary-edit-local-kill
12720 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-local-kill}).
12723 @kindex M-K (Summary)
12724 @findex gnus-summary-edit-global-kill
12725 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-global-kill}).
12728 Two group mode functions for editing the kill files:
12733 @kindex M-k (Group)
12734 @findex gnus-group-edit-local-kill
12735 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-local-kill}).
12738 @kindex M-K (Group)
12739 @findex gnus-group-edit-global-kill
12740 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-global-kill}).
12743 Kill file variables:
12746 @item gnus-kill-file-name
12747 @vindex gnus-kill-file-name
12748 A kill file for the group @samp{soc.motss} is normally called
12749 @file{soc.motss.KILL}. The suffix appended to the group name to get
12750 this file name is detailed by the @code{gnus-kill-file-name} variable.
12751 The ``global'' kill file (not in the score file sense of ``global'', of
12752 course) is just called @file{KILL}.
12754 @vindex gnus-kill-save-kill-file
12755 @item gnus-kill-save-kill-file
12756 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will save the
12757 kill file after processing, which is necessary if you use expiring
12760 @item gnus-apply-kill-hook
12761 @vindex gnus-apply-kill-hook
12762 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored
12763 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file
12764 A hook called to apply kill files to a group. It is
12765 @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file)} by default. If you want to ignore the
12766 kill file if you have a score file for the same group, you can set this
12767 hook to @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored)}. If you don't want
12768 kill files to be processed, you should set this variable to @code{nil}.
12770 @item gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
12771 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
12772 A hook called in kill-file mode buffers.
12777 @node Converting Kill Files
12778 @section Converting Kill Files
12780 @cindex converting kill files
12782 If you have loads of old kill files, you may want to convert them into
12783 score files. If they are ``regular'', you can use
12784 the @file{gnus-kill-to-score.el} package; if not, you'll have to do it
12787 The kill to score conversion package isn't included in Gnus by default.
12788 You can fetch it from
12789 @file{http://www.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/ding-other/gnus-kill-to-score}.
12791 If your old kill files are very complex---if they contain more
12792 non-@code{gnus-kill} forms than not, you'll have to convert them by
12793 hand. Or just let them be as they are. Gnus will still use them as
12801 GroupLens is a collaborative filtering system that helps you work
12802 together with other people to find the quality news articles out of the
12803 huge volume of news articles generated every day.
12805 To accomplish this the GroupLens system combines your opinions about
12806 articles you have already read with the opinions of others who have done
12807 likewise and gives you a personalized prediction for each unread news
12808 article. Think of GroupLens as a matchmaker. GroupLens watches how you
12809 rate articles, and finds other people that rate articles the same way.
12810 Once it has found some people you agree with it tells you, in the form
12811 of a prediction, what they thought of the article. You can use this
12812 prediction to help you decide whether or not you want to read the
12816 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
12817 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
12818 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
12819 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
12823 @node Using GroupLens
12824 @subsection Using GroupLens
12826 To use GroupLens you must register a pseudonym with your local Better
12828 @samp{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/bbb.html} is the only
12829 better bit in town at the moment.
12831 Once you have registered you'll need to set a couple of variables.
12835 @item gnus-use-grouplens
12836 @vindex gnus-use-grouplens
12837 Setting this variable to a non-@code{nil} value will make Gnus hook into
12838 all the relevant GroupLens functions.
12840 @item grouplens-pseudonym
12841 @vindex grouplens-pseudonym
12842 This variable should be set to the pseudonym you got when registering
12843 with the Better Bit Bureau.
12845 @item grouplens-newsgroups
12846 @vindex grouplens-newsgroups
12847 A list of groups that you want to get GroupLens predictions for.
12851 That's the minimum of what you need to get up and running with GroupLens.
12852 Once you've registered, GroupLens will start giving you scores for
12853 articles based on the average of what other people think. But, to get
12854 the real benefit of GroupLens you need to start rating articles
12855 yourself. Then the scores GroupLens gives you will be personalized for
12856 you, based on how the people you usually agree with have already rated.
12859 @node Rating Articles
12860 @subsection Rating Articles
12862 In GroupLens, an article is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, inclusive.
12863 Where 1 means something like this article is a waste of bandwidth and 5
12864 means that the article was really good. The basic question to ask
12865 yourself is, "on a scale from 1 to 5 would I like to see more articles
12868 There are four ways to enter a rating for an article in GroupLens.
12873 @kindex r (GroupLens)
12874 @findex bbb-summary-rate-article
12875 This function will prompt you for a rating on a scale of one to five.
12878 @kindex k (GroupLens)
12879 @findex grouplens-score-thread
12880 This function will prompt you for a rating, and rate all the articles in
12881 the thread. This is really useful for some of those long running giant
12882 threads in rec.humor.
12886 The next two commands, @kbd{n} and @kbd{,} take a numerical prefix to be
12887 the score of the article you're reading.
12892 @kindex n (GroupLens)
12893 @findex grouplens-next-unread-article
12894 Rate the article and go to the next unread article.
12897 @kindex , (GroupLens)
12898 @findex grouplens-best-unread-article
12899 Rate the article and go to the next unread article with the highest score.
12903 If you want to give the current article a score of 4 and then go to the
12904 next article, just type @kbd{4 n}.
12907 @node Displaying Predictions
12908 @subsection Displaying Predictions
12910 GroupLens makes a prediction for you about how much you will like a
12911 news article. The predictions from GroupLens are on a scale from 1 to
12912 5, where 1 is the worst and 5 is the best. You can use the predictions
12913 from GroupLens in one of three ways controlled by the variable
12914 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring}.
12916 @vindex gnus-grouplens-override-scoring
12917 There are three ways to display predictions in grouplens. You may
12918 choose to have the GroupLens scores contribute to, or override the
12919 regular gnus scoring mechanism. override is the default; however, some
12920 people prefer to see the Gnus scores plus the grouplens scores. To get
12921 the separate scoring behavior you need to set
12922 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'separate}. To have the
12923 GroupLens predictions combined with the grouplens scores set it to
12924 @code{'override} and to combine the scores set
12925 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'combine}. When you use
12926 the combine option you will also want to set the values for
12927 @code{grouplens-prediction-offset} and
12928 @code{grouplens-score-scale-factor}.
12930 @vindex grouplens-prediction-display
12931 In either case, GroupLens gives you a few choices for how you would like
12932 to see your predictions displayed. The display of predictions is
12933 controlled by the @code{grouplens-prediction-display} variable.
12935 The following are valid values for that variable.
12938 @item prediction-spot
12939 The higher the prediction, the further to the right an @samp{*} is
12942 @item confidence-interval
12943 A numeric confidence interval.
12945 @item prediction-bar
12946 The higher the prediction, the longer the bar.
12948 @item confidence-bar
12949 Numerical confidence.
12951 @item confidence-spot
12952 The spot gets bigger with more confidence.
12954 @item prediction-num
12955 Plain-old numeric value.
12957 @item confidence-plus-minus
12958 Prediction +/- confidence.
12963 @node GroupLens Variables
12964 @subsection GroupLens Variables
12968 @item gnus-summary-grouplens-line-format
12969 The summary line format used in GroupLens-enhanced summary buffers. It
12970 accepts the same specs as the normal summary line format (@pxref{Summary
12971 Buffer Lines}). The default is @samp{%U%R%z%l%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%)
12974 @item grouplens-bbb-host
12975 Host running the bbbd server. @samp{grouplens.cs.umn.edu} is the
12978 @item grouplens-bbb-port
12979 Port of the host running the bbbd server. The default is 9000.
12981 @item grouplens-score-offset
12982 Offset the prediction by this value. In other words, subtract the
12983 prediction value by this number to arrive at the effective score. The
12986 @item grouplens-score-scale-factor
12987 This variable allows the user to magnify the effect of GroupLens scores.
12988 The scale factor is applied after the offset. The default is 1.
12993 @node Advanced Scoring
12994 @section Advanced Scoring
12996 Scoring on Subjects and From headers is nice enough, but what if you're
12997 really interested in what a person has to say only when she's talking
12998 about a particular subject? Or what if you really don't want to
12999 read what person A has to say when she's following up to person B, but
13000 want to read what she says when she's following up to person C?
13002 By using advanced scoring rules you may create arbitrarily complex
13006 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
13007 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
13008 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
13012 @node Advanced Scoring Syntax
13013 @subsection Advanced Scoring Syntax
13015 Ordinary scoring rules have a string as the first element in the rule.
13016 Advanced scoring rules have a list as the first element. The second
13017 element is the score to be applied if the first element evaluated to a
13018 non-@code{nil} value.
13020 These lists may consist of three logical operators, one redirection
13021 operator, and various match operators.
13028 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
13029 one that evaluates to @code{false}, and then it'll stop. If all arguments
13030 evaluate to @code{true} values, then this operator will return
13035 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
13036 one that evaluates to @code{true}. If no arguments are @code{true},
13037 then this operator will return @code{false}.
13042 This logical operator only takes a single argument. It returns the
13043 logical negation of the value of its argument.
13047 There is an @dfn{indirection operator} that will make its arguments
13048 apply to the ancestors of the current article being scored. For
13049 instance, @code{1-} will make score rules apply to the parent of the
13050 current article. @code{2-} will make score rules apply to the
13051 grandparent of the current article. Alternatively, you can write
13052 @code{^^}, where the number of @code{^}s (carets) says how far back into
13053 the ancestry you want to go.
13055 Finally, we have the match operators. These are the ones that do the
13056 real work. Match operators are header name strings followed by a match
13057 and a match type. A typical match operator looks like @samp{("from"
13058 "Lars Ingebrigtsen" s)}. The header names are the same as when using
13059 simple scoring, and the match types are also the same.
13062 @node Advanced Scoring Examples
13063 @subsection Advanced Scoring Examples
13065 Let's say you want to increase the score of articles written by Lars
13066 when he's talking about Gnus:
13070 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
13071 ("subject" "Gnus"))
13077 When he writes long articles, he sometimes has something nice to say:
13081 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
13088 However, when he responds to things written by Reig Eigil Logge, you
13089 really don't want to read what he's written:
13093 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
13094 (1- ("from" "Reig Eigir Logge")))
13098 Everybody that follows up Redmondo when he writes about disappearing
13099 socks should have their scores raised, but only when they talk about
13100 white socks. However, when Lars talks about socks, it's usually not
13107 ("from" "redmondo@@.*no" r)
13108 ("body" "disappearing.*socks" t)))
13109 (! ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen"))
13110 ("body" "white.*socks"))
13114 The possibilities are endless.
13117 @node Advanced Scoring Tips
13118 @subsection Advanced Scoring Tips
13120 The @code{&} and @code{|} logical operators do short-circuit logic.
13121 That is, they stop processing their arguments when it's clear what the
13122 result of the operation will be. For instance, if one of the arguments
13123 of an @code{&} evaluates to @code{false}, there's no point in evaluating
13124 the rest of the arguments. This means that you should put slow matches
13125 (@samp{body}, @samp{header}) last and quick matches (@samp{from},
13126 @samp{subject}) first.
13128 The indirection arguments (@code{1-} and so on) will make their
13129 arguments work on previous generations of the thread. If you say
13140 Then that means "score on the from header of the grandparent of the
13141 current article". An indirection is quite fast, but it's better to say:
13147 ("subject" "Gnus")))
13154 (1- ("from" "Lars"))
13155 (1- ("subject" "Gnus")))
13160 @section Score Decays
13161 @cindex score decays
13164 You may find that your scores have a tendency to grow without
13165 bounds, especially if you're using adaptive scoring. If scores get too
13166 big, they lose all meaning---they simply max out and it's difficult to
13167 use them in any sensible way.
13169 @vindex gnus-decay-scores
13170 @findex gnus-decay-score
13171 @vindex gnus-score-decay-function
13172 Gnus provides a mechanism for decaying scores to help with this problem.
13173 When score files are loaded and @code{gnus-decay-scores} is
13174 non-@code{nil}, Gnus will run the score files through the decaying
13175 mechanism thereby lowering the scores of all non-permanent score rules.
13176 The decay itself if performed by the @code{gnus-score-decay-function}
13177 function, which is @code{gnus-decay-score} by default. Here's the
13178 definition of that function:
13181 (defun gnus-decay-score (score)
13182 "Decay SCORE according to `gnus-score-decay-constant' and `gnus-score-decay-scale'."
13185 (* (if (< score 0) 1 -1)
13187 (max gnus-score-decay-constant
13189 gnus-score-decay-scale)))))))
13192 @vindex gnus-score-decay-scale
13193 @vindex gnus-score-decay-constant
13194 @code{gnus-score-decay-constant} is 3 by default and
13195 @code{gnus-score-decay-scale} is 0.05. This should cause the following:
13199 Scores between -3 and 3 will be set to 0 when this function is called.
13202 Scores with magnitudes between 3 and 60 will be shrunk by 3.
13205 Scores with magnitudes greater than 60 will be shrunk by 5% of the
13209 If you don't like this decay function, write your own. It is called
13210 with the score to be decayed as its only parameter, and it should return
13211 the new score, which should be an integer.
13213 Gnus will try to decay scores once a day. If you haven't run Gnus for
13214 four days, Gnus will decay the scores four times, for instance.
13221 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
13222 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
13223 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
13224 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
13225 * Windows Configuration:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
13226 * Faces & Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
13227 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
13228 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
13229 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
13230 * Buttons:: Get tendonitis in ten easy steps!
13231 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
13232 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
13233 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
13234 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
13235 * XEmacs Enhancements:: There are more pictures and stuff under XEmacs.
13236 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
13237 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolited commercial email.
13238 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
13242 @node Process/Prefix
13243 @section Process/Prefix
13244 @cindex process/prefix convention
13246 Many functions, among them functions for moving, decoding and saving
13247 articles, use what is known as the @dfn{Process/Prefix convention}.
13249 This is a method for figuring out what articles the user wants the
13250 command to be performed on.
13254 If the numeric prefix is N, perform the operation on the next N
13255 articles, starting with the current one. If the numeric prefix is
13256 negative, perform the operation on the previous N articles, starting
13257 with the current one.
13259 @vindex transient-mark-mode
13260 If @code{transient-mark-mode} in non-@code{nil} and the region is
13261 active, all articles in the region will be worked upon.
13263 If there is no numeric prefix, but some articles are marked with the
13264 process mark, perform the operation on the articles marked with
13267 If there is neither a numeric prefix nor any articles marked with the
13268 process mark, just perform the operation on the current article.
13270 Quite simple, really, but it needs to be made clear so that surprises
13273 Commands that react to the process mark will push the current list of
13274 process marked articles onto a stack and will then clear all process
13275 marked articles. You can restore the previous configuration with the
13276 @kbd{M P y} command (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
13278 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
13279 One thing that seems to shock & horrify lots of people is that, for
13280 instance, @kbd{3 d} does exactly the same as @kbd{d} @kbd{d} @kbd{d}.
13281 Since each @kbd{d} (which marks the current article as read) by default
13282 goes to the next unread article after marking, this means that @kbd{3 d}
13283 will mark the next three unread articles as read, no matter what the
13284 summary buffer looks like. Set @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} to
13285 @code{nil} for a more straightforward action.
13289 @section Interactive
13290 @cindex interaction
13294 @item gnus-novice-user
13295 @vindex gnus-novice-user
13296 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you are either a newcomer to the
13297 World of Usenet, or you are very cautious, which is a nice thing to be,
13298 really. You will be given questions of the type ``Are you sure you want
13299 to do this?'' before doing anything dangerous. This is @code{t} by
13302 @item gnus-expert-user
13303 @vindex gnus-expert-user
13304 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you will never ever be asked any
13305 questions by Gnus. It will simply assume you know what you're doing, no
13306 matter how strange.
13308 @item gnus-interactive-catchup
13309 @vindex gnus-interactive-catchup
13310 Require confirmation before catching up a group if non-@code{nil}. It
13311 is @code{t} by default.
13313 @item gnus-interactive-exit
13314 @vindex gnus-interactive-exit
13315 Require confirmation before exiting Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
13320 @node Symbolic Prefixes
13321 @section Symbolic Prefixes
13322 @cindex symbolic prefixes
13324 Quite a lot of Emacs commands react to the (numeric) prefix. For
13325 instance, @kbd{C-u 4 C-f} moves point four charaters forward, and
13326 @kbd{C-u 9 0 0 I s s p} adds a permanent @code{Subject} substring score
13327 rule of 900 to the current article.
13329 This is all nice and well, but what if you want to give a command some
13330 additional information? Well, what most commands do is interpret the
13331 ``raw'' prefix in some special way. @kbd{C-u 0 C-x C-s} means that one
13332 doesn't want a backup file to be created when saving the current buffer,
13333 for instance. But what if you want to save without making a backup
13334 file, and you want Emacs to flash lights and play a nice tune at the
13335 same time? You can't, and you're probably perfectly happy that way.
13337 @kindex M-i (Summary)
13338 @findex gnus-symbolic-argument
13339 I'm not, so I've added a second prefix---the @dfn{symbolic prefix}. The
13340 prefix key is @kbd{M-i} (@code{gnus-symbolic-argument}), and the next
13341 character typed in is the value. You can stack as many @kbd{M-i}
13342 prefixes as you want. @kbd{M-i a M-C-u} means ``feed the @kbd{M-C-u}
13343 command the symbolic prefix @code{a}''. @kbd{M-i a M-i b M-C-u} means
13344 ``feed the @kbd{M-C-u} command the symbolic prefixes @code{a} and
13345 @code{b}''. You get the drift.
13347 Typing in symbolic prefixes to commands that don't accept them doesn't
13348 hurt, but it doesn't do any good either. Currently not many Gnus
13349 functions make use of the symbolic prefix.
13351 If you're interested in how Gnus implements this, @pxref{Extended
13355 @node Formatting Variables
13356 @section Formatting Variables
13357 @cindex formatting variables
13359 Throughout this manual you've probably noticed lots of variables called things like @code{gnus-group-line-format} and
13360 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. These control how Gnus is to
13361 output lines in the various buffers. There's quite a lot of them.
13362 Fortunately, they all use the same syntax, so there's not that much to
13365 Here's an example format spec (from the group buffer): @samp{%M%S%5y:
13366 %(%g%)\n}. We see that it is indeed extremely ugly, and that there are
13367 lots of percentages everywhere.
13370 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
13371 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
13372 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
13373 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
13376 Currently Gnus uses the following formatting variables:
13377 @code{gnus-group-line-format}, @code{gnus-summary-line-format},
13378 @code{gnus-server-line-format}, @code{gnus-topic-line-format},
13379 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format},
13380 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format},
13381 @code{gnus-article-mode-line-format},
13382 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format}, and
13383 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format}.
13385 All these format variables can also be arbitrary elisp forms. In that
13386 case, they will be @code{eval}ed to insert the required lines.
13388 @kindex M-x gnus-update-format
13389 @findex gnus-update-format
13390 Gnus includes a command to help you while creating your own format
13391 specs. @kbd{M-x gnus-update-format} will @code{eval} the current form,
13392 update the spec in question and pop you to a buffer where you can
13393 examine the resulting lisp code to be run to generate the line.
13397 @node Formatting Basics
13398 @subsection Formatting Basics
13400 Each @samp{%} element will be replaced by some string or other when the
13401 buffer in question is generated. @samp{%5y} means ``insert the @samp{y}
13402 spec, and pad with spaces to get a 5-character field''.
13404 As with normal C and Emacs Lisp formatting strings, the numerical
13405 modifier between the @samp{%} and the formatting type character will
13406 @dfn{pad} the output so that it is always at least that long.
13407 @samp{%5y} will make the field always (at least) five characters wide by
13408 padding with spaces to the left. If you say @samp{%-5y}, it will pad to
13411 You may also wish to limit the length of the field to protect against
13412 particularly wide values. For that you can say @samp{%4,6y}, which
13413 means that the field will never be more than 6 characters wide and never
13414 less than 4 characters wide.
13417 @node Advanced Formatting
13418 @subsection Advanced Formatting
13420 It is frequently useful to post-process the fields in some way.
13421 Padding, limiting, cutting off parts and suppressing certain values can
13422 be achieved by using @dfn{tilde modifiers}. A typical tilde spec might
13423 look like @samp{%~(cut 3)~(ignore "0")y}.
13425 These are the valid modifiers:
13430 Pad the field to the left with spaces until it reaches the required
13434 Pad the field to the right with spaces until it reaches the required
13439 Cut off characters from the left until it reaches the specified length.
13442 Cut off characters from the right until it reaches the specified
13447 Cut off the specified number of characters from the left.
13450 Cut off the specified number of characters from the right.
13453 Return an empty string if the field is equal to the specified value.
13456 Use the specified form as the field value when the @samp{@@} spec is
13460 Let's take an example. The @samp{%o} spec in the summary mode lines
13461 will return a date in compact ISO8601 format---@samp{19960809T230410}.
13462 This is quite a mouthful, so we want to shave off the century number and
13463 the time, leaving us with a six-character date. That would be
13464 @samp{%~(cut-left 2)~(max-right 6)~(pad 6)o}. (Cutting is done before
13465 maxing, and we need the padding to ensure that the date is never less
13466 than 6 characters to make it look nice in columns.)
13468 Ignoring is done first; then cutting; then maxing; and then as the very
13469 last operation, padding.
13471 If you use lots of these advanced thingies, you'll find that Gnus gets
13472 quite slow. This can be helped enormously by running @kbd{M-x
13473 gnus-compile} when you are satisfied with the look of your lines.
13474 @xref{Compilation}.
13477 @node User-Defined Specs
13478 @subsection User-Defined Specs
13480 All the specs allow for inserting user defined specifiers---@samp{u}.
13481 The next character in the format string should be a letter. Gnus
13482 will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where
13483 @samp{X} is the letter following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed
13484 a single parameter---what the parameter means depends on what buffer
13485 it's being called from. The function should return a string, which will
13486 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
13487 specifier. This function may also be called with dummy values, so it
13488 should protect against that.
13490 You can also use tilde modifiers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting} to achieve
13491 much the same without defining new functions. Here's an example:
13492 @samp{%~(form (count-lines (point-min) (point)))@@}. The form
13493 given here will be evaluated to yield the current line number, and then
13497 @node Formatting Fonts
13498 @subsection Formatting Fonts
13500 There are specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the format
13501 variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers will get
13502 the special @code{mouse-face} property set, which means that it will be
13503 highlighted (with @code{gnus-mouse-face}) when you put the mouse pointer
13506 Text inside the @samp{%[} and @samp{%]} specifiers will have their
13507 normal faces set using @code{gnus-face-0}, which is @code{bold} by
13508 default. If you say @samp{%1[}, you'll get @code{gnus-face-1} instead,
13509 and so on. Create as many faces as you wish. The same goes for the
13510 @code{mouse-face} specs---you can say @samp{%3(hello%)} to have
13511 @samp{hello} mouse-highlighted with @code{gnus-mouse-face-3}.
13513 Here's an alternative recipe for the group buffer:
13516 ;; Create three face types.
13517 (setq gnus-face-1 'bold)
13518 (setq gnus-face-3 'italic)
13520 ;; We want the article count to be in
13521 ;; a bold and green face. So we create
13522 ;; a new face called `my-green-bold'.
13523 (copy-face 'bold 'my-green-bold)
13525 (set-face-foreground 'my-green-bold "ForestGreen")
13526 (setq gnus-face-2 'my-green-bold)
13528 ;; Set the new & fancy format.
13529 (setq gnus-group-line-format
13530 "%M%S%3@{%5y%@}%2[:%] %(%1@{%g%@}%)\n")
13533 I'm sure you'll be able to use this scheme to create totally unreadable
13534 and extremely vulgar displays. Have fun!
13536 Note that the @samp{%(} specs (and friends) do not make any sense on the
13537 mode-line variables.
13540 @node Windows Configuration
13541 @section Windows Configuration
13542 @cindex windows configuration
13544 No, there's nothing here about X, so be quiet.
13546 @vindex gnus-use-full-window
13547 If @code{gnus-use-full-window} non-@code{nil}, Gnus will delete all
13548 other windows and occupy the entire Emacs screen by itself. It is
13549 @code{t} by default.
13551 @vindex gnus-buffer-configuration
13552 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} describes how much space each Gnus
13553 buffer should be given. Here's an excerpt of this variable:
13556 ((group (vertical 1.0 (group 1.0 point)
13557 (if gnus-carpal (group-carpal 4))))
13558 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
13562 This is an alist. The @dfn{key} is a symbol that names some action or
13563 other. For instance, when displaying the group buffer, the window
13564 configuration function will use @code{group} as the key. A full list of
13565 possible names is listed below.
13567 The @dfn{value} (i.e., the @dfn{split}) says how much space each buffer
13568 should occupy. To take the @code{article} split as an example -
13571 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
13575 This @dfn{split} says that the summary buffer should occupy 25% of upper
13576 half of the screen, and that it is placed over the article buffer. As
13577 you may have noticed, 100% + 25% is actually 125% (yup, I saw y'all
13578 reaching for that calculator there). However, the special number
13579 @code{1.0} is used to signal that this buffer should soak up all the
13580 rest of the space available after the rest of the buffers have taken
13581 whatever they need. There should be only one buffer with the @code{1.0}
13582 size spec per split.
13584 Point will be put in the buffer that has the optional third element
13587 Here's a more complicated example:
13590 (article (vertical 1.0 (group 4)
13591 (summary 0.25 point)
13592 (if gnus-carpal (summary-carpal 4))
13596 If the size spec is an integer instead of a floating point number,
13597 then that number will be used to say how many lines a buffer should
13598 occupy, not a percentage.
13600 If the @dfn{split} looks like something that can be @code{eval}ed (to be
13601 precise---if the @code{car} of the split is a function or a subr), this
13602 split will be @code{eval}ed. If the result is non-@code{nil}, it will
13603 be used as a split. This means that there will be three buffers if
13604 @code{gnus-carpal} is @code{nil}, and four buffers if @code{gnus-carpal}
13607 Not complicated enough for you? Well, try this on for size:
13610 (article (horizontal 1.0
13615 (summary 0.25 point)
13620 Whoops. Two buffers with the mystery 100% tag. And what's that
13621 @code{horizontal} thingie?
13623 If the first element in one of the split is @code{horizontal}, Gnus will
13624 split the window horizontally, giving you two windows side-by-side.
13625 Inside each of these strips you may carry on all you like in the normal
13626 fashion. The number following @code{horizontal} says what percentage of
13627 the screen is to be given to this strip.
13629 For each split, there @emph{must} be one element that has the 100% tag.
13630 The splitting is never accurate, and this buffer will eat any leftover
13631 lines from the splits.
13633 To be slightly more formal, here's a definition of what a valid split
13637 split = frame | horizontal | vertical | buffer | form
13638 frame = "(frame " size *split ")"
13639 horizontal = "(horizontal " size *split ")"
13640 vertical = "(vertical " size *split ")"
13641 buffer = "(" buffer-name " " size *[ "point" ] ")"
13642 size = number | frame-params
13643 buffer-name = group | article | summary ...
13646 The limitations are that the @code{frame} split can only appear as the
13647 top-level split. @var{form} should be an Emacs Lisp form that should
13648 return a valid split. We see that each split is fully recursive, and
13649 may contain any number of @code{vertical} and @code{horizontal} splits.
13651 @vindex gnus-window-min-width
13652 @vindex gnus-window-min-height
13653 @cindex window height
13654 @cindex window width
13655 Finding the right sizes can be a bit complicated. No window may be less
13656 than @code{gnus-window-min-height} (default 1) characters high, and all
13657 windows must be at least @code{gnus-window-min-width} (default 1)
13658 characters wide. Gnus will try to enforce this before applying the
13659 splits. If you want to use the normal Emacs window width/height limit,
13660 you can just set these two variables to @code{nil}.
13662 If you're not familiar with Emacs terminology, @code{horizontal} and
13663 @code{vertical} splits may work the opposite way of what you'd expect.
13664 Windows inside a @code{horizontal} split are shown side-by-side, and
13665 windows within a @code{vertical} split are shown above each other.
13667 @findex gnus-configure-frame
13668 If you want to experiment with window placement, a good tip is to call
13669 @code{gnus-configure-frame} directly with a split. This is the function
13670 that does all the real work when splitting buffers. Below is a pretty
13671 nonsensical configuration with 5 windows; two for the group buffer and
13672 three for the article buffer. (I said it was nonsensical.) If you
13673 @code{eval} the statement below, you can get an idea of how that would
13674 look straight away, without going through the normal Gnus channels.
13675 Play with it until you're satisfied, and then use
13676 @code{gnus-add-configuration} to add your new creation to the buffer
13677 configuration list.
13680 (gnus-configure-frame
13684 (article 0.3 point))
13692 You might want to have several frames as well. No prob---just use the
13693 @code{frame} split:
13696 (gnus-configure-frame
13699 (summary 0.25 point)
13701 (vertical ((height . 5) (width . 15)
13702 (user-position . t)
13703 (left . -1) (top . 1))
13708 This split will result in the familiar summary/article window
13709 configuration in the first (or ``main'') frame, while a small additional
13710 frame will be created where picons will be shown. As you can see,
13711 instead of the normal @code{1.0} top-level spec, each additional split
13712 should have a frame parameter alist as the size spec.
13713 @xref{Frame Parameters, , Frame Parameters, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
13714 Reference Manual}. Under XEmacs, a frame property list will be
13715 accepted, too---for instance, @code{(height 5 width 15 left -1 top 1)}
13718 Here's a list of all possible keys for
13719 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration}:
13721 @code{group}, @code{summary}, @code{article}, @code{server},
13722 @code{browse}, @code{message}, @code{pick}, @code{info},
13723 @code{summary-faq}, @code{edit-group}, @code{edit-server},
13724 @code{edit-score}, @code{post}, @code{reply}, @code{forward},
13725 @code{reply-yank}, @code{mail-bounce}, @code{draft}, @code{pipe},
13726 @code{bug}, @code{compose-bounce}, and @code{score-trace}.
13728 Note that the @code{message} key is used for both
13729 @code{gnus-group-mail} and @code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}. If
13730 it is desirable to distinguish between the two, something like this
13734 (message (horizontal 1.0
13735 (vertical 1.0 (message 1.0 point))
13737 (if (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer)
13742 @findex gnus-add-configuration
13743 Since the @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} variable is so long and
13744 complicated, there's a function you can use to ease changing the config
13745 of a single setting: @code{gnus-add-configuration}. If, for instance,
13746 you want to change the @code{article} setting, you could say:
13749 (gnus-add-configuration
13750 '(article (vertical 1.0
13752 (summary .25 point)
13756 You'd typically stick these @code{gnus-add-configuration} calls in your
13757 @file{.gnus.el} file or in some startup hook---they should be run after
13758 Gnus has been loaded.
13760 @vindex gnus-always-force-window-configuration
13761 If all windows mentioned in the configuration are already visible, Gnus
13762 won't change the window configuration. If you always want to force the
13763 ``right'' window configuration, you can set
13764 @code{gnus-always-force-window-configuration} to non-@code{nil}.
13767 @node Faces & Fonts
13768 @section Faces & Fonts
13773 Fiddling with fonts and faces used to be very difficult, but these days
13774 it is very simple. You simply say @kbd{M-x customize-face}, pick out
13775 the face you want to alter, and alter it via the standard Customize
13780 @section Compilation
13781 @cindex compilation
13782 @cindex byte-compilation
13784 @findex gnus-compile
13786 Remember all those line format specification variables?
13787 @code{gnus-summary-line-format}, @code{gnus-group-line-format}, and so
13788 on. Now, Gnus will of course heed whatever these variables are, but,
13789 unfortunately, changing them will mean a quite significant slow-down.
13790 (The default values of these variables have byte-compiled functions
13791 associated with them, while the user-generated versions do not, of
13794 To help with this, you can run @kbd{M-x gnus-compile} after you've
13795 fiddled around with the variables and feel that you're (kind of)
13796 satisfied. This will result in the new specs being byte-compiled, and
13797 you'll get top speed again. Gnus will save these compiled specs in the
13798 @file{.newsrc.eld} file. (User-defined functions aren't compiled by
13799 this function, though---you should compile them yourself by sticking
13800 them into the @code{.gnus.el} file and byte-compiling that file.)
13804 @section Mode Lines
13807 @vindex gnus-updated-mode-lines
13808 @code{gnus-updated-mode-lines} says what buffers should keep their mode
13809 lines updated. It is a list of symbols. Supported symbols include
13810 @code{group}, @code{article}, @code{summary}, @code{server},
13811 @code{browse}, and @code{tree}. If the corresponding symbol is present,
13812 Gnus will keep that mode line updated with information that may be
13813 pertinent. If this variable is @code{nil}, screen refresh may be
13816 @cindex display-time
13818 @vindex gnus-mode-non-string-length
13819 By default, Gnus displays information on the current article in the mode
13820 lines of the summary and article buffers. The information Gnus wishes
13821 to display (e.g. the subject of the article) is often longer than the
13822 mode lines, and therefore have to be cut off at some point. The
13823 @code{gnus-mode-non-string-length} variable says how long the other
13824 elements on the line is (i.e., the non-info part). If you put
13825 additional elements on the mode line (e.g. a clock), you should modify
13828 @c Hook written by Francesco Potorti` <pot@cnuce.cnr.it>
13830 (add-hook 'display-time-hook
13831 (lambda () (setq gnus-mode-non-string-length
13833 (if line-number-mode 5 0)
13834 (if column-number-mode 4 0)
13835 (length display-time-string)))))
13838 If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the default), the mode line
13839 strings won't be chopped off, and they won't be padded either. Note
13840 that the default is unlikely to be desirable, as even the percentage
13841 complete in the buffer may be crowded off the mode line; the user should
13842 configure this variable appropriately for her configuration.
13845 @node Highlighting and Menus
13846 @section Highlighting and Menus
13848 @cindex highlighting
13851 @vindex gnus-visual
13852 The @code{gnus-visual} variable controls most of the Gnus-prettifying
13853 aspects. If @code{nil}, Gnus won't attempt to create menus or use fancy
13854 colors or fonts. This will also inhibit loading the @file{gnus-vis.el}
13857 This variable can be a list of visual properties that are enabled. The
13858 following elements are valid, and are all included by default:
13861 @item group-highlight
13862 Do highlights in the group buffer.
13863 @item summary-highlight
13864 Do highlights in the summary buffer.
13865 @item article-highlight
13866 Do highlights in the article buffer.
13868 Turn on highlighting in all buffers.
13870 Create menus in the group buffer.
13872 Create menus in the summary buffers.
13874 Create menus in the article buffer.
13876 Create menus in the browse buffer.
13878 Create menus in the server buffer.
13880 Create menus in the score buffers.
13882 Create menus in all buffers.
13885 So if you only want highlighting in the article buffer and menus in all
13886 buffers, you could say something like:
13889 (setq gnus-visual '(article-highlight menu))
13892 If you want highlighting only and no menus whatsoever, you'd say:
13895 (setq gnus-visual '(highlight))
13898 If @code{gnus-visual} is @code{t}, highlighting and menus will be used
13899 in all Gnus buffers.
13901 Other general variables that influence the look of all buffers include:
13904 @item gnus-mouse-face
13905 @vindex gnus-mouse-face
13906 This is the face (i.e., font) used for mouse highlighting in Gnus. No
13907 mouse highlights will be done if @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
13911 There are hooks associated with the creation of all the different menus:
13915 @item gnus-article-menu-hook
13916 @vindex gnus-article-menu-hook
13917 Hook called after creating the article mode menu.
13919 @item gnus-group-menu-hook
13920 @vindex gnus-group-menu-hook
13921 Hook called after creating the group mode menu.
13923 @item gnus-summary-menu-hook
13924 @vindex gnus-summary-menu-hook
13925 Hook called after creating the summary mode menu.
13927 @item gnus-server-menu-hook
13928 @vindex gnus-server-menu-hook
13929 Hook called after creating the server mode menu.
13931 @item gnus-browse-menu-hook
13932 @vindex gnus-browse-menu-hook
13933 Hook called after creating the browse mode menu.
13935 @item gnus-score-menu-hook
13936 @vindex gnus-score-menu-hook
13937 Hook called after creating the score mode menu.
13948 Those new-fangled @dfn{mouse} contraptions is very popular with the
13949 young, hep kids who don't want to learn the proper way to do things
13950 these days. Why, I remember way back in the summer of '89, when I was
13951 using Emacs on a Tops 20 system. Three hundred users on one single
13952 machine, and every user was running Simula compilers. Bah!
13956 @vindex gnus-carpal
13957 Well, you can make Gnus display bufferfuls of buttons you can click to
13958 do anything by setting @code{gnus-carpal} to @code{t}. Pretty simple,
13959 really. Tell the chiropractor I sent you.
13964 @item gnus-carpal-mode-hook
13965 @vindex gnus-carpal-mode-hook
13966 Hook run in all carpal mode buffers.
13968 @item gnus-carpal-button-face
13969 @vindex gnus-carpal-button-face
13970 Face used on buttons.
13972 @item gnus-carpal-header-face
13973 @vindex gnus-carpal-header-face
13974 Face used on carpal buffer headers.
13976 @item gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
13977 @vindex gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
13978 Buttons in the group buffer.
13980 @item gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
13981 @vindex gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
13982 Buttons in the summary buffer.
13984 @item gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
13985 @vindex gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
13986 Buttons in the server buffer.
13988 @item gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
13989 @vindex gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
13990 Buttons in the browse buffer.
13993 All the @code{buttons} variables are lists. The elements in these list
13994 are either cons cells where the @code{car} contains a text to be displayed and
13995 the @code{cdr} contains a function symbol, or a simple string.
14003 Gnus, being larger than any program ever written (allegedly), does lots
14004 of strange stuff that you may wish to have done while you're not
14005 present. For instance, you may want it to check for new mail once in a
14006 while. Or you may want it to close down all connections to all servers
14007 when you leave Emacs idle. And stuff like that.
14009 Gnus will let you do stuff like that by defining various
14010 @dfn{handlers}. Each handler consists of three elements: A
14011 @var{function}, a @var{time}, and an @var{idle} parameter.
14013 Here's an example of a handler that closes connections when Emacs has
14014 been idle for thirty minutes:
14017 (gnus-demon-close-connections nil 30)
14020 Here's a handler that scans for PGP headers every hour when Emacs is
14024 (gnus-demon-scan-pgp 60 t)
14027 This @var{time} parameter and than @var{idle} parameter work together
14028 in a strange, but wonderful fashion. Basically, if @var{idle} is
14029 @code{nil}, then the function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
14031 If @var{idle} is @code{t}, then the function will be called after
14032 @var{time} minutes only if Emacs is idle. So if Emacs is never idle,
14033 the function will never be called. But once Emacs goes idle, the
14034 function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
14036 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is a number, the function will
14037 be called every @var{time} minutes only when Emacs has been idle for
14038 @var{idle} minutes.
14040 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is @code{nil}, the function
14041 will be called once every time Emacs has been idle for @var{idle}
14044 And if @var{time} is a string, it should look like @samp{07:31}, and
14045 the function will then be called once every day somewhere near that
14046 time. Modified by the @var{idle} parameter, of course.
14048 @vindex gnus-demon-timestep
14049 (When I say ``minute'' here, I really mean @code{gnus-demon-timestep}
14050 seconds. This is 60 by default. If you change that variable,
14051 all the timings in the handlers will be affected.)
14053 @vindex gnus-use-demon
14054 To set the whole thing in motion, though, you have to set
14055 @code{gnus-use-demon} to @code{t}.
14057 So, if you want to add a handler, you could put something like this in
14058 your @file{.gnus} file:
14060 @findex gnus-demon-add-handler
14062 (gnus-demon-add-handler 'gnus-demon-close-connections 30 t)
14065 @findex gnus-demon-add-nocem
14066 @findex gnus-demon-add-scanmail
14067 @findex gnus-demon-add-rescan
14068 @findex gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps
14069 @findex gnus-demon-add-disconnection
14070 Some ready-made functions to do this have been created:
14071 @code{gnus-demon-add-nocem}, @code{gnus-demon-add-disconnection},
14072 @code{gnus-demon-add-nntp-close-connection},
14073 @code{gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps}, @code{gnus-demon-add-rescan}, and
14074 @code{gnus-demon-add-scanmail}. Just put those functions in your
14075 @file{.gnus} if you want those abilities.
14077 @findex gnus-demon-init
14078 @findex gnus-demon-cancel
14079 @vindex gnus-demon-handlers
14080 If you add handlers to @code{gnus-demon-handlers} directly, you should
14081 run @code{gnus-demon-init} to make the changes take hold. To cancel all
14082 daemons, you can use the @code{gnus-demon-cancel} function.
14084 Note that adding daemons can be pretty naughty if you overdo it. Adding
14085 functions that scan all news and mail from all servers every two seconds
14086 is a sure-fire way of getting booted off any respectable system. So
14095 @dfn{Spamming} is posting the same article lots and lots of times.
14096 Spamming is bad. Spamming is evil.
14098 Spamming is usually canceled within a day or so by various anti-spamming
14099 agencies. These agencies usually also send out @dfn{NoCeM} messages.
14100 NoCeM is pronounced ``no see-'em'', and means what the name
14101 implies---these are messages that make the offending articles, like, go
14104 What use are these NoCeM messages if the articles are canceled anyway?
14105 Some sites do not honor cancel messages and some sites just honor cancels
14106 from a select few people. Then you may wish to make use of the NoCeM
14107 messages, which are distributed in the @samp{alt.nocem.misc} newsgroup.
14109 Gnus can read and parse the messages in this group automatically, and
14110 this will make spam disappear.
14112 There are some variables to customize, of course:
14115 @item gnus-use-nocem
14116 @vindex gnus-use-nocem
14117 Set this variable to @code{t} to set the ball rolling. It is @code{nil}
14120 @item gnus-nocem-groups
14121 @vindex gnus-nocem-groups
14122 Gnus will look for NoCeM messages in the groups in this list. The
14123 default is @code{("news.lists.filters" "news.admin.net-abuse.bulletins"
14124 "alt.nocem.misc" "news.admin.net-abuse.announce")}.
14126 @item gnus-nocem-issuers
14127 @vindex gnus-nocem-issuers
14128 There are many people issuing NoCeM messages. This list says what
14129 people you want to listen to. The default is @code{("Automoose-1"
14130 "rbraver@@ohww.norman.ok.us" "clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca"
14131 "jem@@xpat.com" "snowhare@@xmission.com" "red@@redpoll.mrfs.oh.us
14132 (Richard E. Depew)")}; fine, upstanding citizens all of them.
14134 Known despammers that you can put in this list include:
14137 @item clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca;
14138 @cindex Chris Lewis
14139 Chris Lewis---Major Canadian despammer who has probably canceled more
14140 usenet abuse than anybody else.
14143 @cindex CancelMoose[tm]
14144 The CancelMoose[tm] on autopilot. The CancelMoose[tm] is reputed to be
14145 Norwegian, and was the person(s) who invented NoCeM.
14147 @item jem@@xpat.com;
14149 John Milburn---despammer located in Korea who is getting very busy these
14152 @item red@@redpoll.mrfs.oh.us (Richard E. Depew)
14153 Richard E. Depew---lone American despammer. He mostly cancels binary
14154 postings to non-binary groups and removes spews (regurgitated articles).
14157 You do not have to heed NoCeM messages from all these people---just the
14158 ones you want to listen to. You also don't have to accept all NoCeM
14159 messages from the people you like. Each NoCeM message has a @dfn{type}
14160 header that gives the message a (more or less, usually less) rigorous
14161 definition. Common types are @samp{spam}, @samp{spew}, @samp{mmf},
14162 @samp{binary}, and @samp{troll}. To specify this, you have to use
14163 @var{(issuer conditions ...)} elements in the list. Each condition is
14164 either a string (which is a regexp that matches types you want to use)
14165 or a list on the form @code{(not STRING)}, where @var{string} is a
14166 regexp that matches types you don't want to use.
14168 For instance, if you want all NoCeM messages from Chris Lewis except his
14169 @samp{troll} messages, you'd say:
14172 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" ".*" (not "troll"))
14175 On the other hand, if you just want nothing but his @samp{spam} and
14176 @samp{spew} messages, you'd say:
14179 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" (not ".*") "spew" "spam")
14182 The specs are applied left-to-right.
14185 @item gnus-nocem-verifyer
14186 @vindex gnus-nocem-verifyer
14188 This should be a function for verifying that the NoCeM issuer is who she
14189 says she is. The default is @code{mc-verify}, which is a Mailcrypt
14190 function. If this is too slow and you don't care for verification
14191 (which may be dangerous), you can set this variable to @code{nil}.
14193 If you want signed NoCeM messages to be verified and unsigned messages
14194 not to be verified (but used anyway), you could do something like:
14197 (setq gnus-nocem-verifyer 'my-gnus-mc-verify)
14199 (defun my-gnus-mc-verify ()
14207 This might be dangerous, though.
14209 @item gnus-nocem-directory
14210 @vindex gnus-nocem-directory
14211 This is where Gnus will store its NoCeM cache files. The default is
14212 @file{~/News/NoCeM/}.
14214 @item gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
14215 @vindex gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
14216 The number of days before removing old NoCeM entries from the cache.
14217 The default is 15. If you make it shorter Gnus will be faster, but you
14218 might then see old spam.
14222 Using NoCeM could potentially be a memory hog. If you have many living
14223 (i. e., subscribed or unsubscribed groups), your Emacs process will grow
14224 big. If this is a problem, you should kill off all (or most) of your
14225 unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Subscription Commands}).
14232 It is very useful to be able to undo actions one has done. In normal
14233 Emacs buffers, it's easy enough---you just push the @code{undo} button.
14234 In Gnus buffers, however, it isn't that simple.
14236 The things Gnus displays in its buffer is of no value whatsoever to
14237 Gnus---it's all just data designed to look nice to the user.
14238 Killing a group in the group buffer with @kbd{C-k} makes the line
14239 disappear, but that's just a side-effect of the real action---the
14240 removal of the group in question from the internal Gnus structures.
14241 Undoing something like that can't be done by the normal Emacs
14242 @code{undo} function.
14244 Gnus tries to remedy this somewhat by keeping track of what the user
14245 does and coming up with actions that would reverse the actions the user
14246 takes. When the user then presses the @code{undo} key, Gnus will run
14247 the code to reverse the previous action, or the previous actions.
14248 However, not all actions are easily reversible, so Gnus currently offers
14249 a few key functions to be undoable. These include killing groups,
14250 yanking groups, and changing the list of read articles of groups.
14251 That's it, really. More functions may be added in the future, but each
14252 added function means an increase in data to be stored, so Gnus will
14253 never be totally undoable.
14255 @findex gnus-undo-mode
14256 @vindex gnus-use-undo
14258 The undoability is provided by the @code{gnus-undo-mode} minor mode. It
14259 is used if @code{gnus-use-undo} is non-@code{nil}, which is the
14260 default. The @kbd{M-C-_} key performs the @code{gnus-undo} command
14261 command, which should feel kinda like the normal Emacs @code{undo}
14266 @section Moderation
14269 If you are a moderator, you can use the @file{gnus-mdrtn.el} package.
14270 It is not included in the standard Gnus package. Write a mail to
14271 @samp{larsi@@gnus.org} and state what group you moderate, and you'll
14274 The moderation package is implemented as a minor mode for summary
14278 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-moderate)
14281 in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
14283 If you are the moderator of @samp{rec.zoofle}, this is how it's
14288 You split your incoming mail by matching on
14289 @samp{Newsgroups:.*rec.zoofle}, which will put all the to-be-posted
14290 articles in some mail group---for instance, @samp{nnml:rec.zoofle}.
14293 You enter that group once in a while and post articles using the @kbd{e}
14294 (edit-and-post) or @kbd{s} (just send unedited) commands.
14297 If, while reading the @samp{rec.zoofle} newsgroup, you happen upon some
14298 articles that weren't approved by you, you can cancel them with the
14302 To use moderation mode in these two groups, say:
14305 (setq gnus-moderated-list
14306 "^nnml:rec.zoofle$\\|^rec.zoofle$")
14310 @node XEmacs Enhancements
14311 @section XEmacs Enhancements
14314 XEmacs is able to display pictures and stuff, so Gnus has taken
14318 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
14319 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
14320 * Toolbar:: Click'n'drool.
14321 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
14334 So... You want to slow down your news reader even more! This is a
14335 good way to do so. Its also a great way to impress people staring
14336 over your shoulder as you read news.
14339 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
14340 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
14341 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
14342 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
14343 * Picon Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
14348 @subsubsection Picon Basics
14350 What are Picons? To quote directly from the Picons Web site:
14359 @dfn{Picons} is short for ``personal icons''. They're small,
14360 constrained images used to represent users and domains on the net,
14361 organized into databases so that the appropriate image for a given
14362 e-mail address can be found. Besides users and domains, there are picon
14363 databases for Usenet newsgroups and weather forecasts. The picons are
14364 in either monochrome @code{XBM} format or color @code{XPM} and
14365 @code{GIF} formats.
14368 For instructions on obtaining and installing the picons databases, point
14369 your Web browser at
14370 @file{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/ftp/index.html}.
14372 @vindex gnus-picons-database
14373 Gnus expects picons to be installed into a location pointed to by
14374 @code{gnus-picons-database}.
14377 @node Picon Requirements
14378 @subsubsection Picon Requirements
14380 To have Gnus display Picons for you, you must be running XEmacs
14381 19.13 or greater since all other versions of Emacs aren't yet able to
14384 Additionally, you must have @code{xpm} support compiled into XEmacs.
14386 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
14387 If you want to display faces from @code{X-Face} headers, you must have
14388 the @code{netpbm} utilities installed, or munge the
14389 @code{gnus-picons-convert-x-face} variable to use something else.
14393 @subsubsection Easy Picons
14395 To enable displaying picons, simply put the following line in your
14396 @file{~/.gnus} file and start Gnus.
14399 (setq gnus-use-picons t)
14400 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-display-picons t)
14401 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-prepare-hook 'gnus-group-display-picons t)
14402 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-picons-article-display-x-face)
14407 @subsubsection Hard Picons
14415 Gnus can display picons for you as you enter and leave groups and
14416 articles. It knows how to interact with three sections of the picons
14417 database. Namely, it can display the picons newsgroup pictures,
14418 author's face picture(s), and the authors domain. To enable this
14419 feature, you need to first decide where to display them.
14423 @item gnus-picons-display-where
14424 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
14425 Where the picon images should be displayed. It is @code{picons} by
14426 default (which by default maps to the buffer @samp{*Picons*}). Other
14427 valid places could be @code{article}, @code{summary}, or
14428 @samp{*scratch*} for all I care. Just make sure that you've made the
14429 buffer visible using the standard Gnus window configuration
14430 routines---@pxref{Windows Configuration}.
14432 @item gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
14433 @vindex gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
14434 Groups that are matched by this regexp won't have their group icons
14439 Note: If you set @code{gnus-use-picons} to @code{t}, it will set up your
14440 window configuration for you to include the @code{picons} buffer.
14442 Now that you've made that decision, you need to add the following
14443 functions to the appropriate hooks so these pictures will get
14444 displayed at the right time.
14446 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
14447 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
14449 @item gnus-article-display-picons
14450 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
14451 Looks up and displays the picons for the author and the author's domain
14452 in the @code{gnus-picons-display-where} buffer. Should be added to the
14453 @code{gnus-article-display-hook}.
14455 @item gnus-group-display-picons
14456 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
14457 Displays picons representing the current group. This function should
14458 be added to the @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook} or to the
14459 @code{gnus-article-display-hook} if @code{gnus-picons-display-where}
14460 is set to @code{article}.
14462 @item gnus-picons-article-display-x-face
14463 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
14464 Decodes and displays the X-Face header if present. This function
14465 should be added to @code{gnus-article-display-hook}.
14469 Note: You must append them to the hook, so make sure to specify 't'
14470 for the append flag of @code{add-hook}:
14473 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-display-picons t)
14477 @node Picon Configuration
14478 @subsubsection Picon Configuration
14486 The following variables offer further control over how things are
14487 done, where things are located, and other useless stuff you really
14488 don't need to worry about.
14491 @item gnus-picons-database
14492 @vindex gnus-picons-database
14493 The location of the picons database. Should point to a directory
14494 containing the @file{news}, @file{domains}, @file{users} (and so on)
14495 subdirectories. Defaults to @file{/usr/local/faces/}.
14497 @item gnus-picons-news-directory
14498 @vindex gnus-picons-news-directory
14499 Sub-directory of the faces database containing the icons for
14502 @item gnus-picons-user-directories
14503 @vindex gnus-picons-user-directories
14504 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for user
14505 faces. @code{("local" "users" "usenix" "misc")} is the default.
14507 @item gnus-picons-domain-directories
14508 @vindex gnus-picons-domain-directories
14509 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
14510 domain name faces. Defaults to @code{("domains")}. Some people may
14511 want to add @samp{unknown} to this list.
14513 @item gnus-picons-convert-x-face
14514 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
14515 The command to use to convert the @code{X-Face} header to an X bitmap
14516 (@code{xbm}). Defaults to @code{(format "@{ echo '/* Width=48,
14517 Height=48 */'; uncompface; @} | icontopbm | pbmtoxbm > %s"
14518 gnus-picons-x-face-file-name)}
14520 @item gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
14521 @vindex gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
14522 Names a temporary file to store the @code{X-Face} bitmap in. Defaults
14523 to @code{(format "/tmp/picon-xface.%s.xbm" (user-login-name))}.
14531 @item gnus-picons-buffer
14532 @vindex gnus-picons-buffer
14533 The name of the buffer that @code{picons} points to. Defaults to
14534 @samp{*Icon Buffer*}.
14539 @subsection Smileys
14544 \gnusfig{-3cm}{0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/BigFace.ps,height=20cm}}
14549 @dfn{Smiley} is a package separate from Gnus, but since Gnus is
14550 currently the only package that uses Smiley, it is documented here.
14552 In short---to use Smiley in Gnus, put the following in your
14553 @file{.gnus.el} file:
14556 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-smiley-display t)
14559 Smiley maps text smiley faces---@samp{:-)}, @samp{:-=}, @samp{:-(} and
14560 the like---to pictures and displays those instead of the text smiley
14561 faces. The conversion is controlled by a list of regexps that matches
14562 text and maps that to file names.
14564 @vindex smiley-nosey-regexp-alist
14565 @vindex smiley-deformed-regexp-alist
14566 Smiley supplies two example conversion alists by default:
14567 @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist} (which matches @samp{:)}, @samp{:(}
14568 and so on), and @code{smiley-nosey-regexp-alist} (which matches
14569 @samp{:-)}, @samp{:-(} and so on).
14571 The alist used is specified by the @code{smiley-regexp-alist} variable,
14572 which defaults to the value of @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist}.
14574 The first item in each element is the regexp to be matched; the second
14575 element is the regexp match group that is to be replaced by the picture;
14576 and the third element is the name of the file to be displayed.
14578 The following variables customize where Smiley will look for these
14579 files, as well as the color to be used and stuff:
14583 @item smiley-data-directory
14584 @vindex smiley-data-directory
14585 Where Smiley will look for smiley faces files.
14587 @item smiley-flesh-color
14588 @vindex smiley-flesh-color
14589 Skin color. The default is @samp{yellow}, which is really racist.
14591 @item smiley-features-color
14592 @vindex smiley-features-color
14593 Color of the features of the face. The default is @samp{black}.
14595 @item smiley-tongue-color
14596 @vindex smiley-tongue-color
14597 Color of the tongue. The default is @samp{red}.
14599 @item smiley-circle-color
14600 @vindex smiley-circle-color
14601 Color of the circle around the face. The default is @samp{black}.
14603 @item smiley-mouse-face
14604 @vindex smiley-mouse-face
14605 Face used for mouse highlighting over the smiley face.
14611 @subsection Toolbar
14621 @item gnus-use-toolbar
14622 @vindex gnus-use-toolbar
14623 If @code{nil}, don't display toolbars. If non-@code{nil}, it should be
14624 one of @code{default-toolbar}, @code{top-toolbar}, @code{bottom-toolbar},
14625 @code{right-toolbar}, or @code{left-toolbar}.
14627 @item gnus-group-toolbar
14628 @vindex gnus-group-toolbar
14629 The toolbar in the group buffer.
14631 @item gnus-summary-toolbar
14632 @vindex gnus-summary-toolbar
14633 The toolbar in the summary buffer.
14635 @item gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
14636 @vindex gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
14637 The toolbar in the summary buffer of mail groups.
14643 @subsection Various XEmacs Variables
14646 @item gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
14647 @vindex gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
14648 This is where Gnus will look for pictures. Gnus will normally
14649 auto-detect this directory, but you may set it manually if you have an
14650 unusual directory structure.
14652 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
14653 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
14654 This is an alist where the key is a type symbol and the values are the
14655 foreground and background color of the splash page glyph.
14657 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
14658 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
14659 This is the key used to look up the color in the alist described above.
14660 Legal values include @code{flame}, @code{pine}, @code{moss},
14661 @code{irish}, @code{sky}, @code{tin}, @code{velvet}, @code{grape},
14662 @code{labia}, @code{berry}, @code{neutral}, and @code{september}.
14664 @item gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
14665 @vindex gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
14666 A glyph displayed in all Gnus mode lines. It is a tiny gnu head by
14680 @node Fuzzy Matching
14681 @section Fuzzy Matching
14682 @cindex fuzzy matching
14684 Gnus provides @dfn{fuzzy matching} of @code{Subject} lines when doing
14685 things like scoring, thread gathering and thread comparison.
14687 As opposed to regular expression matching, fuzzy matching is very fuzzy.
14688 It's so fuzzy that there's not even a definition of what @dfn{fuzziness}
14689 means, and the implementation has changed over time.
14691 Basically, it tries to remove all noise from lines before comparing.
14692 @samp{Re: }, parenthetical remarks, white space, and so on, are filtered
14693 out of the strings before comparing the results. This often leads to
14694 adequate results---even when faced with strings generated by text
14695 manglers masquerading as newsreaders.
14698 @node Thwarting Email Spam
14699 @section Thwarting Email Spam
14703 @cindex unsolicited commercial email
14705 In these last days of the Usenet, commercial vultures are hanging about
14706 and grepping through news like crazy to find email addresses they can
14707 foist off their scams and products to. As a reaction to this, many
14708 people have started putting nonsense addresses into their @code{From}
14709 lines. I think this is counterproductive---it makes it difficult for
14710 people to send you legitimate mail in response to things you write, as
14711 well as making it difficult to see who wrote what. This rewriting may
14712 perhaps be a bigger menace than the unsolicited commercial email itself
14715 The biggest problem I have with email spam is that it comes in under
14716 false pretenses. I press @kbd{g} and Gnus merrily informs me that I
14717 have 10 new emails. I say ``Golly gee! Happy is me!'' and select the
14718 mail group, only to find two pyramid schemes, seven advertisements
14719 (``New! Miracle tonic for growing full, lustrouos hair on your toes!'')
14720 and one mail asking me to repent and find some god.
14724 The way to deal with this is having Gnus split out all spam into a
14725 @samp{spam} mail group (@pxref{Splitting Mail}).
14727 First, pick one (1) valid mail address that you can be reached at, and
14728 put it in your @code{From} header of all your news articles. (I've
14729 chosen @samp{larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no}, but for many addresses on the form
14730 @samp{larsi+usenet@@ifi.uio.no} will be a better choice. Ask your
14731 sysadm whether your sendmail installation accepts keywords in the local
14732 part of the mail address.)
14735 (setq message-default-news-headers
14736 "From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no>\n")
14739 Then put the following split rule in @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
14740 (@pxref{Fancy Mail Splitting}):
14745 (to "larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no"
14746 (| ("subject" "re:.*" "misc")
14747 ("references" ".*@@.*" "misc")
14753 This says that all mail to this address is suspect, but if it has a
14754 @code{Subject} that starts with a @samp{Re:} or has a @code{References}
14755 header, it's probably ok. All the rest goes to the @samp{spam} group.
14756 (This idea probably comes from Tim Pierce.)
14758 In addition, many mail spammers talk directly to your @code{smtp} server
14759 and do not include your email address explicitly in the @code{To}
14760 header. Why they do this is unknown---perhaps it's to thwart this
14761 twarting scheme? In any case, this is trivial to deal with---you just
14762 put anything not addressed to you in the @samp{spam} group by ending
14763 your fancy split rule in this way:
14768 (to "larsi" "misc")
14772 In my experience, this will sort virtually everything into the right
14773 group. You still have to check the @samp{spam} group from time to time to
14774 check for legitimate mail, though. If you feel like being a good net
14775 citizen, you can even send off complaints to the proper authorities on
14776 each unsolicited commercial email---at your leisure.
14778 If you are also a lazy net citizen, you will probably prefer complaining
14779 automatically with the @file{gnus-junk.el} package, availiable FOR FREE
14780 at @file{<URL:http://stud2.tuwien.ac.at/~e9426626/gnus-junk.html>}.
14781 Since most e-mail spam is sent automatically, this may reconcile the
14782 cosmic balance somewhat.
14784 This works for me. It allows people an easy way to contact me (they can
14785 just press @kbd{r} in the usual way), and I'm not bothered at all with
14786 spam. It's a win-win situation. Forging @code{From} headers to point
14787 to non-existant domains is yucky, in my opinion.
14790 @node Various Various
14791 @section Various Various
14797 @item gnus-home-directory
14798 All Gnus path variables will be initialized from this variable, which
14799 defaults to @file{~/}.
14801 @item gnus-directory
14802 @vindex gnus-directory
14803 Most Gnus storage path variables will be initialized from this variable,
14804 which defaults to the @samp{SAVEDIR} environment variable, or
14805 @file{~/News/} if that variable isn't set.
14807 @item gnus-default-directory
14808 @vindex gnus-default-directory
14809 Not related to the above variable at all---this variable says what the
14810 default directory of all Gnus buffers should be. If you issue commands
14811 like @kbd{C-x C-f}, the prompt you'll get starts in the current buffer's
14812 default directory. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
14813 default), the default directory will be the default directory of the
14814 buffer you were in when you started Gnus.
14817 @vindex gnus-verbose
14818 This variable is an integer between zero and ten. The higher the value,
14819 the more messages will be displayed. If this variable is zero, Gnus
14820 will never flash any messages, if it is seven (which is the default),
14821 most important messages will be shown, and if it is ten, Gnus won't ever
14822 shut up, but will flash so many messages it will make your head swim.
14824 @item gnus-verbose-backends
14825 @vindex gnus-verbose-backends
14826 This variable works the same way as @code{gnus-verbose}, but it applies
14827 to the Gnus backends instead of Gnus proper.
14829 @item nnheader-max-head-length
14830 @vindex nnheader-max-head-length
14831 When the backends read straight heads of articles, they all try to read
14832 as little as possible. This variable (default 4096) specifies
14833 the absolute max length the backends will try to read before giving up
14834 on finding a separator line between the head and the body. If this
14835 variable is @code{nil}, there is no upper read bound. If it is
14836 @code{t}, the backends won't try to read the articles piece by piece,
14837 but read the entire articles. This makes sense with some versions of
14838 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs}.
14840 @item nnheader-head-chop-length
14841 @vindex nnheader-head-chop-length
14842 This variable (default 2048) says how big a piece of each article to
14843 read when doing the operation described above.
14845 @item nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
14846 @vindex nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
14848 @cindex invalid characters in file names
14849 @cindex characters in file names
14850 This is an alist that says how to translate characters in file names.
14851 For instance, if @samp{:} is invalid as a file character in file names
14852 on your system (you OS/2 user you), you could say something like:
14855 (setq nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
14859 In fact, this is the default value for this variable on OS/2 and MS
14860 Windows (phooey) systems.
14862 @item gnus-hidden-properties
14863 @vindex gnus-hidden-properties
14864 This is a list of properties to use to hide ``invisible'' text. It is
14865 @code{(invisible t intangible t)} by default on most systems, which
14866 makes invisible text invisible and intangible.
14868 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
14869 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
14870 A hook called before parsing headers. It can be used, for instance, to
14871 gather statistics on the headers fetched, or perhaps you'd like to prune
14872 some headers. I don't see why you'd want that, though.
14874 @item gnus-shell-command-separator
14875 @vindex gnus-shell-command-separator
14876 String used to separate two shell commands. The default is @samp{;}.
14885 Well, that's the manual---you can get on with your life now. Keep in
14886 touch. Say hello to your cats from me.
14888 My @strong{ghod}---I just can't stand goodbyes. Sniffle.
14890 Ol' Charles Reznikoff said it pretty well, so I leave the floor to him:
14896 Not because of victories @*
14899 but for the common sunshine,@*
14901 the largess of the spring.
14905 but for the day's work done@*
14906 as well as I was able;@*
14907 not for a seat upon the dais@*
14908 but at the common table.@*
14913 @chapter Appendices
14916 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
14917 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
14918 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
14919 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
14920 * A Programmers Guide to Gnus:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
14921 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
14922 * Frequently Asked Questions:: A question-and-answer session.
14930 @sc{gnus} was written by Masanobu @sc{Umeda}. When autumn crept up in
14931 '94, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen grew bored and decided to rewrite Gnus.
14933 If you want to investigate the person responsible for this outrage, you
14934 can point your (feh!) web browser to
14935 @file{http://www.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/}. This is also the primary
14936 distribution point for the new and spiffy versions of Gnus, and is known
14937 as The Site That Destroys Newsrcs And Drives People Mad.
14939 During the first extended alpha period of development, the new Gnus was
14940 called ``(ding) Gnus''. @dfn{(ding)} is, of course, short for
14941 @dfn{ding is not Gnus}, which is a total and utter lie, but who cares?
14942 (Besides, the ``Gnus'' in this abbreviation should probably be
14943 pronounced ``news'' as @sc{Umeda} intended, which makes it a more
14944 appropriate name, don't you think?)
14946 In any case, after spending all that energy on coming up with a new and
14947 spunky name, we decided that the name was @emph{too} spunky, so we
14948 renamed it back again to ``Gnus''. But in mixed case. ``Gnus'' vs.
14949 ``@sc{gnus}''. New vs. old.
14951 The first ``proper'' release of Gnus 5 was done in November 1995 when it
14952 was included in the Emacs 19.30 distribution (132 (ding) Gnus releases
14953 plus 15 Gnus 5.0 releases).
14955 In May 1996 the next Gnus generation (aka. ``September Gnus'' (after 99
14956 releases)) was released under the name ``Gnus 5.2'' (40 releases).
14958 On July 28th 1996 work on Red Gnus was begun, and it was released on
14959 January 25th 1997 (after 84 releases) as ``Gnus 5.4''.
14961 If you happen upon a version of Gnus that has a prefixed name --
14962 ``(ding) Gnus'', ``September Gnus'', ``Red Gnus'', ``Quassia Gnus'' --
14963 don't panic. Don't let it know that you're frightened. Back away.
14964 Slowly. Whatever you do, don't run. Walk away, calmly, until you're
14965 out of its reach. Find a proper released version of Gnus and snuggle up
14969 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
14970 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
14971 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
14972 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
14973 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
14974 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
14975 * Newest Features:: Features so new that they haven't been written yet.
14982 What's the point of Gnus?
14984 I want to provide a ``rad'', ``happening'', ``way cool'' and ``hep''
14985 newsreader, that lets you do anything you can think of. That was my
14986 original motivation, but while working on Gnus, it has become clear to
14987 me that this generation of newsreaders really belong in the stone age.
14988 Newsreaders haven't developed much since the infancy of the net. If the
14989 volume continues to rise with the current rate of increase, all current
14990 newsreaders will be pretty much useless. How do you deal with
14991 newsgroups that have thousands of new articles each day? How do you
14992 keep track of millions of people who post?
14994 Gnus offers no real solutions to these questions, but I would very much
14995 like to see Gnus being used as a testing ground for new methods of
14996 reading and fetching news. Expanding on @sc{Umeda}-san's wise decision
14997 to separate the newsreader from the backends, Gnus now offers a simple
14998 interface for anybody who wants to write new backends for fetching mail
14999 and news from different sources. I have added hooks for customizations
15000 everywhere I could imagine it being useful. By doing so, I'm inviting
15001 every one of you to explore and invent.
15003 May Gnus never be complete. @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-emacs} and
15004 @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-xemacs}.
15007 @node Compatibility
15008 @subsection Compatibility
15010 @cindex compatibility
15011 Gnus was designed to be fully compatible with @sc{gnus}. Almost all key
15012 bindings have been kept. More key bindings have been added, of course,
15013 but only in one or two obscure cases have old bindings been changed.
15018 @center In a cloud bones of steel.
15022 All commands have kept their names. Some internal functions have changed
15025 The @code{gnus-uu} package has changed drastically. @xref{Decoding
15028 One major compatibility question is the presence of several summary
15029 buffers. All variables relevant while reading a group are
15030 buffer-local to the summary buffer they belong in. Although many
15031 important variables have their values copied into their global
15032 counterparts whenever a command is executed in the summary buffer, this
15033 change might lead to incorrect values being used unless you are careful.
15035 All code that relies on knowledge of @sc{gnus} internals will probably
15036 fail. To take two examples: Sorting @code{gnus-newsrc-alist} (or
15037 changing it in any way, as a matter of fact) is strictly verboten. Gnus
15038 maintains a hash table that points to the entries in this alist (which
15039 speeds up many functions), and changing the alist directly will lead to
15043 @cindex highlighting
15044 Old hilit19 code does not work at all. In fact, you should probably
15045 remove all hilit code from all Gnus hooks
15046 (@code{gnus-group-prepare-hook} and @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook}).
15047 Gnus provides various integrated functions for highlighting. These are
15048 faster and more accurate. To make life easier for everybody, Gnus will
15049 by default remove all hilit calls from all hilit hooks. Uncleanliness!
15052 Packages like @code{expire-kill} will no longer work. As a matter of
15053 fact, you should probably remove all old @sc{gnus} packages (and other
15054 code) when you start using Gnus. More likely than not, Gnus already
15055 does what you have written code to make @sc{gnus} do. (Snicker.)
15057 Even though old methods of doing things are still supported, only the
15058 new methods are documented in this manual. If you detect a new method of
15059 doing something while reading this manual, that does not mean you have
15060 to stop doing it the old way.
15062 Gnus understands all @sc{gnus} startup files.
15064 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
15066 @cindex reporting bugs
15068 Overall, a casual user who hasn't written much code that depends on
15069 @sc{gnus} internals should suffer no problems. If problems occur,
15070 please let me know by issuing that magic command @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}.
15074 @subsection Conformity
15076 No rebels without a clue here, ma'am. We conform to all standards known
15077 to (wo)man. Except for those standards and/or conventions we disagree
15084 There are no known breaches of this standard.
15088 There are no known breaches of this standard, either.
15090 @item Good Net-Keeping Seal of Approval
15091 @cindex Good Net-Keeping Seal of Approval
15092 Gnus has been through the Seal process and failed. I think it'll pass
15093 the next inspection.
15095 @item Son-of-RFC 1036
15096 @cindex Son-of-RFC 1036
15097 We do have some breaches to this one.
15102 Gnus does no MIME handling, and this standard-to-be seems to think that
15103 MIME is the bees' knees, so we have major breakage here.
15106 This is considered to be a ``vanity header'', while I consider it to be
15107 consumer information. After seeing so many badly formatted articles
15108 coming from @code{tin} and @code{Netscape} I know not to use either of
15109 those for posting articles. I would not have known that if it wasn't
15110 for the @code{X-Newsreader} header.
15115 If you ever notice Gnus acting non-compliant with regards to the texts
15116 mentioned above, don't hesitate to drop a note to Gnus Towers and let us
15121 @subsection Emacsen
15127 Gnus should work on :
15132 Emacs 19.32 and up.
15135 XEmacs 19.14 and up.
15138 Mule versions based on Emacs 19.32 and up.
15142 Gnus will absolutely not work on any Emacsen older than that. Not
15143 reliably, at least.
15145 There are some vague differences between Gnus on the various
15146 platforms---XEmacs features more graphics (a logo and a toolbar)---but
15147 other than that, things should look pretty much the same under all
15152 @subsection Contributors
15153 @cindex contributors
15155 The new Gnus version couldn't have been done without the help of all the
15156 people on the (ding) mailing list. Every day for over a year I have
15157 gotten billions of nice bug reports from them, filling me with joy,
15158 every single one of them. Smooches. The people on the list have been
15159 tried beyond endurance, what with my ``oh, that's a neat idea <type
15160 type>, yup, I'll release it right away <ship off> no wait, that doesn't
15161 work at all <type type>, yup, I'll ship that one off right away <ship
15162 off> no, wait, that absolutely does not work'' policy for releases.
15163 Micro$oft---bah. Amateurs. I'm @emph{much} worse. (Or is that
15164 ``worser''? ``much worser''? ``worsest''?)
15166 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Academy for... oops,
15172 Masanobu @sc{Umeda}---the writer of the original @sc{gnus}.
15175 Per Abrahamsen---custom, scoring, highlighting and @sc{soup} code (as
15176 well as numerous other things).
15179 Luis Fernandes---design and graphics.
15182 Erik Naggum---help, ideas, support, code and stuff.
15185 Wes Hardaker---@file{gnus-picon.el} and the manual section on
15186 @dfn{picons} (@pxref{Picons}).
15189 Kim-Minh Kaplan---further work on the picon code.
15192 Brad Miller---@file{gnus-gl.el} and the GroupLens manual section
15193 (@pxref{GroupLens}).
15196 Sudish Joseph---innumerable bug fixes.
15199 Ilja Weis---@file{gnus-topic.el}.
15202 Steven L. Baur---lots and lots and lots of bugs detections and fixes.
15205 Vladimir Alexiev---the refcard and reference booklets.
15208 Felix Lee & Jamie Zawinsky---I stole some pieces from the XGnus
15209 distribution by Felix Lee and JWZ.
15212 Scott Byer---@file{nnfolder.el} enhancements & rewrite.
15215 Peter Mutsaers---orphan article scoring code.
15218 Ken Raeburn---POP mail support.
15221 Hallvard B Furuseth---various bits and pieces, especially dealing with
15225 Brian Edmonds---@file{gnus-bbdb.el}.
15228 David Moore---rewrite of @file{nnvirtual.el} and many other things.
15231 Kevin Davidson---came up with the name @dfn{ding}, so blame him.
15234 François Pinard---many, many interesting and thorough bug reports.
15238 This manual was proof-read by Adrian Aichner, with Ricardo Nassif, Mark
15239 Borges, and Jost Krieger proof-reading parts of the manual.
15241 The following people have contributed many patches and suggestions:
15250 Jason L. Tibbitts, III,
15254 Also thanks to the following for patches and stuff:
15272 Massimo Campostrini,
15277 Geoffrey T. Dairiki,
15282 Michael Welsh Duggan,
15284 Enami Tsugutomo, @c Enami
15288 Nelson Jose dos Santos Ferreira,
15293 Arne Georg Gleditsch,
15295 Michelangelo Grigni,
15298 Kenichi Handa, @c Handa
15300 Hisashige Kenji, @c Hisashige
15304 François Felix Ingrand,
15305 Ishikawa Ichiro, @c Ishikawa
15313 Peter Skov Knudsen,
15314 Shuhei Kobayashi, @c Kobayashi
15315 Thor Kristoffersen,
15317 Seokchan Lee, @c Lee
15331 Morioka Tomohiko, @c Morioka
15332 Erik Toubro Nielsen,
15338 Masaharu Onishi, @c Onishi
15343 John McClary Prevost,
15345 Lars Balker Rasmussen,
15353 Philippe Schnoebelen,
15354 Randal L. Schwartz,
15380 Katsumi Yamaoka. @c Yamaoka
15382 For a full overview of what each person has done, the ChangeLogs
15383 included in the Gnus alpha distributions should give ample reading
15384 (550kB and counting).
15386 Apologies to everybody that I've forgotten, of which there are many, I'm
15389 Gee, that's quite a list of people. I guess that must mean that there
15390 actually are people who are using Gnus. Who'd'a thunk it!
15394 @subsection New Features
15395 @cindex new features
15398 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
15399 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.3/5.3.
15400 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
15403 These lists are, of course, just @emph{short} overviews of the
15404 @emph{most} important new features. No, really. There are tons more.
15405 Yes, we have feeping creaturism in full effect.
15409 @subsubsection (ding) Gnus
15411 New features in Gnus 5.0/5.1:
15416 The look of all buffers can be changed by setting format-like variables
15417 (@pxref{Group Buffer Format} and @pxref{Summary Buffer Format}).
15420 Local spool and several @sc{nntp} servers can be used at once
15421 (@pxref{Select Methods}).
15424 You can combine groups into virtual groups (@pxref{Virtual Groups}).
15427 You can read a number of different mail formats (@pxref{Getting Mail}).
15428 All the mail backends implement a convenient mail expiry scheme
15429 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
15432 Gnus can use various strategies for gathering threads that have lost
15433 their roots (thereby gathering loose sub-threads into one thread) or it
15434 can go back and retrieve enough headers to build a complete thread
15435 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
15438 Killed groups can be displayed in the group buffer, and you can read
15439 them as well (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
15442 Gnus can do partial group updates---you do not have to retrieve the
15443 entire active file just to check for new articles in a few groups
15444 (@pxref{The Active File}).
15447 Gnus implements a sliding scale of subscribedness to groups
15448 (@pxref{Group Levels}).
15451 You can score articles according to any number of criteria
15452 (@pxref{Scoring}). You can even get Gnus to find out how to score
15453 articles for you (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
15456 Gnus maintains a dribble buffer that is auto-saved the normal Emacs
15457 manner, so it should be difficult to lose much data on what you have
15458 read if your machine should go down (@pxref{Auto Save}).
15461 Gnus now has its own startup file (@file{.gnus}) to avoid cluttering up
15462 the @file{.emacs} file.
15465 You can set the process mark on both groups and articles and perform
15466 operations on all the marked items (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
15469 You can grep through a subset of groups and create a group from the
15470 results (@pxref{Kibozed Groups}).
15473 You can list subsets of groups according to, well, anything
15474 (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
15477 You can browse foreign servers and subscribe to groups from those
15478 servers (@pxref{Browse Foreign Server}).
15481 Gnus can fetch articles, asynchronously, on a second connection to the
15482 server (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
15485 You can cache articles locally (@pxref{Article Caching}).
15488 The uudecode functions have been expanded and generalized
15489 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
15492 You can still post uuencoded articles, which was a little-known feature
15493 of @sc{gnus}' past (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
15496 Fetching parents (and other articles) now actually works without
15497 glitches (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
15500 Gnus can fetch FAQs and group descriptions (@pxref{Group Information}).
15503 Digests (and other files) can be used as the basis for groups
15504 (@pxref{Document Groups}).
15507 Articles can be highlighted and customized (@pxref{Customizing
15511 URLs and other external references can be buttonized (@pxref{Article
15515 You can do lots of strange stuff with the Gnus window & frame
15516 configuration (@pxref{Windows Configuration}).
15519 You can click on buttons instead of using the keyboard
15525 @node September Gnus
15526 @subsubsection September Gnus
15530 \gnusfig{-28cm}{0cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/september.ps,height=20cm}}
15534 New features in Gnus 5.2/5.3:
15539 A new message composition mode is used. All old customization variables
15540 for @code{mail-mode}, @code{rnews-reply-mode} and @code{gnus-msg} are
15544 Gnus is now able to generate @dfn{sparse} threads---threads where
15545 missing articles are represented by empty nodes (@pxref{Customizing
15549 (setq gnus-build-sparse-threads 'some)
15553 Outgoing articles are stored on a special archive server
15554 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
15557 Partial thread regeneration now happens when articles are
15561 Gnus can make use of GroupLens predictions (@pxref{GroupLens}).
15564 Picons (personal icons) can be displayed under XEmacs (@pxref{Picons}).
15567 A @code{trn}-like tree buffer can be displayed (@pxref{Tree Display}).
15570 (setq gnus-use-trees t)
15574 An @code{nn}-like pick-and-read minor mode is available for the summary
15575 buffers (@pxref{Pick and Read}).
15578 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
15582 In binary groups you can use a special binary minor mode (@pxref{Binary
15586 Groups can be grouped in a folding topic hierarchy (@pxref{Group
15590 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
15594 Gnus can re-send and bounce mail (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
15597 Groups can now have a score, and bubbling based on entry frequency
15598 is possible (@pxref{Group Score}).
15601 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-exit-hook 'gnus-summary-bubble-group)
15605 Groups can be process-marked, and commands can be performed on
15606 groups of groups (@pxref{Marking Groups}).
15609 Caching is possible in virtual groups.
15612 @code{nndoc} now understands all kinds of digests, mail boxes, rnews
15613 news batches, ClariNet briefs collections, and just about everything
15614 else (@pxref{Document Groups}).
15617 Gnus has a new backend (@code{nnsoup}) to create/read SOUP packets
15621 The Gnus cache is much faster.
15624 Groups can be sorted according to many criteria (@pxref{Sorting
15628 New group parameters have been introduced to set list-addresses and
15629 expiry times (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
15632 All formatting specs allow specifying faces to be used
15633 (@pxref{Formatting Fonts}).
15636 There are several more commands for setting/removing/acting on process
15637 marked articles on the @kbd{M P} submap (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
15640 The summary buffer can be limited to show parts of the available
15641 articles based on a wide range of criteria. These commands have been
15642 bound to keys on the @kbd{/} submap (@pxref{Limiting}).
15645 Articles can be made persistent with the @kbd{*} command
15646 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
15649 All functions for hiding article elements are now toggles.
15652 Article headers can be buttonized (@pxref{Article Washing}).
15655 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
15656 'gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head)
15660 All mail backends support fetching articles by @code{Message-ID}.
15663 Duplicate mail can now be treated properly (@pxref{Duplicates}).
15666 All summary mode commands are available directly from the article
15667 buffer (@pxref{Article Keymap}).
15670 Frames can be part of @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} (@pxref{Windows
15674 Mail can be re-scanned by a daemonic process (@pxref{Daemons}).
15677 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=tmp/fseptember.ps,height=5cm}]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/fseptember.ps,height=5cm}}
15682 Gnus can make use of NoCeM files to weed out spam (@pxref{NoCeM}).
15685 (setq gnus-use-nocem t)
15689 Groups can be made permanently visible (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
15692 (setq gnus-permanently-visible-groups "^nnml:")
15696 Many new hooks have been introduced to make customizing easier.
15699 Gnus respects the @code{Mail-Copies-To} header.
15702 Threads can be gathered by looking at the @code{References} header
15703 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
15706 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
15707 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
15711 Read articles can be stored in a special backlog buffer to avoid
15712 refetching (@pxref{Article Backlog}).
15715 (setq gnus-keep-backlog 50)
15719 A clean copy of the current article is always stored in a separate
15720 buffer to allow easier treatment.
15723 Gnus can suggest where to save articles (@pxref{Saving Articles}).
15726 Gnus doesn't have to do as much prompting when saving (@pxref{Saving
15730 (setq gnus-prompt-before-saving t)
15734 @code{gnus-uu} can view decoded files asynchronously while fetching
15735 articles (@pxref{Other Decode Variables}).
15738 (setq gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions 'gnus-uu-grab-view)
15742 Filling in the article buffer now works properly on cited text
15743 (@pxref{Article Washing}).
15746 Hiding cited text adds buttons to toggle hiding, and how much
15747 cited text to hide is now customizable (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
15750 (setq gnus-cited-lines-visible 2)
15754 Boring headers can be hidden (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
15757 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
15758 'gnus-article-hide-boring-headers t)
15762 Default scoring values can now be set from the menu bar.
15765 Further syntax checking of outgoing articles have been added.
15771 @subsubsection Red Gnus
15773 New features in Gnus 5.4/5.5:
15777 \gnusfig{-5.5cm}{-4cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/red.ps,height=20cm}}
15784 @file{nntp.el} has been totally rewritten in an asynchronous fashion.
15787 Article prefetching functionality has been moved up into
15788 Gnus (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
15791 Scoring can now be performed with logical operators like @code{and},
15792 @code{or}, @code{not}, and parent redirection (@pxref{Advanced
15796 Article washing status can be displayed in the
15797 article mode line (@pxref{Misc Article}).
15800 @file{gnus.el} has been split into many smaller files.
15803 Suppression of duplicate articles based on Message-ID can be done
15804 (@pxref{Duplicate Suppression}).
15807 (setq gnus-suppress-duplicates t)
15811 New variables for specifying what score and adapt files are to be
15812 considered home score and adapt files (@pxref{Home Score File}) have
15816 @code{nndoc} was rewritten to be easily extendable (@pxref{Document
15817 Server Internals}).
15820 Groups can inherit group parameters from parent topics (@pxref{Topic
15824 Article editing has been revamped and is now actually usable.
15827 Signatures can be recognized in more intelligent fashions
15828 (@pxref{Article Signature}).
15831 Summary pick mode has been made to look more @code{nn}-like. Line
15832 numbers are displayed and the @kbd{.} command can be used to pick
15833 articles (@code{Pick and Read}).
15836 Commands for moving the @file{.newsrc.eld} from one server to
15837 another have been added (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
15840 There's a way now to specify that ``uninteresting'' fields be suppressed
15841 when generating lines in buffers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting}).
15844 Several commands in the group buffer can be undone with @kbd{M-C-_}
15848 Scoring can be done on words using the new score type @code{w}
15849 (@pxref{Score File Format}).
15852 Adaptive scoring can be done on a Subject word-by-word basis
15853 (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
15856 (setq gnus-use-adaptive-scoring '(word))
15860 Scores can be decayed (@pxref{Score Decays}).
15863 (setq gnus-decay-scores t)
15867 Scoring can be performed using a regexp on the Date header. The Date is
15868 normalized to compact ISO 8601 format first (@pxref{Score File Format}).
15871 A new command has been added to remove all data on articles from
15872 the native server (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
15875 A new command for reading collections of documents
15876 (@code{nndoc} with @code{nnvirtual} on top) has been added---@kbd{M-C-d}
15877 (@pxref{Really Various Summary Commands}).
15880 Process mark sets can be pushed and popped (@pxref{Setting Process
15884 A new mail-to-news backend makes it possible to post even when the NNTP
15885 server doesn't allow posting (@pxref{Mail-To-News Gateways}).
15888 A new backend for reading searches from Web search engines
15889 (@dfn{DejaNews}, @dfn{Alta Vista}, @dfn{InReference}) has been added
15890 (@pxref{Web Searches}).
15893 Groups inside topics can now be sorted using the standard sorting
15894 functions, and each topic can be sorted independently (@pxref{Topic
15898 Subsets of the groups can be sorted independently (@code{Sorting
15902 Cached articles can be pulled into the groups (@pxref{Summary Generation
15906 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=tmp/fred.ps,width=3cm}]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/fred.ps,width=3cm}}
15911 Score files are now applied in a more reliable order (@pxref{Score
15915 Reports on where mail messages end up can be generated (@pxref{Splitting
15919 More hooks and functions have been added to remove junk from incoming
15920 mail before saving the mail (@pxref{Washing Mail}).
15923 Emphasized text can be properly fontisized:
15926 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-emphasize)
15932 @node Newest Features
15933 @subsection Newest Features
15936 Also known as the @dfn{todo list}. Sure to be implemented before the
15939 Be afraid. Be very afraid.
15943 Native @sc{mime} support is something that should be done.
15945 Really do unbinhexing.
15948 And much, much, much more. There is more to come than has already been
15949 implemented. (But that's always true, isn't it?)
15951 @file{<URL:http://www.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/rgnus/todo>} is where the actual
15952 up-to-the-second todo list is located, so if you're really curious, you
15953 could point your Web browser over that-a-way.
15959 @section The Manual
15963 This manual was generated from a TeXinfo file and then run through
15964 either @code{texi2dvi}
15966 or my own home-brewed TeXinfo to \LaTeX\ transformer,
15967 and then run through @code{latex} and @code{dvips}
15969 to get what you hold in your hands now.
15971 The following conventions have been used:
15976 This is a @samp{string}
15979 This is a @kbd{keystroke}
15982 This is a @file{file}
15985 This is a @code{symbol}
15989 So if I were to say ``set @code{flargnoze} to @samp{yes}'', that would
15993 (setq flargnoze "yes")
15996 If I say ``set @code{flumphel} to @code{yes}'', that would mean:
15999 (setq flumphel 'yes)
16002 @samp{yes} and @code{yes} are two @emph{very} different things---don't
16003 ever get them confused.
16007 Of course, everything in this manual is of vital interest, so you should
16008 read it all. Several times. However, if you feel like skimming the
16009 manual, look for that gnu head you should see in the margin over
16010 there---it means that what's being discussed is of more importance than
16011 the rest of the stuff. (On the other hand, if everything is infinitely
16012 important, how can anything be more important than that? Just one more
16013 of the mysteries of this world, I guess.)
16021 @section Terminology
16023 @cindex terminology
16028 This is what you are supposed to use this thing for---reading news.
16029 News is generally fetched from a nearby @sc{nntp} server, and is
16030 generally publicly available to everybody. If you post news, the entire
16031 world is likely to read just what you have written, and they'll all
16032 snigger mischievously. Behind your back.
16036 Everything that's delivered to you personally is mail. Some news/mail
16037 readers (like Gnus) blur the distinction between mail and news, but
16038 there is a difference. Mail is private. News is public. Mailing is
16039 not posting, and replying is not following up.
16043 Send a mail to the person who has written what you are reading.
16047 Post an article to the current newsgroup responding to the article you
16052 Gnus gets fed articles from a number of backends, both news and mail
16053 backends. Gnus does not handle the underlying media, so to speak---this
16054 is all done by the backends.
16058 Gnus will always use one method (and backend) as the @dfn{native}, or
16059 default, way of getting news.
16063 You can also have any number of foreign groups active at the same time.
16064 These are groups that use non-native non-secondary backends for getting
16069 Secondary backends are somewhere half-way between being native and being
16070 foreign, but they mostly act like they are native.
16074 A message that has been posted as news.
16077 @cindex mail message
16078 A message that has been mailed.
16082 A mail message or news article
16086 The top part of a message, where administrative information (etc.) is
16091 The rest of an article. Everything not in the head is in the
16096 A line from the head of an article.
16100 A collection of such lines, or a collection of heads. Or even a
16101 collection of @sc{nov} lines.
16105 When Gnus enters a group, it asks the backend for the headers of all
16106 unread articles in the group. Most servers support the News OverView
16107 format, which is more compact and much faster to read and parse than the
16108 normal @sc{head} format.
16112 Each group is subscribed at some @dfn{level} or other (1-9). The ones
16113 that have a lower level are ``more'' subscribed than the groups with a
16114 higher level. In fact, groups on levels 1-5 are considered
16115 @dfn{subscribed}; 6-7 are @dfn{unsubscribed}; 8 are @dfn{zombies}; and 9
16116 are @dfn{killed}. Commands for listing groups and scanning for new
16117 articles will all use the numeric prefix as @dfn{working level}.
16119 @item killed groups
16120 @cindex killed groups
16121 No information on killed groups is stored or updated, which makes killed
16122 groups much easier to handle than subscribed groups.
16124 @item zombie groups
16125 @cindex zombie groups
16126 Just like killed groups, only slightly less dead.
16129 @cindex active file
16130 The news server has to keep track of what articles it carries, and what
16131 groups exist. All this information in stored in the active file, which
16132 is rather large, as you might surmise.
16135 @cindex bogus groups
16136 A group that exists in the @file{.newsrc} file, but isn't known to the
16137 server (i.e., it isn't in the active file), is a @emph{bogus group}.
16138 This means that the group probably doesn't exist (any more).
16142 A machine one can connect to and get news (or mail) from.
16144 @item select method
16145 @cindex select method
16146 A structure that specifies the backend, the server and the virtual
16149 @item virtual server
16150 @cindex virtual server
16151 A named select method. Since a select method defines all there is to
16152 know about connecting to a (physical) server, taking the thing as a
16153 whole is a virtual server.
16157 Taking a buffer and running it through a filter of some sort. The
16158 result will (more often than not) be cleaner and more pleasing than the
16161 @item ephemeral groups
16162 @cindex ephemeral groups
16163 Most groups store data on what articles you have read. @dfn{Ephemeral}
16164 groups are groups that will have no data stored---when you exit the
16165 group, it'll disappear into the aether.
16168 @cindex solid groups
16169 This is the opposite of ephemeral groups. All groups listed in the
16170 group buffer are solid groups.
16172 @item sparse articles
16173 @cindex sparse articles
16174 These are article placeholders shown in the summary buffer when
16175 @code{gnus-build-sparse-threads} has been switched on.
16179 To put responses to articles directly after the articles they respond
16180 to---in a hierarchical fashion.
16184 @cindex thread root
16185 The first article in a thread is the root. It is the ancestor of all
16186 articles in the thread.
16190 An article that has responses.
16194 An article that responds to a different article---its parent.
16198 A collection of messages in one file. The most common digest format is
16199 specified by RFC1153.
16205 @node Customization
16206 @section Customization
16207 @cindex general customization
16209 All variables are properly documented elsewhere in this manual. This
16210 section is designed to give general pointers on how to customize Gnus
16211 for some quite common situations.
16214 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
16215 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
16216 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
16217 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
16221 @node Slow/Expensive Connection
16222 @subsection Slow/Expensive @sc{nntp} Connection
16224 If you run Emacs on a machine locally, and get your news from a machine
16225 over some very thin strings, you want to cut down on the amount of data
16226 Gnus has to get from the @sc{nntp} server.
16230 @item gnus-read-active-file
16231 Set this to @code{nil}, which will inhibit Gnus from requesting the
16232 entire active file from the server. This file is often v. large. You
16233 also have to set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
16234 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make sure that Gnus
16235 doesn't suddenly decide to fetch the active file anyway.
16237 @item gnus-nov-is-evil
16238 This one has to be @code{nil}. If not, grabbing article headers from
16239 the @sc{nntp} server will not be very fast. Not all @sc{nntp} servers
16240 support @sc{xover}; Gnus will detect this by itself.
16244 @node Slow Terminal Connection
16245 @subsection Slow Terminal Connection
16247 Let's say you use your home computer for dialing up the system that runs
16248 Emacs and Gnus. If your modem is slow, you want to reduce (as much as
16249 possible) the amount of data sent over the wires.
16253 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
16254 Set this to @code{nil} to inhibit Gnus from re-centering the summary
16255 buffer all the time. If it is @code{vertical}, do only vertical
16256 re-centering. If it is neither @code{nil} nor @code{vertical}, do both
16257 horizontal and vertical recentering.
16259 @item gnus-visible-headers
16260 Cut down on the headers included in the articles to the
16261 minimum. You can, in fact, make do without them altogether---most of the
16262 useful data is in the summary buffer, anyway. Set this variable to
16263 @samp{^NEVVVVER} or @samp{From:}, or whatever you feel you need.
16265 @item gnus-article-display-hook
16266 Set this hook to all the available hiding commands:
16268 (setq gnus-article-display-hook
16269 '(gnus-article-hide-headers gnus-article-hide-signature
16270 gnus-article-hide-citation))
16273 @item gnus-use-full-window
16274 By setting this to @code{nil}, you can make all the windows smaller.
16275 While this doesn't really cut down much generally, it means that you
16276 have to see smaller portions of articles before deciding that you didn't
16277 want to read them anyway.
16279 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
16280 If this is non-@code{nil}, all threads in the summary buffer will be
16283 @item gnus-updated-mode-lines
16284 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not put information in the buffer mode
16285 lines, which might save some time.
16289 @node Little Disk Space
16290 @subsection Little Disk Space
16293 The startup files can get rather large, so you may want to cut their
16294 sizes a bit if you are running out of space.
16298 @item gnus-save-newsrc-file
16299 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never save @file{.newsrc}---it will
16300 only save @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
16301 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
16304 @item gnus-save-killed-list
16305 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not save the list of dead groups. You
16306 should also set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{ask-server}
16307 and @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} if you set this
16308 variable to @code{nil}. This variable is @code{t} by default.
16314 @subsection Slow Machine
16315 @cindex slow machine
16317 If you have a slow machine, or are just really impatient, there are a
16318 few things you can do to make Gnus run faster.
16320 Set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
16321 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make startup faster.
16323 Set @code{gnus-show-threads}, @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} and
16324 @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{nil} to make entering and exiting the
16325 summary buffer faster.
16327 Set @code{gnus-article-display-hook} to @code{nil} to make article
16328 processing a bit faster.
16332 @node Troubleshooting
16333 @section Troubleshooting
16334 @cindex troubleshooting
16336 Gnus works @emph{so} well straight out of the box---I can't imagine any
16344 Make sure your computer is switched on.
16347 Make sure that you really load the current Gnus version. If you have
16348 been running @sc{gnus}, you need to exit Emacs and start it up again before
16352 Try doing an @kbd{M-x gnus-version}. If you get something that looks
16353 like @samp{Gnus v5.46; nntp 4.0} you have the right files loaded. If,
16354 on the other hand, you get something like @samp{NNTP 3.x} or @samp{nntp
16355 flee}, you have some old @file{.el} files lying around. Delete these.
16358 Read the help group (@kbd{G h} in the group buffer) for a FAQ and a
16362 @vindex max-lisp-eval-depth
16363 Gnus works on many recursive structures, and in some extreme (and very
16364 rare) cases Gnus may recurse down ``too deeply'' and Emacs will beep at
16365 you. If this happens to you, set @code{max-lisp-eval-depth} to 500 or
16366 something like that.
16369 If all else fails, report the problem as a bug.
16372 @cindex reporting bugs
16374 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
16376 If you find a bug in Gnus, you can report it with the @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}
16377 command. @kbd{M-x set-variable RET debug-on-error RET t RET}, and send
16378 me the backtrace. I will fix bugs, but I can only fix them if you send
16379 me a precise description as to how to reproduce the bug.
16381 You really can never be too detailed in a bug report. Always use the
16382 @kbd{M-x gnus-bug} command when you make bug reports, even if it creates
16383 a 10Kb mail each time you use it, and even if you have sent me your
16384 environment 500 times before. I don't care. I want the full info each
16387 It is also important to remember that I have no memory whatsoever. If
16388 you send a bug report, and I send you a reply, and then you just send
16389 back ``No, it's not! Moron!'', I will have no idea what you are
16390 insulting me about. Always over-explain everything. It's much easier
16391 for all of us---if I don't have all the information I need, I will just
16392 mail you and ask for more info, and everything takes more time.
16394 If the problem you're seeing is very visual, and you can't quite explain
16395 it, copy the Emacs window to a file (with @code{xwd}, for instance), put
16396 it somewhere it can be reached, and include the URL of the picture in
16399 If you just need help, you are better off asking on
16400 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}. I'm not very helpful.
16402 @cindex gnu.emacs.gnus
16403 @cindex ding mailing list
16404 You can also ask on the ding mailing list---@samp{ding@@gnus.org}.
16405 Write to @samp{ding-request@@gnus.org} to subscribe.
16409 @node A Programmers Guide to Gnus
16410 @section A Programmer@'s Guide to Gnus
16412 It is my hope that other people will figure out smart stuff that Gnus
16413 can do, and that other people will write those smart things as well. To
16414 facilitate that I thought it would be a good idea to describe the inner
16415 workings of Gnus. And some of the not-so-inner workings, while I'm at
16418 You can never expect the internals of a program not to change, but I
16419 will be defining (in some details) the interface between Gnus and its
16420 backends (this is written in stone), the format of the score files
16421 (ditto), data structures (some are less likely to change than others)
16422 and general methods of operation.
16425 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
16426 * Backend Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
16427 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
16428 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
16429 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
16430 * Group Info:: The group info format.
16431 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
16432 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
16433 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
16437 @node Gnus Utility Functions
16438 @subsection Gnus Utility Functions
16439 @cindex Gnus utility functions
16440 @cindex utility functions
16442 @cindex internal variables
16444 When writing small functions to be run from hooks (and stuff), it's
16445 vital to have access to the Gnus internal functions and variables.
16446 Below is a list of the most common ones.
16450 @item gnus-newsgroup-name
16451 @vindex gnus-newsgroup-name
16452 This variable holds the name of the current newsgroup.
16454 @item gnus-find-method-for-group
16455 @findex gnus-find-method-for-group
16456 A function that returns the select method for @var{group}.
16458 @item gnus-group-real-name
16459 @findex gnus-group-real-name
16460 Takes a full (prefixed) Gnus group name, and returns the unprefixed
16463 @item gnus-group-prefixed-name
16464 @findex gnus-group-prefixed-name
16465 Takes an unprefixed group name and a select method, and returns the full
16466 (prefixed) Gnus group name.
16468 @item gnus-get-info
16469 @findex gnus-get-info
16470 Returns the group info list for @var{group}.
16472 @item gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
16473 @findex gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
16474 Adds the current buffer to the list of buffers to be killed on Gnus
16477 @item gnus-continuum-version
16478 @findex gnus-continuum-version
16479 Takes a Gnus version string as a parameter and returns a floating point
16480 number. Earlier versions will always get a lower number than later
16483 @item gnus-group-read-only-p
16484 @findex gnus-group-read-only-p
16485 Says whether @var{group} is read-only or not.
16487 @item gnus-news-group-p
16488 @findex gnus-news-group-p
16489 Says whether @var{group} came from a news backend.
16491 @item gnus-ephemeral-group-p
16492 @findex gnus-ephemeral-group-p
16493 Says whether @var{group} is ephemeral or not.
16495 @item gnus-server-to-method
16496 @findex gnus-server-to-method
16497 Returns the select method corresponding to @var{server}.
16499 @item gnus-server-equal
16500 @findex gnus-server-equal
16501 Says whether two virtual servers are equal.
16503 @item gnus-group-native-p
16504 @findex gnus-group-native-p
16505 Says whether @var{group} is native or not.
16507 @item gnus-group-secondary-p
16508 @findex gnus-group-secondary-p
16509 Says whether @var{group} is secondary or not.
16511 @item gnus-group-foreign-p
16512 @findex gnus-group-foreign-p
16513 Says whether @var{group} is foreign or not.
16515 @item group-group-find-parameter
16516 @findex group-group-find-parameter
16517 Returns the parameter list of @var{group}. If given a second parameter,
16518 returns the value of that parameter for @var{group}.
16520 @item gnus-group-set-parameter
16521 @findex gnus-group-set-parameter
16522 Takes three parameters; @var{group}, @var{parameter} and @var{value}.
16524 @item gnus-narrow-to-body
16525 @findex gnus-narrow-to-body
16526 Narrows the current buffer to the body of the article.
16528 @item gnus-check-backend-function
16529 @findex gnus-check-backend-function
16530 Takes two parameters, @var{function} and @var{group}. If the backend
16531 @var{group} comes from supports @var{function}, return non-@code{nil}.
16534 (gnus-check-backend-function "request-scan" "nnml:misc")
16538 @item gnus-read-method
16539 @findex gnus-read-method
16540 Prompts the user for a select method.
16545 @node Backend Interface
16546 @subsection Backend Interface
16548 Gnus doesn't know anything about @sc{nntp}, spools, mail or virtual
16549 groups. It only knows how to talk to @dfn{virtual servers}. A virtual
16550 server is a @dfn{backend} and some @dfn{backend variables}. As examples
16551 of the first, we have @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and @code{nnmbox}. As
16552 examples of the latter we have @code{nntp-port-number} and
16553 @code{nnmbox-directory}.
16555 When Gnus asks for information from a backend---say @code{nntp}---on
16556 something, it will normally include a virtual server name in the
16557 function parameters. (If not, the backend should use the ``current''
16558 virtual server.) For instance, @code{nntp-request-list} takes a virtual
16559 server as its only (optional) parameter. If this virtual server hasn't
16560 been opened, the function should fail.
16562 Note that a virtual server name has no relation to some physical server
16563 name. Take this example:
16567 (nntp-address "ifi.uio.no")
16568 (nntp-port-number 4324))
16571 Here the virtual server name is @samp{odd-one} while the name of
16572 the physical server is @samp{ifi.uio.no}.
16574 The backends should be able to switch between several virtual servers.
16575 The standard backends implement this by keeping an alist of virtual
16576 server environments that they pull down/push up when needed.
16578 There are two groups of interface functions: @dfn{required functions},
16579 which must be present, and @dfn{optional functions}, which Gnus will
16580 always check for presence before attempting to call 'em.
16582 All these functions are expected to return data in the buffer
16583 @code{nntp-server-buffer} (@samp{ *nntpd*}), which is somewhat
16584 unfortunately named, but we'll have to live with it. When I talk about
16585 @dfn{resulting data}, I always refer to the data in that buffer. When I
16586 talk about @dfn{return value}, I talk about the function value returned by
16587 the function call. Functions that fail should return @code{nil} as the
16590 Some backends could be said to be @dfn{server-forming} backends, and
16591 some might be said not to be. The latter are backends that generally
16592 only operate on one group at a time, and have no concept of ``server''
16593 -- they have a group, and they deliver info on that group and nothing
16596 In the examples and definitions I will refer to the imaginary backend
16599 @cindex @code{nnchoke}
16602 * Required Backend Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
16603 * Optional Backend Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
16604 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
16605 * Writing New Backends:: Extending old backends.
16606 * Hooking New Backends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
16607 * Mail-like Backends:: Some tips on mail backends.
16611 @node Required Backend Functions
16612 @subsubsection Required Backend Functions
16616 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-headers ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FETCH-OLD)
16618 @var{articles} is either a range of article numbers or a list of
16619 @code{Message-ID}s. Current backends do not fully support either---only
16620 sequences (lists) of article numbers, and most backends do not support
16621 retrieval of @code{Message-ID}s. But they should try for both.
16623 The result data should either be HEADs or NOV lines, and the result
16624 value should either be @code{headers} or @code{nov} to reflect this.
16625 This might later be expanded to @code{various}, which will be a mixture
16626 of HEADs and NOV lines, but this is currently not supported by Gnus.
16628 If @var{fetch-old} is non-@code{nil} it says to try fetching "extra
16629 headers", in some meaning of the word. This is generally done by
16630 fetching (at most) @var{fetch-old} extra headers less than the smallest
16631 article number in @code{articles}, and filling the gaps as well. The
16632 presence of this parameter can be ignored if the backend finds it
16633 cumbersome to follow the request. If this is non-@code{nil} and not a
16634 number, do maximum fetches.
16636 Here's an example HEAD:
16639 221 1056 Article retrieved.
16640 Path: ifi.uio.no!sturles
16641 From: sturles@@ifi.uio.no (Sturle Sunde)
16642 Newsgroups: ifi.discussion
16643 Subject: Re: Something very droll
16644 Date: 27 Oct 1994 14:02:57 +0100
16645 Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
16647 Message-ID: <38o8e1$a0o@@holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no>
16648 References: <38jdmq$4qu@@visbur.ifi.uio.no>
16649 NNTP-Posting-Host: holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no
16653 So a @code{headers} return value would imply that there's a number of
16654 these in the data buffer.
16656 Here's a BNF definition of such a buffer:
16660 head = error / valid-head
16661 error-message = [ "4" / "5" ] 2number " " <error message> eol
16662 valid-head = valid-message *header "." eol
16663 valid-message = "221 " <number> " Article retrieved." eol
16664 header = <text> eol
16667 If the return value is @code{nov}, the data buffer should contain
16668 @dfn{network overview database} lines. These are basically fields
16672 nov-buffer = *nov-line
16673 nov-line = 8*9 [ field <TAB> ] eol
16674 field = <text except TAB>
16677 For a closer look at what should be in those fields,
16681 @item (nnchoke-open-server SERVER &optional DEFINITIONS)
16683 @var{server} is here the virtual server name. @var{definitions} is a
16684 list of @code{(VARIABLE VALUE)} pairs that define this virtual server.
16686 If the server can't be opened, no error should be signaled. The backend
16687 may then choose to refuse further attempts at connecting to this
16688 server. In fact, it should do so.
16690 If the server is opened already, this function should return a
16691 non-@code{nil} value. There should be no data returned.
16694 @item (nnchoke-close-server &optional SERVER)
16696 Close connection to @var{server} and free all resources connected
16697 to it. Return @code{nil} if the server couldn't be closed for some
16700 There should be no data returned.
16703 @item (nnchoke-request-close)
16705 Close connection to all servers and free all resources that the backend
16706 have reserved. All buffers that have been created by that backend
16707 should be killed. (Not the @code{nntp-server-buffer}, though.) This
16708 function is generally only called when Gnus is shutting down.
16710 There should be no data returned.
16713 @item (nnchoke-server-opened &optional SERVER)
16715 If @var{server} is the current virtual server, and the connection to the
16716 physical server is alive, then this function should return a
16717 non-@code{nil} vlue. This function should under no circumstances
16718 attempt to reconnect to a server we have lost connection to.
16720 There should be no data returned.
16723 @item (nnchoke-status-message &optional SERVER)
16725 This function should return the last error message from @var{server}.
16727 There should be no data returned.
16730 @item (nnchoke-request-article ARTICLE &optional GROUP SERVER TO-BUFFER)
16732 The result data from this function should be the article specified by
16733 @var{article}. This might either be a @code{Message-ID} or a number.
16734 It is optional whether to implement retrieval by @code{Message-ID}, but
16735 it would be nice if that were possible.
16737 If @var{to-buffer} is non-@code{nil}, the result data should be returned
16738 in this buffer instead of the normal data buffer. This is to make it
16739 possible to avoid copying large amounts of data from one buffer to
16740 another, while Gnus mainly requests articles to be inserted directly
16741 into its article buffer.
16743 If it is at all possible, this function should return a cons cell where
16744 the @code{car} is the group name the article was fetched from, and the @code{cdr} is
16745 the article number. This will enable Gnus to find out what the real
16746 group and article numbers are when fetching articles by
16747 @code{Message-ID}. If this isn't possible, @code{t} should be returned
16748 on successful article retrieval.
16751 @item (nnchoke-request-group GROUP &optional SERVER FAST)
16753 Get data on @var{group}. This function also has the side effect of
16754 making @var{group} the current group.
16756 If @var{FAST}, don't bother to return useful data, just make @var{group}
16759 Here's an example of some result data and a definition of the same:
16762 211 56 1000 1059 ifi.discussion
16765 The first number is the status, which should be 211. Next is the
16766 total number of articles in the group, the lowest article number, the
16767 highest article number, and finally the group name. Note that the total
16768 number of articles may be less than one might think while just
16769 considering the highest and lowest article numbers, but some articles
16770 may have been canceled. Gnus just discards the total-number, so
16771 whether one should take the bother to generate it properly (if that is a
16772 problem) is left as an exercise to the reader.
16775 group-status = [ error / info ] eol
16776 error = [ "4" / "5" ] 2<number> " " <Error message>
16777 info = "211 " 3* [ <number> " " ] <string>
16781 @item (nnchoke-close-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
16783 Close @var{group} and free any resources connected to it. This will be
16784 a no-op on most backends.
16786 There should be no data returned.
16789 @item (nnchoke-request-list &optional SERVER)
16791 Return a list of all groups available on @var{server}. And that means
16794 Here's an example from a server that only carries two groups:
16797 ifi.test 0000002200 0000002000 y
16798 ifi.discussion 3324 3300 n
16801 On each line we have a group name, then the highest article number in
16802 that group, the lowest article number, and finally a flag.
16805 active-file = *active-line
16806 active-line = name " " <number> " " <number> " " flags eol
16808 flags = "n" / "y" / "m" / "x" / "j" / "=" name
16811 The flag says whether the group is read-only (@samp{n}), is moderated
16812 (@samp{m}), is dead (@samp{x}), is aliased to some other group
16813 (@samp{=other-group}) or none of the above (@samp{y}).
16816 @item (nnchoke-request-post &optional SERVER)
16818 This function should post the current buffer. It might return whether
16819 the posting was successful or not, but that's not required. If, for
16820 instance, the posting is done asynchronously, it has generally not been
16821 completed by the time this function concludes. In that case, this
16822 function should set up some kind of sentinel to beep the user loud and
16823 clear if the posting could not be completed.
16825 There should be no result data from this function.
16830 @node Optional Backend Functions
16831 @subsubsection Optional Backend Functions
16835 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-groups GROUPS &optional SERVER)
16837 @var{groups} is a list of groups, and this function should request data
16838 on all those groups. How it does it is of no concern to Gnus, but it
16839 should attempt to do this in a speedy fashion.
16841 The return value of this function can be either @code{active} or
16842 @code{group}, which says what the format of the result data is. The
16843 former is in the same format as the data from
16844 @code{nnchoke-request-list}, while the latter is a buffer full of lines
16845 in the same format as @code{nnchoke-request-group} gives.
16848 group-buffer = *active-line / *group-status
16852 @item (nnchoke-request-update-info GROUP INFO &optional SERVER)
16854 A Gnus group info (@pxref{Group Info}) is handed to the backend for
16855 alterations. This comes in handy if the backend really carries all the
16856 information (as is the case with virtual and imap groups). This
16857 function should destructively alter the info to suit its needs, and
16858 should return the (altered) group info.
16860 There should be no result data from this function.
16863 @item (nnchoke-request-type GROUP &optional ARTICLE)
16865 When the user issues commands for ``sending news'' (@kbd{F} in the
16866 summary buffer, for instance), Gnus has to know whether the article the
16867 user is following up on is news or mail. This function should return
16868 @code{news} if @var{article} in @var{group} is news, @code{mail} if it
16869 is mail and @code{unknown} if the type can't be decided. (The
16870 @var{article} parameter is necessary in @code{nnvirtual} groups which
16871 might very well combine mail groups and news groups.) Both @var{group}
16872 and @var{article} may be @code{nil}.
16874 There should be no result data from this function.
16877 @item (nnchoke-request-update-mark GROUP ARTICLE MARK)
16879 If the user tries to set a mark that the backend doesn't like, this
16880 function may change the mark. Gnus will use whatever this function
16881 returns as the mark for @var{article} instead of the original
16882 @var{mark}. If the backend doesn't care, it must return the original
16883 @var{mark}, and not @code{nil} or any other type of garbage.
16885 The only use for this I can see is what @code{nnvirtual} does with
16886 it---if a component group is auto-expirable, marking an article as read
16887 in the virtual group should result in the article being marked as
16890 There should be no result data from this function.
16893 @item (nnchoke-request-scan &optional GROUP SERVER)
16895 This function may be called at any time (by Gnus or anything else) to
16896 request that the backend check for incoming articles, in one way or
16897 another. A mail backend will typically read the spool file or query the
16898 POP server when this function is invoked. The @var{group} doesn't have
16899 to be heeded---if the backend decides that it is too much work just
16900 scanning for a single group, it may do a total scan of all groups. It
16901 would be nice, however, to keep things local if that's practical.
16903 There should be no result data from this function.
16906 @item (nnchoke-request-group-description GROUP &optional SERVER)
16908 The result data from this function should be a description of
16912 description-line = name <TAB> description eol
16914 description = <text>
16917 @item (nnchoke-request-list-newsgroups &optional SERVER)
16919 The result data from this function should be the description of all
16920 groups available on the server.
16923 description-buffer = *description-line
16927 @item (nnchoke-request-newgroups DATE &optional SERVER)
16929 The result data from this function should be all groups that were
16930 created after @samp{date}, which is in normal human-readable date
16931 format. The data should be in the active buffer format.
16934 @item (nnchoke-request-create-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
16936 This function should create an empty group with name @var{group}.
16938 There should be no return data.
16941 @item (nnchoke-request-expire-articles ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FORCE)
16943 This function should run the expiry process on all articles in the
16944 @var{articles} range (which is currently a simple list of article
16945 numbers.) It is left up to the backend to decide how old articles
16946 should be before they are removed by this function. If @var{force} is
16947 non-@code{nil}, all @var{articles} should be deleted, no matter how new
16950 This function should return a list of articles that it did not/was not
16953 There should be no result data returned.
16956 @item (nnchoke-request-move-article ARTICLE GROUP SERVER ACCEPT-FORM
16959 This function should move @var{article} (which is a number) from
16960 @var{group} by calling @var{accept-form}.
16962 This function should ready the article in question for moving by
16963 removing any header lines it has added to the article, and generally
16964 should ``tidy up'' the article. Then it should @code{eval}
16965 @var{accept-form} in the buffer where the ``tidy'' article is. This
16966 will do the actual copying. If this @code{eval} returns a
16967 non-@code{nil} value, the article should be removed.
16969 If @var{last} is @code{nil}, that means that there is a high likelihood
16970 that there will be more requests issued shortly, so that allows some
16973 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
16974 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
16976 There should be no data returned.
16979 @item (nnchoke-request-accept-article GROUP &optional SERVER LAST)
16981 This function takes the current buffer and inserts it into @var{group}.
16982 If @var{last} in @code{nil}, that means that there will be more calls to
16983 this function in short order.
16985 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
16986 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
16988 There should be no data returned.
16991 @item (nnchoke-request-replace-article ARTICLE GROUP BUFFER)
16993 This function should remove @var{article} (which is a number) from
16994 @var{group} and insert @var{buffer} there instead.
16996 There should be no data returned.
16999 @item (nnchoke-request-delete-group GROUP FORCE &optional SERVER)
17001 This function should delete @var{group}. If @var{force}, it should
17002 really delete all the articles in the group, and then delete the group
17003 itself. (If there is such a thing as ``the group itself''.)
17005 There should be no data returned.
17008 @item (nnchoke-request-rename-group GROUP NEW-NAME &optional SERVER)
17010 This function should rename @var{group} into @var{new-name}. All
17011 articles in @var{group} should move to @var{new-name}.
17013 There should be no data returned.
17018 @node Error Messaging
17019 @subsubsection Error Messaging
17021 @findex nnheader-report
17022 @findex nnheader-get-report
17023 The backends should use the function @code{nnheader-report} to report
17024 error conditions---they should not raise errors when they aren't able to
17025 perform a request. The first argument to this function is the backend
17026 symbol, and the rest are interpreted as arguments to @code{format} if
17027 there are multiple of them, or just a string if there is one of them.
17028 This function must always returns @code{nil}.
17031 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "You did something totally bogus")
17033 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "Could not request group %s" group)
17036 Gnus, in turn, will call @code{nnheader-get-report} when it gets a
17037 @code{nil} back from a server, and this function returns the most
17038 recently reported message for the backend in question. This function
17039 takes one argument---the server symbol.
17041 Internally, these functions access @var{backend}@code{-status-string},
17042 so the @code{nnchoke} backend will have its error message stored in
17043 @code{nnchoke-status-string}.
17046 @node Writing New Backends
17047 @subsubsection Writing New Backends
17049 Many backends are quite similar. @code{nnml} is just like
17050 @code{nnspool}, but it allows you to edit the articles on the server.
17051 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, but it doesn't use an active file,
17052 and it doesn't maintain overview databases. @code{nndir} is just like
17053 @code{nnml}, but it has no concept of ``groups'', and it doesn't allow
17056 It would make sense if it were possible to ``inherit'' functions from
17057 backends when writing new backends. And, indeed, you can do that if you
17058 want to. (You don't have to if you don't want to, of course.)
17060 All the backends declare their public variables and functions by using a
17061 package called @code{nnoo}.
17063 To inherit functions from other backends (and allow other backends to
17064 inherit functions from the current backend), you should use the
17070 This macro declares the first parameter to be a child of the subsequent
17071 parameters. For instance:
17074 (nnoo-declare nndir
17078 @code{nndir} has declared here that it intends to inherit functions from
17079 both @code{nnml} and @code{nnmh}.
17082 This macro is equivalent to @code{defvar}, but registers the variable as
17083 a public server variable. Most state-oriented variables should be
17084 declared with @code{defvoo} instead of @code{defvar}.
17086 In addition to the normal @code{defvar} parameters, it takes a list of
17087 variables in the parent backends to map the variable to when executing
17088 a function in those backends.
17091 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
17092 "Where nndir will look for groups."
17093 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
17096 This means that @code{nnml-current-directory} will be set to
17097 @code{nndir-directory} when an @code{nnml} function is called on behalf
17098 of @code{nndir}. (The same with @code{nnmh}.)
17100 @item nnoo-define-basics
17101 This macro defines some common functions that almost all backends should
17105 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
17109 This macro is just like @code{defun} and takes the same parameters. In
17110 addition to doing the normal @code{defun} things, it registers the
17111 function as being public so that other backends can inherit it.
17113 @item nnoo-map-functions
17114 This macro allows mapping of functions from the current backend to
17115 functions from the parent backends.
17118 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
17119 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
17120 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0))
17123 This means that when @code{nndir-retrieve-headers} is called, the first,
17124 third, and fourth parameters will be passed on to
17125 @code{nnml-retrieve-headers}, while the second parameter is set to the
17126 value of @code{nndir-current-group}.
17129 This macro allows importing functions from backends. It should be the
17130 last thing in the source file, since it will only define functions that
17131 haven't already been defined.
17137 nnmh-request-newgroups)
17141 This means that calls to @code{nndir-request-list} should just be passed
17142 on to @code{nnmh-request-list}, while all public functions from
17143 @code{nnml} that haven't been defined in @code{nndir} yet should be
17148 Below is a slightly shortened version of the @code{nndir} backend.
17151 ;;; nndir.el --- single directory newsgroup access for Gnus
17152 ;; Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
17156 (require 'nnheader)
17160 (eval-when-compile (require 'cl))
17162 (nnoo-declare nndir
17165 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
17166 "Where nndir will look for groups."
17167 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
17169 (defvoo nndir-nov-is-evil nil
17170 "*Non-nil means that nndir will never retrieve NOV headers."
17173 (defvoo nndir-current-group "" nil nnml-current-group nnmh-current-group)
17174 (defvoo nndir-top-directory nil nil nnml-directory nnmh-directory)
17175 (defvoo nndir-get-new-mail nil nil nnml-get-new-mail nnmh-get-new-mail)
17177 (defvoo nndir-status-string "" nil nnmh-status-string)
17178 (defconst nndir-version "nndir 1.0")
17180 ;;; Interface functions.
17182 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
17184 (deffoo nndir-open-server (server &optional defs)
17185 (setq nndir-directory
17186 (or (cadr (assq 'nndir-directory defs))
17188 (unless (assq 'nndir-directory defs)
17189 (push `(nndir-directory ,server) defs))
17190 (push `(nndir-current-group
17191 ,(file-name-nondirectory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
17193 (push `(nndir-top-directory
17194 ,(file-name-directory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
17196 (nnoo-change-server 'nndir server defs))
17198 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
17199 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
17200 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
17201 (nnmh-request-group nndir-current-group 0 0)
17202 (nnmh-close-group nndir-current-group 0))
17206 nnmh-status-message
17208 nnmh-request-newgroups))
17214 @node Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
17215 @subsubsection Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
17217 @vindex gnus-valid-select-methods
17218 Having Gnus start using your new backend is rather easy---you just
17219 declare it with the @code{gnus-declare-backend} functions. This will
17220 enter the backend into the @code{gnus-valid-select-methods} variable.
17222 @code{gnus-declare-backend} takes two parameters---the backend name and
17223 an arbitrary number of @dfn{abilities}.
17228 (gnus-declare-backend "nnchoke" 'mail 'respool 'address)
17231 The abilities can be:
17235 This is a mailish backend---followups should (probably) go via mail.
17237 This is a newsish backend---followups should (probably) go via news.
17239 This backend supports both mail and news.
17241 This is neither a post nor mail backend---it's something completely
17244 It supports respooling---or rather, it is able to modify its source
17245 articles and groups.
17247 The name of the server should be in the virtual server name. This is
17248 true for almost all backends.
17249 @item prompt-address
17250 The user should be prompted for an address when doing commands like
17251 @kbd{B} in the group buffer. This is true for backends like
17252 @code{nntp}, but not @code{nnmbox}, for instance.
17256 @node Mail-like Backends
17257 @subsubsection Mail-like Backends
17259 One of the things that separate the mail backends from the rest of the
17260 backends is the heavy dependence by the mail backends on common
17261 functions in @file{nnmail.el}. For instance, here's the definition of
17262 @code{nnml-request-scan}:
17265 (deffoo nnml-request-scan (&optional group server)
17266 (setq nnml-article-file-alist nil)
17267 (nnmail-get-new-mail 'nnml 'nnml-save-nov nnml-directory group))
17270 It simply calls @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} with a few parameters,
17271 and @code{nnmail} takes care of all the moving and splitting of the
17274 This function takes four parameters.
17278 This should be a symbol to designate which backend is responsible for
17281 @item exit-function
17282 This function should be called after the splitting has been performed.
17284 @item temp-directory
17285 Where the temporary files should be stored.
17288 This optional argument should be a group name if the splitting is to be
17289 performed for one group only.
17292 @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} will call @var{backend}@code{-save-mail} to
17293 save each article. @var{backend}@code{-active-number} will be called to
17294 find the article number assigned to this article.
17296 The function also uses the following variables:
17297 @var{backend}@code{-get-new-mail} (to see whether to get new mail for
17298 this backend); and @var{backend}@code{-group-alist} and
17299 @var{backend}@code{-active-file} to generate the new active file.
17300 @var{backend}@code{-group-alist} should be a group-active alist, like
17304 (("a-group" (1 . 10))
17305 ("some-group" (34 . 39)))
17309 @node Score File Syntax
17310 @subsection Score File Syntax
17312 Score files are meant to be easily parsable, but yet extremely
17313 mallable. It was decided that something that had the same read syntax
17314 as an Emacs Lisp list would fit that spec.
17316 Here's a typical score file:
17320 ("win95" -10000 nil s)
17327 BNF definition of a score file:
17330 score-file = "" / "(" *element ")"
17331 element = rule / atom
17332 rule = string-rule / number-rule / date-rule
17333 string-rule = "(" quote string-header quote space *string-match ")"
17334 number-rule = "(" quote number-header quote space *number-match ")"
17335 date-rule = "(" quote date-header quote space *date-match ")"
17337 string-header = "subject" / "from" / "references" / "message-id" /
17338 "xref" / "body" / "head" / "all" / "followup"
17339 number-header = "lines" / "chars"
17340 date-header = "date"
17341 string-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
17342 space date [ "" / [ space string-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
17343 score = "nil" / <integer>
17344 date = "nil" / <natural number>
17345 string-match-t = "nil" / "s" / "substring" / "S" / "Substring" /
17346 "r" / "regex" / "R" / "Regex" /
17347 "e" / "exact" / "E" / "Exact" /
17348 "f" / "fuzzy" / "F" / "Fuzzy"
17349 number-match = "(" <integer> [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
17350 space date [ "" / [ space number-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
17351 number-match-t = "nil" / "=" / "<" / ">" / ">=" / "<="
17352 date-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
17353 space date [ "" / [ space date-match-t ] ] ] ] ")"
17354 date-match-t = "nil" / "at" / "before" / "after"
17355 atom = "(" [ required-atom / optional-atom ] ")"
17356 required-atom = mark / expunge / mark-and-expunge / files /
17357 exclude-files / read-only / touched
17358 optional-atom = adapt / local / eval
17359 mark = "mark" space nil-or-number
17360 nil-or-number = "nil" / <integer>
17361 expunge = "expunge" space nil-or-number
17362 mark-and-expunge = "mark-and-expunge" space nil-or-number
17363 files = "files" *[ space <string> ]
17364 exclude-files = "exclude-files" *[ space <string> ]
17365 read-only = "read-only" [ space "nil" / space "t" ]
17366 adapt = "adapt" [ space "ignore" / space "t" / space adapt-rule ]
17367 adapt-rule = "(" *[ <string> *[ "(" <string> <integer> ")" ] ")"
17368 local = "local" *[ space "(" <string> space <form> ")" ]
17369 eval = "eval" space <form>
17370 space = *[ " " / <TAB> / <NEWLINE> ]
17373 Any unrecognized elements in a score file should be ignored, but not
17376 As you can see, white space is needed, but the type and amount of white
17377 space is irrelevant. This means that formatting of the score file is
17378 left up to the programmer---if it's simpler to just spew it all out on
17379 one looong line, then that's ok.
17381 The meaning of the various atoms are explained elsewhere in this
17382 manual (@pxref{Score File Format}).
17386 @subsection Headers
17388 Internally Gnus uses a format for storing article headers that
17389 corresponds to the @sc{nov} format in a mysterious fashion. One could
17390 almost suspect that the author looked at the @sc{nov} specification and
17391 just shamelessly @emph{stole} the entire thing, and one would be right.
17393 @dfn{Header} is a severely overloaded term. ``Header'' is used in
17394 RFC1036 to talk about lines in the head of an article (e.g.,
17395 @code{From}). It is used by many people as a synonym for
17396 ``head''---``the header and the body''. (That should be avoided, in my
17397 opinion.) And Gnus uses a format internally that it calls ``header'',
17398 which is what I'm talking about here. This is a 9-element vector,
17399 basically, with each header (ouch) having one slot.
17401 These slots are, in order: @code{number}, @code{subject}, @code{from},
17402 @code{date}, @code{id}, @code{references}, @code{chars}, @code{lines},
17403 @code{xref}. There are macros for accessing and setting these
17404 slots---they all have predictable names beginning with
17405 @code{mail-header-} and @code{mail-header-set-}, respectively.
17407 The @code{xref} slot is really a @code{misc} slot. Any extra info will
17414 @sc{gnus} introduced a concept that I found so useful that I've started
17415 using it a lot and have elaborated on it greatly.
17417 The question is simple: If you have a large amount of objects that are
17418 identified by numbers (say, articles, to take a @emph{wild} example)
17419 that you want to qualify as being ``included'', a normal sequence isn't
17420 very useful. (A 200,000 length sequence is a bit long-winded.)
17422 The solution is as simple as the question: You just collapse the
17426 (1 2 3 4 5 6 10 11 12)
17429 is transformed into
17432 ((1 . 6) (10 . 12))
17435 To avoid having those nasty @samp{(13 . 13)} elements to denote a
17436 lonesome object, a @samp{13} is a valid element:
17439 ((1 . 6) 7 (10 . 12))
17442 This means that comparing two ranges to find out whether they are equal
17443 is slightly tricky:
17446 ((1 . 5) 7 8 (10 . 12))
17452 ((1 . 5) (7 . 8) (10 . 12))
17455 are equal. In fact, any non-descending list is a range:
17461 is a perfectly valid range, although a pretty long-winded one. This is
17468 and is equal to the previous range.
17470 Here's a BNF definition of ranges. Of course, one must remember the
17471 semantic requirement that the numbers are non-descending. (Any number
17472 of repetition of the same number is allowed, but apt to disappear in
17476 range = simple-range / normal-range
17477 simple-range = "(" number " . " number ")"
17478 normal-range = "(" start-contents ")"
17479 contents = "" / simple-range *[ " " contents ] /
17480 number *[ " " contents ]
17483 Gnus currently uses ranges to keep track of read articles and article
17484 marks. I plan on implementing a number of range operators in C if The
17485 Powers That Be are willing to let me. (I haven't asked yet, because I
17486 need to do some more thinking on what operators I need to make life
17487 totally range-based without ever having to convert back to normal
17492 @subsection Group Info
17494 Gnus stores all permanent info on groups in a @dfn{group info} list.
17495 This list is from three to six elements (or more) long and exhaustively
17496 describes the group.
17498 Here are two example group infos; one is a very simple group while the
17499 second is a more complex one:
17502 ("no.group" 5 (1 . 54324))
17504 ("nnml:my.mail" 3 ((1 . 5) 9 (20 . 55))
17505 ((tick (15 . 19)) (replied 3 6 (19 . 3)))
17507 (auto-expire (to-address "ding@@gnus.org")))
17510 The first element is the @dfn{group name}---as Gnus knows the group,
17511 anyway. The second element is the @dfn{subscription level}, which
17512 normally is a small integer. The third element is a list of ranges of
17513 read articles. The fourth element is a list of lists of article marks
17514 of various kinds. The fifth element is the select method (or virtual
17515 server, if you like). The sixth element is a list of @dfn{group
17516 parameters}, which is what this section is about.
17518 Any of the last three elements may be missing if they are not required.
17519 In fact, the vast majority of groups will normally only have the first
17520 three elements, which saves quite a lot of cons cells.
17522 Here's a BNF definition of the group info format:
17525 info = "(" group space level space read
17526 [ "" / [ space marks-list [ "" / [ space method [ "" /
17527 space parameters ] ] ] ] ] ")"
17528 group = quote <string> quote
17529 level = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
17531 marks-lists = nil / "(" *marks ")"
17532 marks = "(" <string> range ")"
17533 method = "(" <string> *elisp-forms ")"
17534 parameters = "(" *elisp-forms ")"
17537 Actually that @samp{marks} rule is a fib. A @samp{marks} is a
17538 @samp{<string>} consed on to a @samp{range}, but that's a bitch to say
17541 If you have a Gnus info and want to access the elements, Gnus offers a
17542 series of macros for getting/setting these elements.
17545 @item gnus-info-group
17546 @itemx gnus-info-set-group
17547 @findex gnus-info-group
17548 @findex gnus-info-set-group
17549 Get/set the group name.
17551 @item gnus-info-rank
17552 @itemx gnus-info-set-rank
17553 @findex gnus-info-rank
17554 @findex gnus-info-set-rank
17555 Get/set the group rank.
17557 @item gnus-info-level
17558 @itemx gnus-info-set-level
17559 @findex gnus-info-level
17560 @findex gnus-info-set-level
17561 Get/set the group level.
17563 @item gnus-info-score
17564 @itemx gnus-info-set-score
17565 @findex gnus-info-score
17566 @findex gnus-info-set-score
17567 Get/set the group score.
17569 @item gnus-info-read
17570 @itemx gnus-info-set-read
17571 @findex gnus-info-read
17572 @findex gnus-info-set-read
17573 Get/set the ranges of read articles.
17575 @item gnus-info-marks
17576 @itemx gnus-info-set-marks
17577 @findex gnus-info-marks
17578 @findex gnus-info-set-marks
17579 Get/set the lists of ranges of marked articles.
17581 @item gnus-info-method
17582 @itemx gnus-info-set-method
17583 @findex gnus-info-method
17584 @findex gnus-info-set-method
17585 Get/set the group select method.
17587 @item gnus-info-params
17588 @itemx gnus-info-set-params
17589 @findex gnus-info-params
17590 @findex gnus-info-set-params
17591 Get/set the group parameters.
17594 All the getter functions take one parameter---the info list. The setter
17595 functions take two parameters---the info list and the new value.
17597 The last three elements in the group info aren't mandatory, so it may be
17598 necessary to extend the group info before setting the element. If this
17599 is necessary, you can just pass on a non-@code{nil} third parameter to
17600 the three final setter functions to have this happen automatically.
17603 @node Extended Interactive
17604 @subsection Extended Interactive
17605 @cindex interactive
17606 @findex gnus-interactive
17608 Gnus extends the standard Emacs @code{interactive} specification
17609 slightly to allow easy use of the symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic
17610 Prefixes}). Here's an example of how this is used:
17613 (defun gnus-summary-increase-score (&optional score symp)
17614 (interactive (gnus-interactive "P\ny"))
17619 The best thing to do would have been to implement
17620 @code{gnus-interactive} as a macro which would have returned an
17621 @code{interactive} form, but this isn't possible since Emacs checks
17622 whether a function is interactive or not by simply doing an @code{assq}
17623 on the lambda form. So, instead we have @code{gnus-interactive}
17624 function that takes a string and returns values that are usable to
17625 @code{interactive}.
17627 This function accepts (almost) all normal @code{interactive} specs, but
17632 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbol
17633 The current symbolic prefix---the @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol}
17637 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbols
17638 A list of the current symbolic prefixes---the
17639 @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol} variable.
17642 The current article number---the @code{gnus-summary-article-number}
17646 The current article header---the @code{gnus-summary-article-header}
17650 The current group name---the @code{gnus-group-group-name}
17656 @node Emacs/XEmacs Code
17657 @subsection Emacs/XEmacs Code
17661 While Gnus runs under Emacs, XEmacs and Mule, I decided that one of the
17662 platforms must be the primary one. I chose Emacs. Not because I don't
17663 like XEmacs or Mule, but because it comes first alphabetically.
17665 This means that Gnus will byte-compile under Emacs with nary a warning,
17666 while XEmacs will pump out gigabytes of warnings while byte-compiling.
17667 As I use byte-compilation warnings to help me root out trivial errors in
17668 Gnus, that's very useful.
17670 I've also consistently used Emacs function interfaces, but have used
17671 Gnusey aliases for the functions. To take an example: Emacs defines a
17672 @code{run-at-time} function while XEmacs defines a @code{start-itimer}
17673 function. I then define a function called @code{gnus-run-at-time} that
17674 takes the same parameters as the Emacs @code{run-at-time}. When running
17675 Gnus under Emacs, the former function is just an alias for the latter.
17676 However, when running under XEmacs, the former is an alias for the
17677 following function:
17680 (defun gnus-xmas-run-at-time (time repeat function &rest args)
17684 (,function ,@@args))
17688 This sort of thing has been done for bunches of functions. Gnus does
17689 not redefine any native Emacs functions while running under XEmacs---it
17690 does this @code{defalias} thing with Gnus equivalents instead. Cleaner
17693 In the cases where the XEmacs function interface was obviously cleaner,
17694 I used it instead. For example @code{gnus-region-active-p} is an alias
17695 for @code{region-active-p} in XEmacs, whereas in Emacs it is a function.
17697 Of course, I could have chosen XEmacs as my native platform and done
17698 mapping functions the other way around. But I didn't. The performance
17699 hit these indirections impose on Gnus under XEmacs should be slight.
17702 @node Various File Formats
17703 @subsection Various File Formats
17706 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
17707 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
17711 @node Active File Format
17712 @subsubsection Active File Format
17714 The active file lists all groups available on the server in
17715 question. It also lists the highest and lowest current article numbers
17718 Here's an excerpt from a typical active file:
17721 soc.motss 296030 293865 y
17722 alt.binaries.pictures.fractals 3922 3913 n
17723 comp.sources.unix 1605 1593 m
17724 comp.binaries.ibm.pc 5097 5089 y
17725 no.general 1000 900 y
17728 Here's a pseudo-BNF definition of this file:
17731 active = *group-line
17732 group-line = group space high-number space low-number space flag <NEWLINE>
17733 group = <non-white-space string>
17735 high-number = <non-negative integer>
17736 low-number = <positive integer>
17737 flag = "y" / "n" / "m" / "j" / "x" / "=" group
17740 For a full description of this file, see the manual pages for
17741 @samp{innd}, in particular @samp{active(5)}.
17744 @node Newsgroups File Format
17745 @subsubsection Newsgroups File Format
17747 The newsgroups file lists groups along with their descriptions. Not all
17748 groups on the server have to be listed, and not all groups in the file
17749 have to exist on the server. The file is meant purely as information to
17752 The format is quite simple; a group name, a tab, and the description.
17753 Here's the definition:
17757 line = group tab description <NEWLINE>
17758 group = <non-white-space string>
17760 description = <string>
17765 @node Emacs for Heathens
17766 @section Emacs for Heathens
17768 Believe it or not, but some people who use Gnus haven't really used
17769 Emacs much before they embarked on their journey on the Gnus Love Boat.
17770 If you are one of those unfortunates whom ``@kbd{M-C-a}'', ``kill the
17771 region'', and ``set @code{gnus-flargblossen} to an alist where the key
17772 is a regexp that is used for matching on the group name'' are magical
17773 phrases with little or no meaning, then this appendix is for you. If
17774 you are already familiar with Emacs, just ignore this and go fondle your
17778 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
17779 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
17784 @subsection Keystrokes
17788 Q: What is an experienced Emacs user?
17791 A: A person who wishes that the terminal had pedals.
17794 Yes, when you use Emacs, you are apt to use the control key, the shift
17795 key and the meta key a lot. This is very annoying to some people
17796 (notably @code{vi}le users), and the rest of us just love the hell out
17797 of it. Just give up and submit. Emacs really does stand for
17798 ``Escape-Meta-Alt-Control-Shift'', and not ``Editing Macros'', as you
17799 may have heard from other disreputable sources (like the Emacs author).
17801 The shift keys are normally located near your pinky fingers, and are
17802 normally used to get capital letters and stuff. You probably use it all
17803 the time. The control key is normally marked ``CTRL'' or something like
17804 that. The meta key is, funnily enough, never marked as such on any
17805 keyboard. The one I'm currently at has a key that's marked ``Alt'',
17806 which is the meta key on this keyboard. It's usually located somewhere
17807 to the left hand side of the keyboard, usually on the bottom row.
17809 Now, us Emacs people don't say ``press the meta-control-m key'',
17810 because that's just too inconvenient. We say ``press the @kbd{M-C-m}
17811 key''. @kbd{M-} is the prefix that means ``meta'' and ``C-'' is the
17812 prefix that means ``control''. So ``press @kbd{C-k}'' means ``press
17813 down the control key, and hold it down while you press @kbd{k}''.
17814 ``Press @kbd{M-C-k}'' means ``press down and hold down the meta key and
17815 the control key and then press @kbd{k}''. Simple, ay?
17817 This is somewhat complicated by the fact that not all keyboards have a
17818 meta key. In that case you can use the ``escape'' key. Then @kbd{M-k}
17819 means ``press escape, release escape, press @kbd{k}''. That's much more
17820 work than if you have a meta key, so if that's the case, I respectfully
17821 suggest you get a real keyboard with a meta key. You can't live without
17827 @subsection Emacs Lisp
17829 Emacs is the King of Editors because it's really a Lisp interpreter.
17830 Each and every key you tap runs some Emacs Lisp code snippet, and since
17831 Emacs Lisp is an interpreted language, that means that you can configure
17832 any key to run any arbitrary code. You just, like, do it.
17834 Gnus is written in Emacs Lisp, and is run as a bunch of interpreted
17835 functions. (These are byte-compiled for speed, but it's still
17836 interpreted.) If you decide that you don't like the way Gnus does
17837 certain things, it's trivial to have it do something a different way.
17838 (Well, at least if you know how to write Lisp code.) However, that's
17839 beyond the scope of this manual, so we are simply going to talk about
17840 some common constructs that you normally use in your @file{.emacs} file
17843 If you want to set the variable @code{gnus-florgbnize} to four (4), you
17844 write the following:
17847 (setq gnus-florgbnize 4)
17850 This function (really ``special form'') @code{setq} is the one that can
17851 set a variable to some value. This is really all you need to know. Now
17852 you can go and fill your @code{.emacs} file with lots of these to change
17855 If you have put that thing in your @code{.emacs} file, it will be read
17856 and @code{eval}ed (which is lisp-ese for ``run'') the next time you
17857 start Emacs. If you want to change the variable right away, simply say
17858 @kbd{C-x C-e} after the closing parenthesis. That will @code{eval} the
17859 previous ``form'', which is a simple @code{setq} statement here.
17861 Go ahead---just try it, if you're located at your Emacs. After you
17862 @kbd{C-x C-e}, you will see @samp{4} appear in the echo area, which
17863 is the return value of the form you @code{eval}ed.
17867 If the manual says ``set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{some}'',
17871 (setq gnus-read-active-file 'some)
17874 On the other hand, if the manual says ``set @code{gnus-nntp-server} to
17875 @samp{nntp.ifi.uio.no}'', that means:
17878 (setq gnus-nntp-server "nntp.ifi.uio.no")
17881 So be careful not to mix up strings (the latter) with symbols (the
17882 former). The manual is unambiguous, but it can be confusing.
17885 @include gnus-faq.texi