@vindex gnus-group-mode-line-format
The mode line can be changed by setting
-(@code{gnus-group-mode-line-format}). It doesn't understand that many
-format specifiers:
+@code{gnus-group-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). It
+doesn't understand that many format specifiers:
@table @samp
@item S
server(s) you are connected to (@code{gnus-group-list-active}). This
might very well take quite a while. It might actually be a better idea
to do a @kbd{A m} to list all matching, and just give @samp{.} as the
-thing to match on.
+thing to match on. Also note that this command may list group that
+don't exist (yet)---these will be listed as if they are killed groups.
+Take the output with some grains of salt.
@item A a
@kindex A a (Group)
@vindex gnus-topic-line-format
The topic lines themselves are created according to the
-@code{gnus-topic-line-format} variable. @xref{Formatting Variables}.
-Elements allowed are:
+@code{gnus-topic-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
+Legal elements are:
@table @samp
@item i
@vindex gnus-summary-line-format
You can change the format of the lines in the summary buffer by changing
the @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable. It works along the same
-lines a a normal @code{format} string, with some extensions.
+lines a a normal @code{format} string, with some extensions
+(@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
The default string is @samp{%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%) %s\n}.
@item S
Subject string.
@item s
-Subject if the article is the root, @code{gnus-summary-same-subject}
-otherwise.
+Subject if the article is the root or the previous article had a
+different subject, @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} otherwise.
+(@code{gnus-summary-same-subject} defaults to @samp{}.)
@item F
-Full @code{From} line.
+Full @code{From} header.
@item n
The name (from the @code{From} header).
@item a
pushes everything after it off the screen).
@item \[
Opening bracket, which is normally @samp{\[}, but can also be @samp{<}
-for adopted articles.
+for adopted articles (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
@item \]
Closing bracket, which is normally @samp{\]}, but can also be @samp{>}
for adopted articles.
@code{Xref}.
@item D
@code{Date}.
+@item d
+The @code{Date} in @code{YY-MMM} format.
+@item o
+The @code{Date} in @code{YYMMDD-HH:MM:SS} format.
@item M
@code{Message-ID}.
@item r
Mark the current article as read
(@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward}).
+@item D
+@kindex D (Summary)
+@findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward
+Mark the current article as read and move point to the previous line
+(@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward}).
+
@item M k
@itemx k
@kindex k (Summary)
@vindex gnus-cited-text-button-line-format
Gnus adds buttons show where the cited text has been hidden, and to
allow toggle hiding the text. The format of the variable is specified
-by this format-like variable. These specs are legal:
+by this format-like variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). These
+specs are legal:
@table @samp
@item b
Each @samp{%} element will be replaced by some string or other when the
buffer in question is generated. @samp{%5y} means ``insert the @samp{y}
-spec, and pad with spaces to get a 5-character field''. Just like a
+spec, and pad with spaces (to the left) to get a 5-character field''.
+(@samp{%-5y} means the same, but pad to the right instead.) Just like a
normal format spec, almost.
-You can also say @samp{%6,4y}, which means that the field will never be
-more than 4 characters wide and never less than 6 characters wide.
+You can also say @samp{%4,6y}, which means that the field will never be
+more than 6 characters wide and never less than 4 characters wide.
+
+All the specs allow for inserting user defined specifiers -- @samp{u}.
+The next character in the format string should be a letter. @sc{gnus}
+will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where
+@samp{X} is the letter following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed
+a single parameter---what the parameter means depends on what buffer
+it's being called from. The function should return a string, which will
+be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
+specifier. This function may also be called with dummy values, so it
+should protect against that.
There are also specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the
format variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers
All these functions are expected to return data in the buffer
@code{nntp-server-buffer} (@samp{ *nntpd*}), which is somewhat
unfortunately named, but we'll have to live with it. When I talk about
-``resulting data'', I always refer to the data in that buffer. When I
-talk about ``return value'', I talk about the function value returned by
-the function call.
+@dfn{resulting data}, I always refer to the data in that buffer. When I
+talk about @dfn{return value}, I talk about the function value returned by
+the function call. Functions that fail should return @code{nil} as the
+return value.
Some backends could be said to be @dfn{server-forming} backends, and
some might be said to not be. The latter are backends that generally
* Required Backend Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
* Optional Backend Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
* Writing New Backends:: Extending old backends.
+* Hooking New Backends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
@end menu
There should be no data returned by this function.
-@item (nnchoke-request-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
+@item (nnchoke-request-group GROUP &optional SERVER FAST)
Get data on @var{group}. This function also has the side effect of
making @var{group} the current group.
+If @var{FAST}, don't bother to return useful data, just make @var{group}
+the current group.
+
Here's an example of some result data and a definition of the same:
@example
@end lisp
+@node Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
+@subsubsection Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
+
+@vindex gnus-valid-select-methods
+Having Gnus start using your new backend is rather easy---you just
+declare it with the @code{gnus-declare-backend} functions. This will
+enter the backend into the @code{gnus-valid-select-methods} variable.
+
+@code{gnus-declare-backend} takes two parameters---the backend name and
+an arbitrary number of @dfn{abilities}.
+
+Here's an example:
+
+@lisp
+(gnus-declare-backend "nnchoke" 'mail 'respool 'address)
+@end lisp
+
+The abilities can be:
+
+@table @code
+@item mail
+This is a mailish backend---followups should (probably) go via mail.
+@item post
+This is a newsish backend---followups should (probably) go via news.
+@item post-mail
+This backend supports both mail and news.
+@item none
+This is neither a post or mail backend---it's something completely
+different.
+@item respool
+It supports respooling---or rather, it is able to modify its source
+articles and groups.
+@item address
+The name of the server should be in the virtual server name. This is
+true for almost all backends.
+@item prompt-address
+The user should be prompted for an address when doing commands like
+@kbd{B} in the group buffer. This is true for backends like
+@code{nntp}, but not @code{nnmbox}, for instance.
+@end table
+
+
@node Score File Syntax
@subsection Score File Syntax
projects / gnus / blobdiff