\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
@setfilename gnus
-@settitle Gnus 5.2 Manual
+@settitle Red Gnus Manual
@synindex fn cp
@synindex vr cp
@synindex pg cp
@tex
@titlepage
-@title Gnus Manual
+@title Red Gnus Manual
@author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
@page
@node Top
-@top The Gnus Newsreader
+@top The Red Gnus Newsreader
@ifinfo
@end menu
+
@node Starting Up
@chapter Starting Gnus
@cindex starting up
* Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
* Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
* The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
+* Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
* Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
@end menu
buffer. But, hey, that's your problem. Blllrph!
@findex gnus-no-server
+@kindex M-x gnus-no-server
@c @head
If you know that the server is definitely down, or you just want to read
your mail without bothering with the server at all, you can use the
@code{gnus-no-server} command to start Gnus. That might come in handy
-if you're in a hurry as well.
+if you're in a hurry as well. This command will not attempt to contact
+your primary server---instead, it will just activate all groups on level
+1 and 2. (You should preferrably keep no native groups on those two
+levels.)
@node Slave Gnusii
@item gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
@vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
-Subscribe all new groups hierarchically.
+Subscribe all new groups hierarchically. The difference between this
+function and @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} is slight.
+@code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} will subscribe new groups in a strictly
+alphabetical fashion, while this function will enter groups into it's
+hierarchy. So if you want to have the @samp{rec} hierarchy before the
+@samp{comp} hierarchy, this function will not mess that configuration
+up. Or something like that.
@item gnus-subscribe-interactively
@vindex gnus-subscribe-interactively
Use the mantra ``dingnusdingnusdingnus'' to achieve permanent bliss.
+@node Changing Servers
+@section Changing Servers
+
+Sometimes it is necessary to move from one @sc{nntp} server to another.
+This happens very rarely, but perhaps you change jobs, or one server is
+very flake and you want to use another.
+
+Changing the server is pretty easy, right? You just change
+@code{gnus-select-method} to point to the new server?
+
+@emph{Wrong!}
+
+Article numbers are not (in any way) kept synchronized between different
+@sc{nntp} servers, and the only way Gnus keeps track of what articles
+you have read is by keeping track of article numbers. So when you
+change @code{gnus-select-method}, your @file{.newsrc} file becomes
+worthless.
+
+Gnus provides a few functions to attempt to translate a @file{.newsrc}
+file from one server to another. They all have one thing in
+common---they take a looong time to run. You don't want to use these
+functions more than absolutely necessary.
+
+@kindex M-x gnus-change-server
+@findex gnus-change-server
+If you have access to both servers, Gnus can request the headers for all
+the articles you have read and compare @code{Message-ID}s and map
+reads and article marks. The @kbd{M-x gnus-change-server} command will
+do this for all your native groups. It will prompt for the method you
+want to move to.
+
+@kindex M-x gnus-group-move-group-to-server
+@findex gnus-group-move-group-to-server
+You can also move individual groups with the @kbd{M-x
+gnus-group-move-group-to-server} command. This is useful if you want to
+move a (foreign) group from one server to another.
+
+@kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
+@findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
+If you don't have access to both the old and new server, all your marks
+and read ranges have become worthless. You can use the @kbd{M-x
+gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups} command to clear out all data
+that you have on your native groups. Use with caution.
+
+
@node Startup Files
@section Startup Files
@cindex startup files
so the automatic new groups subscription methods become meaningless.
You should always set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil} or
@code{ask-server} if you set this variable to @code{nil} (@pxref{New
-Groups}).
+Groups}). This variable can also be a regular expression. If that's
+the case, remove all groups that do not match this regexp before
+saving. This can be useful in certain obscure situations that involve
+several servers where not all servers support @code{ask-server}.
@vindex gnus-startup-file
The @code{gnus-startup-file} variable says where the startup files are.
control on or off. Version control is off by default when saving the
startup files.
+@vindex gnus-init-file
+When Gnus starts, it will read the @code{gnus-site-init-file} (default
+@file{.../site-lisp/gnus.el}) and @code{gnus-init-file} (default
+@file{~/.gnus.el}) files. These are normal Emacs Lisp files and can be
+used to avoid cluttering your @file{.emacs} and @file{site-init} files
+with Gnus stuff.
+
@node Auto Save
@section Auto Save
Number of read articles.
@item t
-Total number of articles.
+Estimated total number of articles. (This is really @var{max-number}
+minus @var{min-number} plus 1.)
@item y
Number of unread, unticked, non-dormant articles.
@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
The score of the group.
@item ticked
The number of ticked articles in the group.
+@item total
+The total number of articles in the group. Or rather, MAX-NUMBER minus
+MIN-NUMBER.
@item topic
When using the topic minor mode, this variable is bound to the current
topic being inserted.
@findex gnus-group-catchup-current-all
Mark all articles in this group, even the ticked ones, as read
(@code{gnus-group-catchup-current-all}).
+
+@item M-c
+@kindex M-c (Group)
+@findex gnus-group-clear-data
+Clear the data from the current group---nix out marks and the list of
+read articles (@code{gnus-group-clear-data}).
+
+@item M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
+@kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
+@findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
+If you have switced from one @sc{nntp} server to another, all your marks
+and read ranges have become worthless. You can use this command to
+clear out all data that you have on your native groups. Use with
+caution.
+
@end table
@vindex gnus-large-newsgroup
@node Foreign Groups
@section Foreign Groups
-Here are some group mode commands for making and editing general foreign
+Below are some group mode commands for making and editing general foreign
groups, as well as commands to ease the creation of a few
-special-purpose groups:
+special-purpose groups. All these commands insert the newly created
+groups under point---@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} is not
+consulted.
@table @kbd
@kindex G r (Group)
@findex gnus-group-rename-group
Rename the current group to something else
-(@code{gnus-group-rename-group}). This is legal only on some groups --
-mail groups mostly. This command might very well be quite slow on some
-backends.
+(@code{gnus-group-rename-group}). This is legal only on some
+groups---mail groups mostly. This command might very well be quite slow
+on some backends.
@item G e
@kindex G e (Group)
@item G d
@kindex G d (Group)
@findex gnus-group-make-directory-group
-Make a directory group. You will be prompted for a directory name
-(@code{gnus-group-make-directory-group}).
+Make a directory group (@pxref{Directory Groups}). You will be prompted
+for a directory name (@code{gnus-group-make-directory-group}).
@item G h
@kindex G h (Group)
Make a Gnus archive group (@code{gnus-group-make-archive-group}). By
default a group pointing to the most recent articles will be created
(@code{gnus-group-recent-archive-directory}), but given a prefix, a full
-group will be created from from @code{gnus-group-archive-directory}.
+group will be created from @code{gnus-group-archive-directory}.
@item G k
@kindex G k (Group)
@findex gnus-group-enter-directory
Read an arbitrary directory as if with were a newsgroup with the
@code{nneething} backend (@code{gnus-group-enter-directory}).
+@xref{Anything Groups}.
@item G f
@kindex G f (Group)
Currently supported types are @code{babyl}, @code{mbox}, @code{digest},
@code{mmdf}, @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{clari-briefs}, and
@code{forward}. If you run this command without a prefix, Gnus will
-guess at the file type.
+guess at the file type. @xref{Document Groups}.
+
+@item G n
+@kindex G n (Group)
+@findex gnus-group-make-web-group
+@cindex DejaNews
+@cindex Alta Vista
+@cindex InReference
+Make an ephemeral group based on a web search
+(@code{gnus-group-make-web-group}). If you give a prefix to this
+command, make a solid group instead. You will be prompted for the
+search engine type and the search string. Legal search engine types
+include @code{dejanews}, @code{altavista} and @code{reference}.
+@xref{Web Searches}.
@item G DEL
@kindex G DEL (Group)
@kindex G V (Group)
@findex gnus-group-make-empty-virtual
Make a new, fresh, empty @code{nnvirtual} group
-(@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}).
+(@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}). @xref{Virtual Groups}.
@item G v
@kindex G v (Group)
If the group parameter list contains an element like @code{(to-group
. "some.group.name")}, all posts will be sent to that group.
+@item gcc-self
+@cindex gcc-self
+If this symbol is present in the group parameter list, new composed
+messages will be @code{Gcc}'d to the current group.
+
@item auto-expire
@cindex auto-expire
If this symbol is present in the group parameter list, all articles that
the symbols @code{never} or @code{immediate}.
@item score-file
+@cindex score file group parameter
Elements that look like @code{(score-file . "file")} will make
-@samp{file} into the current score file for the group in question. This
+@file{file} into the current score file for the group in question. This
means that all score commands you issue will end up in that file.
+@item adapt-file
+@cindex adapt file group parameter
+Elements that look like @code{(adapt-file . "file")} will make
+@file{file} into the current adaptive file for the group in question.
+All adaptive score entries will be put into this file.
+
@item admin-address
When unsubscribing to a mailing list you should never send the
unsubscription notice to the mailing list itself. Instead, you'd send
messages to the administrative address. This parameter allows you to
put the admin address somewhere convenient.
+@item display
+Elements that look like @code{(display . MODE)} says which articles to
+display on entering the group. Legal values are:
+
+@table @code
+@item all
+Display all articles, both read and unread.
+
+@item default
+Display the default visible articles, which normally includes unread and
+ticked articles.
+@end table
+
@item comment
This parameter allows you to enter a arbitrary comment on the group.
@end table
-If you want to change the group info you can use the @kbd{G E} command
-to enter a buffer where you can edit it.
+Use the @kbd{G p} command to edit group parameters of a group.
-You usually don't want to edit the entire group info, so you'd be better
-off using the @kbd{G p} command to just edit the group parameters.
+Also @xref{Topic Parameters}.
@node Listing Groups
@item A m
@kindex A m (Group)
@findex gnus-group-list-matching
-List all subscribed groups with unread articles that match a regexp
+List all unread, subscribed groups with names that match a regexp
(@code{gnus-group-list-matching}).
@item A M
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)
@findex gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
Sort the group names alphabetically. This is the default.
+@item gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
+@findex gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
+Sort the group alphabetically on the real (unprefixed) group names.
+
@item gnus-group-sort-by-level
@findex gnus-group-sort-by-level
Sort by group level.
* Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
* Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
* Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
+* Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
@end menu
@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-topic-mode-hook
@code{gnus-topic-mode-hook} is called in topic minor mode buffers.
+@vindex gnus-topic-display-empty-topics
+The @code{gnus-topic-display-empty-topics} says whether to display even
+topics that have no unread articles in them. The default is @code{t}.
+
@node Topic Commands
@subsection Topic Commands
@table @kbd
@item T n
-@kindex T n (Group)
+@kindex T n (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-create-topic
Prompt for a new topic name and create it
(@code{gnus-topic-create-topic}).
@item T m
-@kindex T m (Group)
+@kindex T m (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-move-group
Move the current group to some other topic
(@code{gnus-topic-move-group}). This command understands the
process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
@item T c
-@kindex T c (Group)
+@kindex T c (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-copy-group
Copy the current group to some other topic
(@code{gnus-topic-copy-group}). This command understands the
process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
@item T D
-@kindex T D (Group)
+@kindex T D (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-remove-group
Remove a group from the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-remove-group}).
This command understands the process/prefix convention
(@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
@item T M
-@kindex T M (Group)
+@kindex T M (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-move-matching
Move all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
(@code{gnus-topic-move-matching}).
@item T C
-@kindex T C (Group)
+@kindex T C (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-copy-matching
Copy all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
(@code{gnus-topic-copy-matching}).
@item T #
-@kindex T # (Group)
+@kindex T # (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-mark-topic
Mark all groups in the current topic with the process mark
(@code{gnus-topic-mark-topic}).
@item T M-#
-@kindex T M-# (Group)
+@kindex T M-# (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-unmark-topic
Remove the process mark from all groups in the current topic
(@code{gnus-topic-unmark-topic}).
@item RET
-@kindex RET (Group)
+@kindex RET (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-select-group
@itemx SPACE
Either select a group or fold a topic (@code{gnus-topic-select-group}).
prefix, group on that level (and lower) will be displayed.
@item T TAB
-@kindex T TAB (Group)
+@kindex T TAB (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-indent
``Indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
previous topic (@code{gnus-topic-indent}). If given a prefix,
``un-indent'' the topic instead.
@item C-k
-@kindex C-k (Group)
+@kindex C-k (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-kill-group
Kill a group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-kill-group}).
@item C-y
-@kindex C-y (Group)
+@kindex C-y (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-yank-group
Yank the previously killed group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-yank-group}).
Note that all topics will be yanked before all groups.
@item T r
-@kindex T r (Group)
+@kindex T r (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-rename
Rename a topic (@code{gnus-topic-rename}).
@item T DEL
-@kindex T DEL (Group)
+@kindex T DEL (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-delete
Delete an empty topic (@code{gnus-topic-delete}).
@item A T
-@kindex A T (Group)
+@kindex A T (Topic)
@findex gnus-topic-list-active
List all groups that Gnus knows about in a topics-ified way
(@code{gnus-topic-list-active}).
+@item G p
+@kindex G p (Topic)
+@findex gnus-topic-edit-parameters
+@cindex group parameters
+@cindex topic parameters
+@cindex parameters
+Edit the topic parameters (@code{gnus-topic-edit-parameters}).
+@xref{Topic Parameters}.
+
@end table
@example
Gnus
Emacs -- I wuw it!
- 3: comp.emacs
- 2: alt.religion.emacs
+ 3: comp.emacs
+ 2: alt.religion.emacs
Naughty Emacs
452: alt.sex.emacs
0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
Misc
- 8: comp.binaries.fractals
- 13: comp.sources.unix
+ 8: comp.binaries.fractals
+ 13: comp.sources.unix
@end example
So, here we have one top-level topic, two topics under that, and one
allowed---@code{visible} and @code{invisible}.
+@node Topic Parameters
+@subsection Topic Parameters
+
+All groups in a topic will inherit group parameters from the parent (and
+ancestor) topic parameters. All legal group parameters are legal topic
+parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
+
+Group parameters (of course) override topic parameters, and topic
+parameters in sub-topics override topic parameters in super-topics. You
+know. Normal inheretance rules. (@dfn{Rules} is here a noun, not a
+verb, although you may feel free to disagree with me here.)
+
+@example
+Gnus
+ Emacs
+ 3: comp.emacs
+ 2: alt.religion.emacs
+ 452: alt.sex.emacs
+ Relief
+ 452: alt.sex.emacs
+ 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
+ Misc
+ 8: comp.binaries.fractals
+ 13: comp.sources.unix
+ 452: alt.sex.emacs
+@end example
+
+Now, the @samp{Emacs} topic has the topic parameter
+@code{(score-file . "emacs.SCORE")}; the @samp{Relief} topic has the topic
+parameter @code{(score-file . "relief.SCORE")}; and the @samp{Misc}
+topic has the topic parameter @code{(score-file . "emacs.SCORE")}. In
+addition, @samp{alt.religion.emacs} has the group parameter
+@code{(score-file . "religion.SCORE")}.
+
+Now, when you enter @samp{alt.sex.emacs} in the @samp{Relief} topic, you
+will get the @file{relief.SCORE} home score file. If you enter the same
+group in the @samp{Emacs} topic, you'll get the @file{emacs.SCORE} home
+score file. If you enter @samp{alt.religion.emacs}, you'll get the
+@file{religion.SCORE} home score file.
+
+This seems rather simple and self-evident, doesn't it? Well, yes. But
+there are some problems, especially with the @code{total-expiry}
+parameter. Say you have a mail group in two topics; one with
+@code{total-expiry} and one without. What happens when you do @kbd{M-x
+gnus-expire-all-expirable-groups}? Gnus has no way of telling which one
+of these topics you mean to expire articles from, so anything may
+happen. In fact, I hereby declare that it is @dfn{undefined} what
+happens. You just have to be careful if you do stuff like that.
+
+
@node Misc Group Stuff
@section Misc Group Stuff
@item M-f
@kindex M-f (Group)
@findex gnus-group-fetch-faq
+@vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
@cindex FAQ
@cindex ange-ftp
Try to fetch the FAQ for the current group
(@code{gnus-group-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the FAQ from
@code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory on a
-remote machine. @code{ange-ftp} will be used for fetching the file.
+remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories. In
+that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
+between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} will be used for fetching
+the file.
+
+If fetching from the first site is unsuccessful, Gnus will attempt to go
+through @code{gnus-group-faq-directory} and try to open them one by one.
@item D
@kindex D (Group)
* Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
* Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
* Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer.
+* Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
+* Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
@end menu
@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{YYYYMMDDTHHMMSS} format.
@item M
@code{Message-ID}.
@item r
down summary buffer generation somewhat.
@item e
A single character will be displayed if the article has any children.
+@item P
+The line number.
@item u
User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
be a letter. @sc{gnus} will call the function
@item gnus-auto-select-same
@vindex gnus-auto-select-same
If non-@code{nil}, all the movement commands will try to go to the next
-article with the same subject as the current. This variable is not
+article with the same subject as the current. (@dfn{Same} here might
+mean @dfn{roughly equal}. See @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}
+for details (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).) This variable is not
particularly useful if you use a threaded display.
@item gnus-summary-check-current
@findex gnus-uu-digest-post-forward
Digest the current series and forward the result to a newsgroup
(@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}).
+
+@item S M-c
+@kindex S M-c (Summary)
+@findex gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint
+@cindex crossposting
+@cindex excessive crossposting
+Send a complaint about excessive crossposting to the author of the
+current article (@code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint}).
+
+@findex gnus-crosspost-complaint
+This command is provided as a way to fight back agains the current
+crossposting pandemic that's sweeping Usenet. It will compose a reply
+using the @code{gnus-crosspost-complaint} variable as a preamble. This
+command understands the process/prefix convention
+(@pxref{Process/Prefix}) and will prompt you before sending each mail.
+
@end table
@item F
@vindex gnus-souped-mark
-@sc{SOUP}ed article (@code{gnus-souped-mark}).
+@sc{SOUP}ed article (@code{gnus-souped-mark}). @xref{SOUP}
@item Q
@vindex gnus-sparse-mark
-Sparsely reffed article (@code{gnus-sparse-mark}).
+Sparsely reffed article (@code{gnus-sparse-mark}). @xref{Customizing
+Threading}
+
+@item M
+@vindex gnus-duplicate-mark
+Article marked as read by duplicate suppression
+(@code{gnus-duplicated-mark}). @xref{Duplicate Suppression}
+
@end table
All these marks just mean that the article is marked as read, really.
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)
@findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
Mark all articles in the buffer in the order they appear
(@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
+
+@item M P k
+@kindex M P k (Summary)
+@findex gnus-summary-kill-process-mark
+Push the current process mark set onto the stack and unmark all articles
+(@code{gnus-summary-kill-process-mark}).
+
+@item M P y
+@kindex M P y (Summary)
+@findex gnus-summary-yank-process-mark
+Pop the previous process mark set from the stack and restore it
+(@code{gnus-summary-yank-process-mark}).
+
+@item M P w
+@kindex M P w (Summary)
+@findex gnus-summary-save-process-mark
+Push the current process mark set onto the stack
+(@code{gnus-summary-save-process-mark}).
+
@end table
* Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
* Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
* Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
+* Article Signature:: What is a signature?
@end menu
@vindex gnus-signature-face
@findex gnus-article-highlight-signature
Highlight the signature (@code{gnus-article-highlight-signature}).
-Everything after @code{gnus-signature-separator} in an article will be
-considered a signature and will be highlighted with
-@code{gnus-signature-face}, which is @code{italic} by default.
+Everything after @code{gnus-signature-separator} (@pxref{Article
+Signature}) in an article will be considered a signature and will be
+highlighted with @code{gnus-signature-face}, which is @code{italic} by
+default.
@end table
@item W W s
@kindex W W s (Summary)
@findex gnus-article-hide-signature
-Hide signature (@code{gnus-article-hide-signature}).
+Hide signature (@code{gnus-article-hide-signature}). @xref{Article
+Signature}.
@item W W p
@kindex W W p (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
Also @pxref{Article Highlighting} for further variables for
citation customization.
-@vindex gnus-signature-limit
-@code{gnus-signature-limit} provides a limit to what is considered a
-signature. If it is a number, no signature may not be longer (in
-characters) than that number. If it is a function, the function will be
-called without any parameters, and if it returns @code{nil}, there is no
-signature in the buffer. If it is a string, it will be used as a
-regexp. If it matches, the text in question is not a signature.
-
@node Article Washing
@subsection Article Washing
@findex gnus-article-remove-cr
Remove CR (@code{gnus-article-remove-cr}).
-@item W L
-@kindex W L (Summary)
-@findex gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines
-Remove all blank lines at the end of the article
-(@code{gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines}).
-
@item W q
@kindex W q (Summary)
@findex gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable
@vindex gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly
Look for and display any X-Face headers
(@code{gnus-article-display-x-face}). The command executed by this
-function is given by the @code{gnus-article-x-face-command} variable. If
-this variable is a string, this string will be executed in a sub-shell.
-If it is a function, this function will be called with the face as the
-argument. If the @code{gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly} (which is a regexp)
-matches the @code{From} header, the face will not be shown. The default
-action under Emacs is to fork off an @code{xv} to view the face; under
-XEmacs the default action is to display the face before the @code{From}
-header. (It's nicer if XEmacs has been compiled with X-Face support --
-that will make display somewhat faster. If there's no native X-Face
-support, Gnus will try to convert the @code{X-Face} header using
+function is given by the @code{gnus-article-x-face-command} variable.
+If this variable is a string, this string will be executed in a
+sub-shell. If it is a function, this function will be called with the
+face as the argument. If the @code{gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly} (which
+is a regexp) matches the @code{From} header, the face will not be shown.
+The default action under Emacs is to fork off an @code{xv} to view the
+face; under XEmacs the default action is to display the face before the
+@code{From} header. (It's nicer if XEmacs has been compiled with X-Face
+support---that will make display somewhat faster. If there's no native
+X-Face support, Gnus will try to convert the @code{X-Face} header using
external programs from the @code{pbmplus} package and friends.) If you
want to have this function in the display hook, it should probably come
-last.
+last.
@item W b
@kindex W b (Summary)
Add clickable buttons to the article headers
(@code{gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head}).
+@item W E l
+@kindex W E l (Summary)
+@findex gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines
+Remove all blank lines from the beginning of the article
+(@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines}).
+
+@item W E m
+@kindex W E m (Summary)
+@findex gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines
+Replace all blank lines with empty lines and then all multiple empty
+lines with a single empty line.
+(@code{gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines}).
+
+@item W E t
+@kindex W E t (Summary)
+@findex gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines
+Remove all blank lines at the end of the article
+(@code{gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines}).
+
+@item W E a
+@kindex W E a (Summary)
+@findex gnus-article-strip-blank-lines
+Do all the three commands above
+(@code{gnus-article-strip-blank-lines}).
+
@end table
@end table
+@node Article Signature
+@subsection Article Signature
+@cindex signatures
+@cindex article signature
+
+@vindex gnus-signature-separator
+Each article is divided into two parts---the head and the body. The
+body can be divided into a signature part and a text part. The variable
+that says what is to be considered a signature is
+@code{gnus-signature-separator}. This is normally the standard
+@samp{"^-- $"} as mandated by son-of-RFC 1036. However, many people use
+non-standard signature separators, so this variable can also be a list
+of regular expressions to be tested, one by one. (Searches are done
+from the end of the body towards the beginning.) One likely value is:
+
+@lisp
+(setq gnus-signature-separator
+ '("^-- $" ; The standard
+ "^-- *$" ; A common mangling
+ "^-------*$" ; Many people just use a looong
+ ; line of dashes. Shame!
+ "^ *--------*$" ; Double-shame!
+ "^________*$" ; Underscores are also popular
+ "^========*$")) ; Pervert!
+@end lisp
+
+The more permissive you are, the more likely it is that you'll get false
+positives.
+
+@vindex gnus-signature-limit
+@code{gnus-signature-limit} provides a limit to what is considered a
+signature.
+
+@enumerate
+@item
+If it is an integer, no signature may be longer (in characters) than
+that integer.
+@item
+If it is a floating point number, no signature may be longer (in lines)
+than that number.
+@item
+If it is a function, the function will be called without any parameters,
+and if it returns @code{nil}, there is no signature in the buffer.
+@item
+If it is a string, it will be used as a regexp. If it matches, the text
+in question is not a signature.
+@end enumerate
+
+This variable can also be a list where the elements may be of the types
+listed above.
+
+
@node Summary Sorting
@section Summary Sorting
@cindex summary sorting
you'll get the parent. If the parent is already displayed in the
summary buffer, point will just move to this article.
+If given a positive numerical prefix, fetch that many articles back into
+the ancestry. If given a negative numerical prefix, fetch just that
+ancestor. So if you say @kbd{3 ^}, Gnus will fetch the parent, the
+grandparent and the grandgrandparent of the current article. If you say
+@kbd{-3 ^}, Gnus will only fetch the grandgrandparent of the current
+article.
+
@findex gnus-summary-refer-references
@kindex A R (Summary)
You can have Gnus fetch all articles mentioned in the @code{References}
Here are the available keystrokes when using pick mode:
@table @kbd
+@item .
+@kindex . (Pick)
+@findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
+Pick the article on the current line
+(@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}). If given a numerical prefix,
+go to the article on that line and pick that article. (The line number
+is normally displayed on the beginning of the summary pick lines.)
+
@item SPACE
@kindex SPACE (Pick)
-@findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
-Pick the article (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}).
+@findex gnus-pick-next-page
+Scroll the summary buffer up one page (@code{gnus-pick-next-page}). If
+at the end of the buffer, start reading the picked articles.
@item u
@kindex u (Pick)
@vindex gnus-pick-mode-hook
@code{gnus-pick-mode-hook} is run in pick minor mode buffers.
+@vindex gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read
+If @code{gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read} is non-@code{nil}, mark
+all unpicked articles as read. The default is @code{nil}.
+
+@vindex gnus-summary-pick-line-format
+The summary line format in pick mode is slightly different than the
+standard format. At the beginning of each line the line number is
+displayed. The pick mode line format is controlled by the
+@code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting
+Variables}). It accepts the same format specs that
+@code{gnus-summary-line-format} does (@pxref{Summary Buffer Lines}).
+
@node Binary Groups
@subsection Binary Groups
If you want to re-spool an article, you might be curious as to what group
the article will end up in before you do the re-spooling. This command
will tell you (@code{gnus-summary-respool-query}).
+
+@item B p
+@kindex B p (Summary)
+@findex gnus-summary-article-posted-p
+Some people have a tendency to send you "courtesy" copies when they
+follow up to articles you have posted. These usually have a
+@code{Newsgroups} header in them, but not always. This command
+(@code{gnus-summary-article-posted-p}) will try to fetch the current
+article from your news server (or rather, from
+@code{gnus-refer-article-method} or @code{gnus-select-method}) and will
+report back whether it found the article or not. Even if it says that
+it didn't find the article, it may have been posted anyway---mail
+propagation is much faster than news propagation, and the news copy may
+just not have arrived yet.
+
@end table
@vindex gnus-move-split-methods
@table @kbd
-@item A D
-@kindex A D (Summary)
+@item C-d
+@kindex C-d (Summary)
@findex gnus-summary-enter-digest-group
If the current article is a collection of other articles (for instance,
a digest), you might use this command to enter a group based on the that
guess what article type is currently displayed unless you give a prefix
to this command, which forces a ``digest'' interpretation. Basically,
whenever you see a message that is a collection of other messages on
-some format, you @kbd{A D} and read these messages in a more convenient
+some format, you @kbd{C-d} and read these messages in a more convenient
fashion.
+@item M-C-d
+@kindex M-C-d (Summary)
+@findex gnus-summary-read-document
+This command is very similar to the one above, but lets you gather
+several documents into one biiig group
+(@code{gnus-summary-read-document}). It does this by opening several
+@code{nndoc} groups for each document, and then opening an
+@code{nnvirtual} group on top of these @code{nndoc} groups. This
+command understands the process/prefix convention
+(@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
+
@item C-t
@kindex C-t (Summary)
@findex gnus-summary-toggle-truncation
this group and are marked as read, will also be marked as read in the
other subscribed groups they were cross-posted to. If this variable is
neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, the article will be marked as read in
-both subscribed and unsubscribed groups.
+both subscribed and unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}).
+
+
+@node Crosspost Handling
+@section Crosspost Handling
@cindex velveeta
@cindex spamming
posted it to several groups separately. Posting the same article to
several groups (not cross-posting) is called @dfn{spamming}, and you are
by law required to send nasty-grams to anyone who perpetrates such a
-heinous crime.
+heinous crime. You may want to try NoCeM handling to filter out spam
+(@pxref{NoCeM}).
Remember: Cross-posting is kinda ok, but posting the same article
separately to several groups is not. Massive cross-posting (aka.
-@dfn{velveeta}) is to be avoided.
+@dfn{velveeta}) is to be avoided at all costs, and you can even use the
+@code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint} command to complain about
+excessive crossposting (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
@cindex cross-posting
@cindex Xref
C'est la vie.
+For an alternative approach, @xref{Duplicate Suppression}.
+
+
+@node Duplicate Suppression
+@section Duplicate Suppression
+
+By default, Gnus tries to make sure that you don't have to read the same
+article more than once by utilizing the crossposing mechanism
+(@pxref{Crosspost Handling}). However, that simple and efficient
+approach may not work satisfactorily for some users for various
+reasons.
+
+@enumerate
+@item
+The @sc{nntp} server may fail to generate the @code{Xref} header. This
+is evil and not very common.
+
+@item
+The @sc{nntp} server may fail to include the @code{Xref} header in the
+@file{.overview} data bases. This is evil and all too common, alas.
+
+@item
+You may be reading the same group (or several related groups) from
+different @sc{nntp} servers.
+
+@item
+You may be getting mail that duplicates articles posted to groups.
+@end enumerate
+
+I'm sure there are other situations that @code{Xref} handling fails as
+well, but these four are the most common situations.
+
+If, and only if, @code{Xref} handling fails for you, then you may
+consider switching on @dfn{duplicate suppression}. If you do so, Gnus
+will remember the @code{Message-ID}s of all articles you have read or
+otherwise marked as read, and then, as if by magic, mark them as read
+all subsequent times you see them---in @emph{all} groups. Using this
+mechanism is quite likely to be somewhat inefficient, but not overly
+so. It's certainly preferrable to reading the same articles more than
+once.
+
+Duplicate suppression is not a very subtle instrument. It's more like a
+sledge hammer than anything else. It works in a very simple
+fashion---if you have marked an article as read, it adds this Message-ID
+to a cache. The next time it sees this Message-ID, it will mark the
+article as read the the @samp{M} mark. It doesn't care what group it
+saw the article in.
+
+@table @code
+@item gnus-suppress-duplicates
+@vindex gnus-suppress-duplicates
+If non-@code{nil}, suppress duplicates.
+
+@item gnus-save-duplicate-list
+@vindex gnus-save-duplicate-list
+If non-@code{nil}, save the list of duplicates to a file. This will
+make startup and shutdown take longer, so the default is @code{nil}.
+However, this means that only duplicate articles that is read in a
+single Gnus session are suppressed.
+
+@item gnus-duplicate-list-length
+@vindex gnus-duplicate-list-length
+This variables says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the duplicate
+suppression list. The default is 10000.
+
+@item gnus-duplicate-file
+@vindex gnus-duplicate-file
+The name of the file to store the duplicate suppression list. The
+default is @file{~/News/suppression}.
+@end table
+
+If you have a tendency to stop and start Gnus often, setting
+@code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{t} is probably a good idea. If
+you leave Gnus running for weeks on end, you may have it @code{nil}. On
+the other hand, saving the list makes startup and shutdown much slower,
+so that means that if you stop and start Gnus often, you should set
+@code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{nil}. Uhm. I'll leave this up
+to you to figure out, I think.
+
@node The Article Buffer
@chapter The Article Buffer
@vindex gnus-article-mode-line-format
@item gnus-article-mode-line-format
This variable is a format string along the same lines as
-@code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. It accepts exactly the same
-format specifications as that variable.
+@code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. It accepts the same
+format specifications as that variable, with one extension:
+
+@table @samp
+@item w
+The @dfn{wash status} of the article. This is a short string with one
+character for each possible article wash operation that may have been
+performed.
+@end table
+
@vindex gnus-break-pages
@item gnus-break-pages
Messages will be saved in all those groups.
@item an alist of regexps, functions and forms
When a key ``matches'', the result is used.
+@item @code{nil}
+No message archiving will take place. This is the default.
@end itemize
Let's illustrate:
"misc-mail")))
@end lisp
-This is the default.
-
How about storing all news messages in one file, but storing all mail
messages in one file per month:
Gnus, or the next time you press @kbd{F} in the group buffer. You can
enter it and read the articles in it just like you'd read any other
group. If the group gets really big and annoying, you can simply rename
-if (using @kbd{G r} in the group buffer) to something nice --
-@samp{misc-mail-september-1995}, or whatever. New messages will
+if (using @kbd{G r} in the group buffer) to something
+nice---@samp{misc-mail-september-1995}, or whatever. New messages will
continue to be stored in the old (now empty) group.
That's the default method of archiving sent mail. Gnus also offers two
Mark the current server as unreachable
(@code{gnus-server-deny-server}).
+@item M-o
+@kindex M-o (Server)
+@findex gnus-server-open-all-servers
+Open the connections to all servers in the buffer
+(@code{gnus-server-open-all-servers}).
+
+@item M-c
+@kindex M-c (Server)
+@findex gnus-server-close-all-servers
+Close the connections to all servers in the buffer
+(@code{gnus-server-close-all-servers}).
+
@item R
@kindex R (Server)
@findex gnus-server-remove-denials
@cindex news backends
A newsreader is normally used for reading news. Gnus currently provides
-only two methods of getting news -- it can read from an @sc{nntp}
-server, or it can read from a local spool.
+only two methods of getting news---it can read from an @sc{nntp} server,
+or it can read from a local spool.
@menu
* NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
@code{nntp-server-opened-hook} is run after a connection has been made.
It can be used to send commands to the @sc{nntp} server after it has
been contacted. By default is sends the command @code{MODE READER} to
-the server with the @code{nntp-send-mode-reader} function. Another
-popular function is @code{nntp-send-authinfo}, which will prompt you for
-an @sc{nntp} password and stuff.
+the server with the @code{nntp-send-mode-reader} function.
+
+@item nntp-authinfo-function
+@vindex nntp-authinfo-function
+This function will be used to send @samp{AUTHINFO} to the @sc{nntp}
+server. Available functions include:
+
+@table @code
+@item nntp-send-authinfo
+@findex nntp-send-authinfo
+This function will used you current login name as the user name and will
+prompt you for the password. This is the default.
+
+@item nntp-send-nosy-authinfo
+@findex nntp-send-nosy-authinfo
+This function will prompt you for both user name and password.
+
+@item nntp-send-authinfo-from-file
+@findex nntp-send-authinfo-from-file
+This function will use your current login name as the user name and will
+read the @sc{nntp} password from @file{~/.nntp-authinfo}.
+@end table
@item nntp-server-action-alist
@vindex nntp-server-action-alist
element is a regular expression used on the header of each mail to
determine if it belongs in this mail group.
+If the first element is the special symbol @code{junk}, then messages
+that match the regexp will disappear into the aether. Use with
+extreme caution.
+
The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
called narrowed to the headers with the first element of the rule as the
argument. It should return a non-@code{nil} value if it thinks that the
This is run in a buffer that holds all the new incoming mail, and can be
used for, well, anything, really.
+@vindex nnmail-split-hook
+@item nnmail-split-hook
+@findex article-decode-rfc1522
+@findex RFC1522 decoding
+Hook run in the buffer where the mail headers of each message is kept
+just before the splitting based on these headers is done. The hook is
+free to modify the buffer contents in any way it sees fit---the buffer
+is discarded after the splitting has been done, and no changes perfromed
+in the buffer will show up in any files. @code{article-decode-rfc1522}
+is one likely function to add to this hook.
+
@vindex nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
@vindex nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
@item nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
file after splitting mail into the proper groups. This is @code{nil} by
default for reasons of security.
+Since Red Gnus is an alpha release, it is to be expected to lose mail.
+(No Gnus release since (ding) Gnus 0.10 (or something like that) have
+lost mail, I think, but that's not the point.) By not deleting the
+Incoming* files, one can be sure to not lose mail -- if Gnus totally
+whacks out, one can always recover what was lost.
+
+Delete the @file{Incoming*} files at will.
+
@item nnmail-use-long-file-names
@vindex nnmail-use-long-file-names
If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will use long file and directory
If the rather simple, standard method for specifying how to split mail
doesn't allow you to do what you want, you can set
@code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy}. Then you can
-play with the @code{nnmail-split-fancy} variable.
+play with the @code{nnmail-split-fancy} variable.
Let's look at an example value of this variable first:
This variable has the format of a @dfn{split}. A split is a (possibly)
recursive structure where each split may contain other splits. Here are
-the four possible split syntaxes:
+the five possible split syntaxes:
@table @dfn
@item (& SPLIT...)
If the split is a list, and the first element is @code{&}, then process
all SPLITs in the list.
+
+@item junk
+Junk this article.
@end table
In these splits, FIELD must match a complete field name. VALUE must
newsgroups.
@menu
-* Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
-* Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
-* Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
-* SOUP:: Reading @sc{SOUP} packets ``offline''.
+* Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
+* Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
+* Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
+* SOUP:: Reading @sc{SOUP} packets ``offline''.
+* Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
+* Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
@end menu
new & spiffy Gnus mail backend, @code{nndoc} can probably help you with
that. Say you have an old @file{RMAIL} file with mail that you now want
to split into your new @code{nnml} groups. You look at that file using
-@code{nndoc}, set the process mark on all the articles in the buffer
-(@kbd{M P b}, for instance), and then re-spool (@kbd{B r}) using
-@code{nnml}. If all goes well, all the mail in the @file{RMAIL} file is
-now also stored in lots of @code{nnml} directories, and you can delete
-that pesky @file{RMAIL} file. If you have the guts!
+@code{nndoc} (using the @kbd{G f} command in the group buffer
+(@pxref{Foreign Groups})), set the process mark on all the articles in
+the buffer (@kbd{M P b}, for instance), and then re-spool (@kbd{B r})
+using @code{nnml}. If all goes well, all the mail in the @file{RMAIL}
+file is now also stored in lots of @code{nnml} directories, and you can
+delete that pesky @file{RMAIL} file. If you have the guts!
Virtual server variables:
and @code{news}.
@end table
+@menu
+* Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
+@end menu
+
+
+@node Document Server Internals
+@subsubsection Document Server Internals
+
+Adding new document types to be recognized by @code{nndoc} isn't
+difficult. You just have to whip up a definition of what the document
+looks like, write a predicate function to recognize that document type,
+and then hook into @code{nndoc}.
+
+First, here's an example document type definition:
+
+@example
+(mmdf
+ (article-begin . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n")
+ (body-end . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n"))
+@end example
+
+The definition is simply a unique @dfn{name} followed by a series of
+regexp pseudo-variable settings. Below are the possible
+variables---don't be daunted by the number of variables; most document
+types can be defined with very few settings:
+
+@table @code
+@item first-article
+If present, @code{nndoc} will skip past all text until it finds
+something that match this regexp. All text before this will be
+totally ignored.
+
+@item article-begin
+This setting has to be present in all document type definitions. It
+says what the beginning of each article looks like.
+
+@item head-begin-function
+If present, this should be a function that moves point to the head of
+the article.
+
+@item nndoc-head-begin
+If present, this should be a regexp that matches the head of the
+article.
+
+@item nndoc-head-end
+This should match the end of the head of the article. It defaults to
+@samp{"^$"}---the empty line.
+
+@item body-begin-function
+If present, this function should move point to the beginning of the body
+of the article.
+
+@item body-begin
+This should match the beginning of the body of the article. It defaults
+to @samp{^\n}.
+
+@item body-end-function
+If present, this function should move point to the end of the body of
+the article.
+
+@item body-end
+If present, this should match the end of the body of the article.
+
+@item nndoc-file-end
+If present, this should match the end of the file. All text after this
+regexp will be totally ignored.
+
+@end table
+
+So, using these variables @code{nndoc} is able to dissect a document
+file into a series of articles, each with a head and a body. However, a
+few more variables are needed since not all document types are all that
+news-like---variables needed to transform the head or the body into
+something that's palatable for Gnus:
+
+@table @code
+@item prepare-body-function
+If present, this function will be called when requesting an article. It
+will be called with point at the start of the body, and is useful if the
+document has encoded some parts of its contents.
+
+@item article-transform-function
+If present, this function is called when requesting an article. It's
+meant to be used how more wide-ranging transformation of both head and
+body of the article.
+
+@item generate-head-function
+If present, this function is called to generate a head that Gnus can
+understand. It is called with the article number as a parameter, and is
+expected to generate a nice head for the article in question. It is
+called when requesting the headers of all articles.
+
+@end table
+
+Let's look at the most complicated example I can come up with---standard
+digests:
+
+@example
+(standard-digest
+ (first-article . ,(concat "^" (make-string 70 ?-) "\n\n+"))
+ (article-begin . ,(concat "\n\n" (make-string 30 ?-) "\n\n+"))
+ (prepare-body-function . nndoc-unquote-dashes)
+ (body-end-function . nndoc-digest-body-end)
+ (head-end . "^ ?$")
+ (body-begin . "^ ?\n")
+ (file-end . "^End of .*digest.*[0-9].*\n\\*\\*\\|^End of.*Digest *$")
+ (subtype digest guess))
+@end example
+
+We see that all text before a 70-width line of dashes is ignored; all
+text after a line that starts with that @samp{^End of} is also ignored;
+each article begins with a 30-width line of dashes; the line separating
+the head from the body may contain a single spcae; and that the body is
+run through @code{nndoc-unquote-dashes} before being delivered.
+
+To hook your own document definition into @code{nndoc}, use the
+@code{nndoc-add-type} function. It takes two parameters---the first is
+the definition itself and the second (optional) parameter says where in
+the document type definition alist to put this definition. The alist is
+traversed sequentially, and @code{nndoc-TYPE-type-p} is called for each
+type. So @code{nndoc-mmdf-type-p} is called to see whether a document
+is of @code{mmdf} type, and so on. These type predicates should return
+@code{nil} if the document is not of the correct type; @code{t} if it is
+of the correct type; and a number if the document might be of the
+correct type. A high number means high probability; a low number means
+low probability with @samp{0} being the lowest legal number.
+
@node SOUP
@subsection SOUP
In specific, this is what it does:
@lisp
-(setq gnus-inews-article-function 'nnsoup-request-post)
-(setq send-mail-function 'nnsoup-request-mail)
+(setq message-send-news-function 'nnsoup-request-post)
+(setq message-send-mail-function 'nnsoup-request-mail)
@end lisp
And that's it, really. If you only want news to go into the @sc{soup}
@sc{soup}ed you use the second.
+@node Web Searches
+@subsection Web Searches
+@cindex nnweb
+@cindex DejaNews
+@cindex Alta Vista
+@cindex InReference
+@cindex Usenet searches
+@cindex searching the Usenet
+
+It's, like, too neat to search the Usenet for articles that match a
+string, but it, like, totally @emph{sucks}, like, totally, to use one of
+those, like, Web browsers, and you, like, have to, rilly, like, look at
+the commercials, so, like, with Gnus you can do @emph{rad}, rilly,
+searches without having to use a browser.
+
+The @code{nnweb} backend allows an easy interface to the mighty search
+engine. You create an @code{nnweb} group, enter a search pattern, and
+then enter the group and read the articles like you would any normal
+group. The @kbd{G n} command in the group buffer (@pxref{Foreign
+Groups}) will do this in an easy-to-use fashion.
+
+@code{nnweb} groups don't really lend themselves to being solid
+groups---they have a very fleeting idea of article numbers. In fact,
+each time you enter an @code{nnweb} group (not even changing the search
+pattern), you are likely to get the articles ordered in a different
+manner. Not even using duplicate suppression (@code{Duplicate
+Suppression}) will help, since @code{nnweb} doesn't even know the
+@code{Message-ID} of the articles before reading them using some search
+engines (DejaNews, for instance). The only possible way to keep track
+of which articles you've read is by scoring on the @code{Date}
+header---mark all articles that were posted before the last date you
+read the group as read.
+
+If the search engine changes its output substantially, @code{nnweb}
+won't be able to parse it and will fail. One could hardly fault the Web
+providers if they were to do this---their @emph{raison d'etre} is to
+make money off of advertisements, not to provide services to the
+community. Since @code{nnweb} washes the ads off all the articles, one
+might think that the providers might be somewhat miffed. We'll see.
+
+You must have the @code{url} and @code{w3} package installed to be able
+to use @code{nnweb}.
+
+Virtual server variables:
+
+@table @code
+@item nnweb-type
+@vindex nnweb-type
+What search engine type is being used. The currently supported types
+are @code{dejanews}, @code{altavista} and @code{reference}.
+
+@item nnweb-search
+@vindex nnweb-search
+The search string to feed to the search engine.
+
+@item nnweb-max-hits
+@vindex nnweb-max-hits
+Advisory maximum number of hits per search to display. The default is
+100.
+
+@item nnweb-type-definition
+@vindex nnweb-type-definition
+Type-to-definition alist. This alist says what @code{nnweb} should do
+with the various search engine types. The following elements must be
+present:
+
+@table @code
+@item article
+Function to decode the article and provide something that Gnus
+understands.
+
+@item map
+Function to create an article number to message header and URL alist.
+
+@item search
+Function to send the search string to the search engine.
+
+@item address
+The address the aforementioned function should send the search string
+to.
+
+@item id
+Format string URL to fetch an article by @code{Message-ID}.
+@end table
+
+@end table
+
+
+
+@node Mail-To-News Gateways
+@subsection Mail-To-News Gateways
+@cindex mail-to-news gateways
+@cindex gateways
+
+If your local @code{nntp} server doesn't allow posting, for some reason
+or other, you can post using one of the numerous mail-to-news gateways.
+The @code{nngateway} backend provides the interface.
+
+Note that you can't read anything from this backend---it can only be
+used to post with.
+
+Server variables:
+
+@table @code
+@item nngateway-address
+@vindex nngateway-address
+This is the address of the mail-to-news gateway.
+
+@item nngateway-header-transformation
+@vindex nngateway-header-transformation
+News headers have often have to be transformed in some odd way or other
+for the mail-to-news gateway to accept it. This variable says what
+transformation should be called, and defaults to
+@code{nngateway-simple-header-transformation}. The function is called
+narrowed to the headers to be transformed and with one parameter---the
+gateway address.
+
+This default function just inserts a new @code{To} header based on the
+@code{Newsgroups} header and the gateway address---an article with this
+@code{Newsgroups} header:
+
+@example
+Newsgroups: alt.religion.emacs
+@end example
+
+will get this @code{From} header inserted:
+
+@example
+To: alt-religion-emacs@@GATEWAY
+@end example
+
+@end table
+
+So, to use this, simply say something like:
+
+@lisp
+(setq gnus-post-method '(nngateway "GATEWAY.ADDRESS"))
+@end lisp
+
+
@node Combined Groups
@section Combined Groups
* Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
* Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
* Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus @emph{knows} what you read.
+* Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
* Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
* Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
* Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
* Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
* Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
* GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
+* Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
+* Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
@end menu
Prompt for a score, and mark all articles with a score below this as
read (@code{gnus-score-set-mark-below}).
-@item V E
-@kindex V E (Summary)
+@item V x
+@kindex V x (Summary)
@findex gnus-score-set-expunge-below
-Expunge all articles with a score below the default score (or the
-numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-score-set-expunge-below}).
+Prompt for a score, and add a score rule to the current score file to
+expunge all articles below this score
+(@code{gnus-score-set-expunge-below}).
@end table
The keystrokes for actually making score entries follow a very regular
@table @dfn
@item From, Subject, References, Xref, Message-ID
-For most header types, there are the @code{r} and @code{R} (regexp) as
-well as @code{s} and @code{S} (substring) types and @code{e} and
-@code{E} (exact match) types. If this element is not present, Gnus will
-assume that substring matching should be used. @code{R} and @code{S}
-differ from the other two in that the matches will be done in a
-case-sensitive manner. All these one-letter types are really just
-abbreviations for the @code{regexp}, @code{string} and @code{exact}
-types, which you can use instead, if you feel like.
+For most header types, there are the @code{r} and @code{R} (regexp), as
+well as @code{s} and @code{S} (substring) types, and @code{e} and
+@code{E} (exact match), and @code{w} (word match) types. If this
+element is not present, Gnus will assume that substring matching should
+be used. @code{R}, @code{S}, and @code{E} differ from the others in
+that the matches will be done in a case-sensitive manner. All these
+one-letter types are really just abbreviations for the @code{regexp},
+@code{string}, @code{exact}, and @code{word} types, which you can use
+instead, if you feel like.
@item Lines, Chars
These two headers use different match types: @code{<}, @code{>},
@code{=}, @code{>=} and @code{<=}.
@item Date
-For the Date header we have three match types: @code{before}, @code{at}
-and @code{after}. I can't really imagine this ever being useful, but,
-like, it would feel kinda silly not to provide this function. Just in
-case. You never know. Better safe than sorry. Once burnt, twice shy.
-Don't judge a book by its cover. Never not have sex on a first date.
+For the Date header we have three kinda silly match types:
+@code{before}, @code{at} and @code{after}. I can't really imagine this
+ever being useful, but, like, it would feel kinda silly not to provide
+this function. Just in case. You never know. Better safe than sorry.
+Once burnt, twice shy. Don't judge a book by its cover. Never not have
+sex on a first date. (I have been told that at least one person, and I
+quote, ``found this function indispensable'', however.)
+
+A more useful match type is @code{regexp}. With it, you can match the
+date string using a regular expression. The date is normalized to
+ISO8601 compact format first, which looks like @samp{YYYYMMDDTHHMMSS}.
+If you want to match all articles that have been posted on April 1st in
+every year, you could use @samp{....0401.........} as a match string,
+for instance. (Note that the date is kept in its original time zone, so
+this will match articles that were posted when it was April 1st where
+the article was posted from. Time zones are such wholesome fun for the
+whole family, eh?)
@item Head, Body, All
These three match keys use the same match types as the @code{From} (etc)
rest. Next time you enter the group, you will see new articles in the
interesting threads, plus any new threads.
-I.e. -- the orphan score atom is for high-volume groups where there
+I.e.---the orphan score atom is for high-volume groups where there
exist a few interesting threads which can't be found automatically by
ordinary scoring rules.
article, you leave marks behind. On exit from the group, Gnus can sniff
these marks and add score elements depending on what marks it finds.
You turn on this ability by setting @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
-@code{t}.
+@code{t} or @code{(line)}. If you want score adaptively on separate
+words appearing in the subjects, you should set this variable to
+@code{(word)}. If you want to use both adaptive methods, set this
+variable to @code{(word line)}.
@vindex gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
To give you complete control over the scoring process, you can customize
this variable is @code{nil}, exact matching will always be used to avoid
this problem.
+@vindex gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
+As mentioned above, you can adapt either on individual words or entire
+headers. If you adapt on words, the
+@code{gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist} variable says what score
+each instance of a word should add given a mark.
+
+@lisp
+(setq gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
+ `((,gnus-read-mark . 30)
+ (,gnus-catchup-mark . -10)
+ (,gnus-killed-mark . -20)
+ (,gnus-del-mark . -15)))
+@end lisp
+
+This is the default value. If you have adaption on words enabled, every
+word that appears in subjects of articles that are marked with
+@code{gnus-read-mark} will result in a score rule that increase the
+score with 30 points.
+
+@vindex gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words
+@vindex gnus-ignored-adaptive-words
+Words that appear in the @code{gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words} list
+will be ignored. If you wish to add more words to be ignored, use the
+@code{gnus-ignored-adaptive-words} list instead.
+
+@vindex gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table
+When the scoring is done, @code{gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table} is the
+syntax table in effect. It is similar to the standard syntax table, but
+it considers numbers to be non-word-consituant characters.
+
+After using this scheme for a while, it might be nice to write a
+@code{gnus-psychoanalyze-user} command to go through the rules and see
+what words you like and what words you don't like. Or perhaps not.
+
+
+@node Home Score File
+@section Home Score File
+
+The score file where new score file entries will go is called the
+@dfn{home score file}. This is normally (and by default) the score file
+for the group itself. For instance, the home score file for
+@samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} is @file{gnu.emacs.gnus.SCORE}.
+
+However, this may not be what you want. It is often convenient to share
+a common home score file among many groups---all @samp{emacs} groups
+could perhaps use the same home score file.
+
+@vindex gnus-home-score-file
+The variable that controls this is @code{gnus-home-score-file}. It can
+be:
+
+@enumerate
+@item
+A string. Then this file will be used as the home score file for all
+groups.
+
+@item
+A function. The result of this function will be used as the home score
+file. The function will be called with the name of the group as the
+parameter.
+
+@item
+A list. The elements in this list can be:
+
+@enumerate
+@item
+@var{(regexp file-name)}. If the @var{regexp} matches the group name,
+the @var{file-name} will will be used as the home score file.
+
+@item
+A function. If the function returns non-nil, the result will be used as
+the home score file.
+
+@item
+A string. Use the string as the home score file.
+@end enumerate
+
+The list will be traversed from the beginning towards the end looking
+for matches.
+
+@end enumerate
+
+So, if you want to use just a single score file, you could say:
+
+@lisp
+(setq gnus-home-score-file
+ "my-total-score-file.SCORE")
+@end lisp
+
+If you want to use @file{gnu.SCORE} for all @samp{gnu} groups and
+@file{rec.SCORE} for all @samp{rec} groups (and so on), you can say:
+
+@lisp
+(setq gnus-home-score-file
+ 'gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file)
+@end lisp
+
+This is a ready-made function provided for your convenience.
+
+If you want to have one score file for the @samp{emacs} groups and
+another for the @samp{comp} groups, while letting all other groups use
+their own home score files:
+
+@lisp
+(setq gnus-home-score-file
+ ;; All groups that match the regexp "\\.emacs"
+ '("\\.emacs" "emacs.SCORE")
+ ;; All the comp groups in one score file
+ ("^comp" "comp.SCORE"))
+@end lisp
+
+@vindex gnus-home-adapt-file
+@code{gnus-home-adapt-file} works exactly the same way as
+@code{gnus-home-score-file}, but says what the home adaptive score file
+is instead. All new adaptive file entries will go into the file
+specified by this variable, and the same syntax is allowed.
+
+In addition to using @code{gnus-home-score-file} and
+@code{gnus-home-adapt-file}, you can also use group parameters
+(@pxref{Group Parameters}) and topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
+Parameters}) to achieve much the same. Group and topic parameters take
+presedence over this variable.
+
@node Followups To Yourself
@section Followups To Yourself
your own article.
@end table
-@vindex gnus-inews-article-hook
+@vindex message-sent-hook
These two functions are both primarily meant to be used in hooks like
-@code{message-send-hook}.
+@code{message-sent-hook}.
+
+If you look closely at your own @code{Message-ID}, you'll notice that
+the first two or three characters are always the same. Here's two of
+mine:
+
+@example
+<x6u3u47icf.fsf@@eyesore.no>
+<x6sp9o7ibw.fsf@@eyesore.no>
+@end example
+
+So ``my'' ident on this machine is @samp{x6}. This can be
+exploited---the following rule will raise the score on all followups to
+myself:
+
+@lisp
+("references"
+ "<x6[0-9a-z]+\\.fsf@.*eyesore.no>" 1000 nil r)
+@end lisp
+
+Whether it's the first two or first three characters that are ``yours''
+is system-dependent.
+
@node Scoring Tips
@section Scoring Tips
@end table
+@node Advanced Scoring
+@section Advanced Scoring
+
+Scoring on Subjects and From headers is nice enough, but what if you're
+really interested in what a person has to say only when she's talking
+about a particular subject? Or what about if you really don't want to
+read what person A has to say when she's following up to person B, but
+want to read what she says when she's following up to person C?
+
+By using advanced scoring rules you may create arbitrarily complex
+scoring patterns.
+
+@menu
+* Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
+* Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
+* Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
+@end menu
+
+
+@node Advanced Scoring Syntax
+@subsection Advanced Scoring Syntax
+
+Ordinary scoring rules have a string as the first element in the rule.
+Advanced scoring rules have a list as the first element. The second
+element is the score to be applied if the first element evaluated to a
+non-@code{nil} value.
+
+These lists may consist of three logical operators, one redirection
+operator, and various match operators.
+
+Logical operators:
+
+@table @code
+@item &
+@itemx and
+This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
+one that evaluates to @code{false}, and then it'll stop. If all arguments
+evaluate to @code{true} values, then this operator will return
+@code{true}.
+
+@item |
+@itemx or
+This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
+one that evaluates to @code{true}. If no arguments are @code{true},
+then this operator will return @code{false}.
+
+@item !
+@itemx not
+@itemx ¬
+This logical operator only takes a single argument. It returns the
+inverse of the value of its argument.
+
+@end table
+
+There is an @dfn{indirection operator} that will make its arguments
+apply to the ancenstors of the current article being scored. For
+instance, @code{1-} will make score rules apply to the parent of the
+current article. @code{2-} will make score fules apply to the
+grandparent of the current article. Alternatively, you can write
+@code{^^}, where the number of @code{^}s (carets) say how far back into
+the ancestry you want to go.
+
+Finally, we have the match operators. These are the ones that do the
+real work. Match operators are header name strings followed by a match
+and a match type. A typical match operator looks like @samp{("from"
+"Lars Ingebrigtsen" s)}. The header names are the same as when using
+simple scoring, and the match types are also the same.
+
+
+@node Advanced Scoring Examples
+@subsection Advanced Scoring Examples
+
+Let's say you want to increase the score of articles written by Lars
+when he's talking about Gnus:
+
+@example
+((&
+ ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
+ ("subject" "Gnus"))
+ 1000)
+@end example
+
+Quite simple, huh?
+
+When he writes long articles, he sometimes has something nice to say:
+
+@example
+((&
+ ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
+ (|
+ ("subject" "Gnus")
+ ("lines" 100 >)))
+ 1000)
+@end example
+
+However, when he responds to things written by Reig Eigil Logge, you
+really don't want to read what he's written:
+
+@example
+((&
+ ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
+ (1- ("from" "Reig Eigir Logge")))
+ -100000)
+@end example
+
+Everybody that follows up Redmondo when he writes about disappearing
+socks should have their scores raised, but only when they talk about
+white socks. However, when Lars talks about socks, it's usually not
+very interesting:
+
+@example
+((&
+ (1-
+ (&
+ ("from" "redmondo@@.*no" r)
+ ("body" "disappearing.*socks" t)))
+ (! ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen"))
+ ("body" "white.*socks"))
+ 1000)
+@end example
+
+The possibilities are endless.
+
+
+@node Advanced Scoring Tips
+@subsection Advanced Scoring Tips
+
+The @code{&} and @code{|} logical operators do short-circuit logic.
+That is, they stop processing their arguments when it's clear what the
+result of the operation will be. For instance, if one of the arguments
+of an @code{&} evaluates to @code{false}, there's no point in evaluating
+the rest of the arguments. This means that you should put slow matches
+(@samp{body}, @code{header}) last and quick matches (@samp{from},
+@samp{subject}) first.
+
+The indirection arguments (@code{1-} and so on) will make their
+arguments work on previous generations of the thread. If you say
+something like:
+
+@example
+...
+(1-
+ (1-
+ ("from" "lars")))
+...
+@end example
+
+Then that means "score on the from header of the grandparent of the
+current article". An indirection is quite fast, but it's better to say:
+
+@example
+(1-
+ (&
+ ("from" "Lars")
+ ("subject" "Gnus")))
+@end example
+
+than it is to say:
+
+@example
+(&
+ (1- ("from" "Lars"))
+ (1- ("subject" "Gnus")))
+@end example
+
+
+@node Score Decays
+@section Score Decays
+@cindex score decays
+@cindex decays
+
+You may find that your scores have a tendency to grow without
+bounds, especially if you're using adaptive scoring. If scores get too
+big, they lose all meaning---they simply max out and it's difficult to
+use them in any sensible way.
+
+@vindex gnus-decay-scores
+@findex gnus-decay-score
+@vindex gnus-score-decay-function
+Gnus provides a mechanism for decaying scores to help with this problem.
+When score files are loaded and @code{gnus-decay-scores} is
+non-@code{nil}, Gnus will run the score files through the decaying
+mechanism thereby lowering the scores of all non-permanent score rules.
+The decay itself if performed by the @code{gnus-score-decay-function}
+function, which is @code{gnus-decay-score} by default. Here's the
+definition of that function:
+
+@lisp
+(defun gnus-decay-score (score)
+ (floor
+ (- score
+ (* (if (< score 0) 1 -1)
+ (min score
+ (max gnus-score-decay-constant
+ (* (abs score)
+ gnus-score-decay-scale)))))))
+@end lisp
+
+@vindex gnus-score-decay-scale
+@vindex gnus-score-decay-constant
+@code{gnus-score-decay-constant} is 3 by default and
+@code{gnus-score-decay-scale} is 0.05. This should cause the following:
+
+@enumerate
+@item
+Scores between -3 and 3 will be set to 0 when this function is called.
+
+@item
+Scores with magnitudes between 3 and 60 will be shrunk by 3.
+
+@item
+Scores with magnutudes greater than 60 will be shrunk by 5% of the
+score.
+@end enumerate
+
+If you don't like this decay function, write your own. It is called
+with the score to be decayed as its only parameter, and it should return
+the new score, which should be an integer.
+
+Gnus will try to decay scores once a day. If you haven't run Gnus for
+four days, Gnus will decay the scores four times, for instance.
+
@node Various
@chapter Various
* Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
* NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
* Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
+* Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
* Various Various:: Things that are really various.
@end menu
Quite simple, really, but it needs to be made clear so that surprises
are avoided.
+Commands that react to the process mark will push the current list of
+process marked articles onto a stack and will then clear all process
+marked articles. You can restore the previous configuration with the
+@kbd{M P y} command (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
+
@vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
One thing that seems to shock & horrify lots of people is that, for
instance, @kbd{3 d} does exactly the same as @kbd{d} @kbd{d} @kbd{d}.
%(%g%)\n}. We see that it is indeed extremely ugly, and that there are
lots of percentages everywhere.
+@menu
+* Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
+* Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
+* User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
+* Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
+@end menu
+
+Currently Gnus uses the following formatting variables:
+@code{gnus-group-line-format}, @code{gnus-summary-line-format},
+@code{gnus-server-line-format}, @code{gnus-topic-line-format},
+@code{gnus-group-mode-line-format},
+@code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format},
+@code{gnus-article-mode-line-format},
+@code{gnus-server-mode-line-format}, and
+@code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format}.
+
+All these format variables can also be arbitrary elisp forms. In that
+case, they will be @code{eval}ed to insert the required lines.
+
+@kindex M-x gnus-update-format
+@findex gnus-update-format
+Gnus includes a command to help you while creating your own format
+specs. @kbd{M-x gnus-update-format} will @code{eval} the current form,
+update the spec in question and pop you to a buffer where you can
+examine the resulting lisp code to be run to generate the line.
+
+
+
+@node Formatting Basics
+@subsection Formatting Basics
+
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
-normal format spec, almost.
+spec, and pad with spaces to get a 5-character field''.
+
+As with normal C and Emacs Lisp formatting strings, the numerical
+modifier between the @samp{%} and the formatting type character will
+@dfn{pad} the output so that it is always at least that long.
+@samp{%5y} will make the field always (at least) five characters wide by
+padding with spaces to the left. If you say @samp{%-5y}, it will pad to
+the right instead.
+
+You may also wish to limit the length of the field to protect against
+particularly wide values. For that you can say @samp{%4,6y}, which
+means that the field will never be more than 6 characters wide and never
+less than 4 characters wide.
+
+
+@node Advanced Formatting
+@subsection Advanced Formatting
+
+It is frequently useful to post-process the fields in some way.
+Padding, limiting, cutting off parts and suppressing certain values can
+be achieved by using @dfn{tilde modifiers}. A typical tilde spec might
+look like @samp{%~(cut 3)~(ignore "0")y}.
+
+These are the legal modifiers:
+
+@table @code
+@item pad
+@itemx pad-left
+Pad the field to the left with spaces until it reaches the required
+length.
+
+@item pad-right
+Pad the field to the right with spaces until it reaches the required
+length.
+
+@item max
+@itemx max-left
+Cut off characters from the left until it reaches the specified length.
+
+@item max-right
+Cut off characters from the right until it reaches the specified
+length.
+
+@item cut
+@itemx cut-left
+Cut off the specified number of characters from the left.
+
+@item cut-right
+Cut off the specified number of characters from the right.
+
+@item ignore
+Return an empty string if the field is equal to the specified value.
+
+@item form
+Use the specified form as the field value when the @samp{@@} spec is
+used.
+@end table
+
+Let's take an example. The @samp{%o} spec in the summary mode lines
+will return a date in compact ISO8601 format---@samp{19960809T230410}.
+This is quite a mouthful, so we want to shave off the century number and
+the time, leaving us with a six-character date. That would be
+@samp{%~(cut-left 2)~(max-right 6)~(pad 6)o}. (Cutting is done before
+maxing, and we need the padding to ensure that the date is never less
+than 6 characters to make it look nice in columns.)
+
+Ignoring is done first; then cutting; then maxing; and then as the very
+last operation, padding.
+
+If you use lots of these advanced thingies, you'll find that Gnus gets
+quite slow. This can be helped enourmously by running @kbd{M-x
+gnus-compile} when you are setisfied with the look of your lines.
+@xref{Compilation}.
+
+
+@node User-Defined Specs
+@subsection User-Defined Specs
+
+All the specs allow for inserting user defined specifiers---@samp{u}.
+The next character in the format string should be a letter. 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.
-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 use tilde modifiers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting} to achieve
+much the same without defining new functions. Here's an example:
+@samp{%~(form (count-lines (point-min) (point)))@@}. The form
+given here will be evaluated to yield the current line number, and then
+inserted.
-There are also specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the
-format variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers
-will get the special @code{mouse-face} property set, which means that it
-will be highlighted (with @code{gnus-mouse-face}) when you put the mouse
-pointer over it.
+
+@node Formatting Fonts
+@subsection Formatting Fonts
+
+There are specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the format
+variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers will get
+the special @code{mouse-face} property set, which means that it will be
+highlighted (with @code{gnus-mouse-face}) when you put the mouse pointer
+over it.
Text inside the @samp{%[} and @samp{%]} specifiers will have their
normal faces set using @code{gnus-face-0}, which is @code{bold} by
I'm sure you'll be able to use this scheme to create totally unreadable
and extremely vulgar displays. Have fun!
-Currently Gnus uses the following formatting variables:
-@code{gnus-group-line-format}, @code{gnus-summary-line-format},
-@code{gnus-server-line-format}, @code{gnus-topic-line-format},
-@code{gnus-group-mode-line-format},
-@code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format},
-@code{gnus-article-mode-line-format},
-@code{gnus-server-mode-line-format}.
-
Note that the @samp{%(} specs (and friends) do not make any sense on the
mode-line variables.
-All these format variables can also be arbitrary elisp forms. In that
-case, they will be @code{eval}ed to insert the required lines.
-
-@kindex M-x gnus-update-format
-@findex gnus-update-format
-Gnus includes a command to help you while creating your own format
-specs. @kbd{M-x gnus-update-format} will @code{eval} the current form,
-update the spec in question and pop you to a buffer where you can
-examine the resulting lisp code to be run to generate the line.
-
@node Windows Configuration
@section Windows Configuration
@code{gnus-buffer-configuration}:
@code{group}, @code{summary}, @code{article}, @code{server},
-@code{browse}, @code{group-mail}, @code{summary-mail},
-@code{summary-reply}, @code{info}, @code{summary-faq},
-@code{edit-group}, @code{edit-server}, @code{reply}, @code{reply-yank},
-@code{followup}, @code{followup-yank}, @code{edit-score}.
+@code{browse}, @code{message}, @code{pick}, @code{info},
+@code{summary-faq}, @code{edit-group}, @code{edit-server},
+@code{edit-score}, @code{post}, @code{reply}, @code{forward},
+@code{reply-yank}, @code{mail-bounce}, @code{draft},
+@code{pipe}, @code{bug}, @code{compose-bounce}.
+
+Note that the @code{message} key is used for both
+@code{gnus-group-mail} and @code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}. If
+it is desireable to distinguish between the two, something like this
+might be used:
+
+@lisp
+(message (horizontal 1.0
+ (vertical 1.0 (message 1.0 point))
+ (vertical 0.24
+ (if (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer)
+ '(summary 0.5))
+ (group 1.0)))))
+@end lisp
@findex gnus-add-configuration
Since the @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} variable is so long and
@end lisp
You'd typically stick these @code{gnus-add-configuration} calls in your
-@file{.gnus} file or in some startup hook -- they should be run after
+@file{.gnus} file or in some startup hook---they should be run after
Gnus has been loaded.
-@node Compilation
-@section Compilation
+@node Compilation
+@section Compilation
@cindex compilation
@cindex byte-compilation
To help with this, you can run @kbd{M-x gnus-compile} after you've
fiddled around with the variables and feel that you're (kind of)
satisfied. This will result in the new specs being byte-compiled, and
-you'll get top speed again.
+you'll get top speed again. Gnus will save these compiled specs in the
+@file{.newsrc.eld} file. (User-defined functions aren't compiled by
+this function, though---you should compile them yourself by sticking
+them into the @code{.gnus.el} file and byte-compiling that file.)
@node Mode Lines
@menu
* Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
* Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
-* Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons -- the easy way.
+* Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
* Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
* Picon Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
@end menu
default (which by default maps to the buffer @samp{*Picons*}). Other
valid places could be @code{article}, @code{summary}, or
@samp{"*scratch*"} for all I care. Just make sure that you've made the
-buffer visible using the standard Gnus window configuration routines --
-@xref{Windows Configuration}.
+buffer visible using the standard Gnus window configuration
+routines---@xref{Windows Configuration}.
@end table
@end table
+@node Moderation
+@section Moderation
+@cindex moderation
+
+If you are a moderator, you can use the @file{gnus-mdrtn.el} package.
+It is not included in the standard Gnus package. Write a mail to
+@samp{larsi@@ifi.uio.no} and state what group you moderate, and you'll
+get a copy.
+
+The moderation package is implemented as a minor mode for summary
+buffers. Put
+
+@lisp
+(add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-moderate)
+@end lisp
+
+in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
+
+If you are the moderation of @samp{rec.zoofle}, this is how it's
+supposed to work:
+
+@enumerate
+@item
+You split your incoming mail by matching on
+@samp{Newsgroups:.*rec.zoofle}, which will put all the to-be-posted
+articles in some mail group---@samp{nnml:rec.zoofle}, for instance.
+
+@item
+You enter that group once in a while and post articles using the @kbd{e}
+(edit-and-post) or @kbd{s} (just send unedited) commands.
+
+@item
+If, while reading the @samp{rec.zoofle} newsgroup, you happen upon some
+articles that weren't approved by you, you can cancel them with the
+@kbd{c} command.
+@end enumerate
+
+To use moderation mode in these two groups, say:
+
+@lisp
+(setq gnus-moderatated-groups
+ "^nnml:rec.zoofle$\\|^rec.zoofle$")
+@end lisp
+
+
@node Various Various
@section Various Various
@cindex mode lines
@table @code
+@item gnus-directory
+@vindex gnus-directory
+All Gnus directories will be initialized from this variable, which
+defaults to the @samp{SAVEDIR} environment variable, or @file{~/News/}
+if that variable isn't set.
+
+@item gnus-default-directory
+@vindex gnus-default-directory
+Not related to the above variable at all---this variable says what the
+default directory of all Gnus buffers should be. If you issue commands
+like @kbd{C-x C-f}, the prompt you'll get starts in the current buffer's
+default directory. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
+default), the default directory will be the default directory of the
+buffer you were in when you started Gnus.
+
@item gnus-verbose
@vindex gnus-verbose
This variable is an integer between zero and ten. The higher the value,
gather statistics on the headers fetched, or perhaps you'd like to prune
some headers. I don't see why you'd want that, though.
+@item gnus-shell-command-separator
+@vindex gnus-shell-command-separator
+String used to separate to shell commands. The default is @samp{;}.
+
+
@end table
In May 1996 the next Gnus generation (aka. ``September Gnus'') was
released under the name ``Gnus 5.2''.
+On July 28th 1996 work on Red Gnus was begun.
+
@menu
* Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
* Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
@item
Read the help group (@kbd{G h} in the group buffer) for a FAQ and a
how-to.
+
+@item
+@vindex max-lisp-eval-depth
+Gnus works on many recursive structures, and in some extreme (and very
+rare) cases Gnus may recurse down ``too deeply'' and Emacs will beep at
+you. If this happens to you, set @code{max-lisp-eval-depth} to 500 or
+something like that.
@end enumerate
If all else fails, report the problem as a bug.
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
@menu
* Required Backend Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
* Optional Backend Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
+* Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
* 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
@code{news} if @var{article} in @var{group} is news, @code{mail} if it
is mail and @code{unknown} if the type can't be decided. (The
@var{article} parameter is necessary in @code{nnvirtual} groups which
-might very well combine mail groups and news groups.)
+might very well combine mail groups and news groups.) Both @var{group}
+and @var{article} may be @code{nil}.
There should be no result data from this function.
@end table
+@node Error Messaging
+@subsubsection Error Messaging
+
+@findex nnheader-report
+@findex nnheader-get-report
+The backends should use the function @code{nnheader-report} to report
+error conditions---they should not raise errors when they aren't able to
+perform a request. The first argument to this function is the backend
+symbol, and the rest are interpreted as arguments to @code{format} if
+there are many of them, or just a string if there is one of them.
+This function always returns @code{nil}.
+
+@lisp
+(nnheader-report 'nnchoke "You did something totally bogus")
+
+(nnheader-report 'nnchoke "Could not request group %s" group)
+@end lisp
+
+Gnus, in turn, will call @code{nnheader-get-report} when it gets a
+@code{nil} back from a server, and this function returns the most
+recently reported message for the backend in question. This function
+takes one argument---the server symbol.
+
+Internally, these function access @var{backend}@code{-status-string}, so
+the @code{nnchoke} backend will have its error message stored in
+@code{nnchoke-status-string}.
+
+
@node Writing New Backends
@subsubsection Writing New Backends
-The various backends share many similarities. @code{nnml} is just like
+Many backends are quite similar. @code{nnml} is just like
@code{nnspool}, but it allows you to edit the articles on the server.
@code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, but it doesn't use an active file,
and it doesn't maintain overview databases. @code{nndir} is just like
@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
These slots are, in order: @code{number}, @code{subject}, @code{from},
@code{date}, @code{id}, @code{references}, @code{chars}, @code{lines},
-@code{xref}. There are macros for accessing and setting these slots --
-they all have predictable names beginning with @code{mail-header-} and
-@code{mail-header-set-}, respectively.
+@code{xref}. There are macros for accessing and setting these
+slots---they all have predictable names beginning with
+@code{mail-header-} and @code{mail-header-set-}, respectively.
The @code{xref} slot is really a @code{misc} slot. Any extra info will
be put in there.
@end lisp
This sort of thing has been done for bunches of functions. Gnus does
-not redefine any native Emacs functions while running under XEmacs -- it
+not redefine any native Emacs functions while running under XEmacs---it
does this @code{defalias} thing with Gnus equivalents instead. Cleaner
all over.
projects / gnus / blobdiff