can't get news

can't get news

[Robert Epprecht]

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I'm using today's CVS Gnus and GNU Emacs 21.2  Since some days I can't get
news.   I do 'J j g J s' and get the attached backtrace.


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Debugger entered--Lisp error: (wrong-type-argument stringp nil)
  set-buffer(nil)
  (save-excursion (set-buffer (nntp-find-connection-buffer nntp-server-buffer)) (erase-buffer) (if (and ... ... ...) (quote nov) (let ... ... ... ... ... ... ...)))
  (progn (save-excursion (set-buffer ...) (erase-buffer) (if ... ... ...)))
  (condition-case nil (progn (save-excursion ... ... ...)) (quit (nntp-close-server) (signal ... nil)))
  (setq nntp-with-open-group-internal (condition-case nil (progn ...) (quit ... ...)))
  (unwind-protect (setq nntp-with-open-group-internal (condition-case nil ... ...)) (when timer (nnheader-cancel-timer timer)))
  (let ((timer ...)) (unwind-protect (setq nntp-with-open-group-internal ...) (when timer ...)) nil)
  (catch (quote nntp-with-open-group-error) (nntp-possibly-change-group group server nil) (let (...) (unwind-protect ... ...) nil))
  (while (catch (quote nntp-with-open-group-error) (nntp-possibly-change-group group server nil) (let ... ... nil)) (setf (symbol-function ...) nntp-report-n))
  (progn (set (quote nntp-with-open-group-internal) nil) (while (catch ... ... ...) (setf ... nntp-report-n)) nntp-with-open-group-internal)
  (unwind-protect (progn (set ... nil) (while ... ...) nntp-with-open-group-internal) (if --letf-bound--75836 (set ... --letf-save--75835) (makunbound ...)))
  (progn (fset (quote nntp-report) --letf-val--75841) (unwind-protect (progn ... ... nntp-with-open-group-internal) (if --letf-bound--75836 ... ...)))
  (unwind-protect (progn (fset ... --letf-val--75841) (unwind-protect ... ...)) (if --letf-bound--75840 (fset ... --letf-save--75839) (fmakunbound ...)))
  (progn (set (quote nntp-report-n) --letf-val--75846) (unwind-protect (progn ... ...) (if --letf-bound--75840 ... ...)))
  (unwind-protect (progn (set ... --letf-val--75846) (unwind-protect ... ...)) (if --letf-bound--75845 (set ... --letf-save--75844) (makunbound ...)))
  (let* ((--letf-bound--75845 ...) (--letf-save--75844 ...) (--letf-val--75846 ...) (--letf-bound--75840 ...) (--letf-save--75839 ...) (--letf-val--75841 ...) (--letf-bound--75836 ...) (--letf-save--75835 ...)) (unwind-protect (progn ... ...) (if --letf-bound--75845 ... ...)))
  (letf ((nntp-report-n ...) (... ...) (nntp-with-open-group-internal nil)) (while (catch ... ... ...) (setf ... nntp-report-n)) nntp-with-open-group-internal)
  (nntp-with-open-group group server (save-excursion (set-buffer ...) (erase-buffer) (if ... ... ...)))
  nntp-retrieve-headers((14603 14604 14605 14606 14607 14608 14609 14610 14611 14612 14613 14614 14615 14616 14617 14618 14619 14620 14621 14622 14623 14624 14625 14626 14627 14628 14629 14630 14631 14632 14633 14634 14635 14636 14637 14638 14639 14640 14641 14642 14643 14644 14645 14646 14647 14648 14649 14650 14651 14652 ...) "ch.admin" "news.cis.dfn.de" nil)
  gnus-retrieve-headers((14603 14604 14605 14606 14607 14608 14609 14610 14611 14612 14613 14614 14615 14616 14617 14618 14619 14620 14621 14622 14623 14624 14625 14626 14627 14628 14629 14630 14631 14632 14633 14634 14635 14636 14637 14638 14639 14640 14641 14642 14643 14644 14645 14646 14647 14648 14649 14650 14651 14652 ...) "ch.admin" nil)
  (let (gnus-agent) (gnus-retrieve-headers uncached-articles group fetch-old))
  (eq (quote nov) (let (gnus-agent) (gnus-retrieve-headers uncached-articles group fetch-old)))
  (not (eq (quote nov) (let ... ...)))
  (cond ((not ...) (nnvirtual-convert-headers)) ((eq ... ...) (set-buffer nntp-server-buffer) (let* ... ... ... ... ... ...)))
  (progn (set-buffer nntp-server-buffer) (erase-buffer) (cond (... ...) (... ... ...)) (set-buffer gnus-agent-overview-buffer) (erase-buffer) (set-buffer nntp-server-buffer) (copy-to-buffer gnus-agent-overview-buffer (point-min) (point-max)) (when (and uncached-articles ...) (gnus-agent-braid-nov group uncached-articles file)) (set-buffer nntp-server-buffer) (let (...) (gnus-agent-check-overview-buffer) (write-region ... ... file nil ...)) (gnus-agent-load-alist group) (gnus-agent-save-alist group uncached-articles nil))
  (if (setq uncached-articles (gnus-agent-uncached-articles articles group t)) (progn (set-buffer nntp-server-buffer) (erase-buffer) (cond ... ...) (set-buffer gnus-agent-overview-buffer) (erase-buffer) (set-buffer nntp-server-buffer) (copy-to-buffer gnus-agent-overview-buffer ... ...) (when ... ...) (set-buffer nntp-server-buffer) (let ... ... ...) (gnus-agent-load-alist group) (gnus-agent-save-alist group uncached-articles nil)) (set-buffer nntp-server-buffer) (erase-buffer) (insert-buffer-substring gnus-agent-overview-buffer))
  (let ((gnus-decode-encoded-word-function ...) (file ...) cached-articles uncached-articles) (gnus-make-directory (nnheader-translate-file-chars ... t)) (when (file-exists-p file) (with-current-buffer gnus-agent-overview-buffer ... ...)) (if (setq uncached-articles ...) (progn ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...) (set-buffer nntp-server-buffer) (erase-buffer) (insert-buffer-substring gnus-agent-overview-buffer)))
  (save-excursion (gnus-agent-create-buffer) (let (... ... cached-articles uncached-articles) (gnus-make-directory ...) (when ... ...) (if ... ... ... ... ...)) (if (and fetch-old ...) t (nnheader-nov-delete-outside-range ... ...) t) (quote nov))
  gnus-agent-retrieve-headers((14603 14604 14605 14606 14607 14608 14609 14610 14611 14612 14613 14614 14615 14616 14617 14618 14619 14620 14621 14622 14623 14624 14625 14626 14627 14628 14629 14630 14631 14632 14633 14634 14635 14636 14637 14638 14639 14640 14641 14642 14643 14644 14645 14646 14647 14648 14649 14650 14651 14652 ...) "ch.admin" nil)
  gnus-retrieve-headers((14603 14604 14605 14606 14607 14608 14609 14610 14611 14612 14613 14614 14615 14616 14617 14618 14619 14620 14621 14622 14623 14624 14625 14626 14627 14628 14629 14630 14631 14632 14633 14634 14635 14636 14637 14638 14639 14640 14641 14642 14643 14644 14645 14646 14647 14648 14649 14650 14651 14652 ...) "ch.admin" nil)
  gnus-cache-retrieve-headers((14603 14604 14605 14606 14607 14608 14609 14610 14611 14612 14613 14614 14615 14616 14617 14618 14619 14620 14621 14622 14623 14624 14625 14626 14627 14628 14629 14630 14631 14632 14633 14634 14635 14636 14637 14638 14639 14640 14641 14642 14643 14644 14645 14646 14647 14648 14649 14650 14651 14652 ...) "ch.admin" nil)
  gnus-retrieve-headers((14603 14604 14605 14606 14607 14608 14609 14610 14611 14612 14613 14614 14615 14616 14617 14618 14619 14620 14621 14622 14623 14624 14625 14626 14627 14628 14629 14630 14631 14632 14633 14634 14635 14636 14637 14638 14639 14640 14641 14642 14643 14644 14645 14646 14647 14648 14649 14650 14651 14652 ...) "ch.admin")
  (eq (quote nov) (gnus-retrieve-headers articles group))
  (if (eq (quote nov) (gnus-retrieve-headers articles group)) nil (nnvirtual-convert-headers))
  (unless (eq (quote nov) (gnus-retrieve-headers articles group)) (nnvirtual-convert-headers))
  (progn (gnus-message 7 "Fetching headers for %s..." group) (gnus-make-directory (nnheader-translate-file-chars ... t)) (unless (eq ... ...) (nnvirtual-convert-headers)) (gnus-agent-check-overview-buffer) (copy-to-buffer gnus-agent-overview-buffer (point-min) (point-max)) (when (file-exists-p file) (gnus-agent-braid-nov group articles file)) (let (...) (gnus-agent-check-overview-buffer) (write-region ... ... file nil ...)) (gnus-agent-save-alist group articles nil) articles)
  (if articles (progn (gnus-message 7 "Fetching headers for %s..." group) (gnus-make-directory ...) (unless ... ...) (gnus-agent-check-overview-buffer) (copy-to-buffer gnus-agent-overview-buffer ... ...) (when ... ...) (let ... ... ...) (gnus-agent-save-alist group articles nil) articles) (ignore-errors (erase-buffer) (nnheader-insert-file-contents file)))
  (save-excursion (set-buffer nntp-server-buffer) (if articles (progn ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... articles) (ignore-errors ... ...)))
  (let ((articles articles)) (when (and ... ...) (if fetch-all ... ...)) (gnus-message 10 "gnus-agent-fetch-headers: undownloaded articles are '%s'" (gnus-compress-sequence articles t)) (save-excursion (set-buffer nntp-server-buffer) (if articles ... ...)))
  (let* ((fetch-all ...) (articles ...) (gnus-decode-encoded-word-function ...) (file ...)) (unless fetch-all (dolist ... ...) (setq articles ...)) (let (...) (when ... ...) (gnus-message 10 "gnus-agent-fetch-headers: undownloaded articles are '%s'" ...) (save-excursion ... ...)) articles)
  gnus-agent-fetch-headers("ch.admin")
  (setq articles (gnus-agent-fetch-headers group))
  (let ((marked-articles gnus-newsgroup-downloadable)) (unless gnus-newsgroup-active (dolist ... ...)) (setq marked-articles (sort marked-articles ...)) (setq articles (gnus-agent-fetch-headers group)) (setq articles (sort ... ...)) (when articles (setq gnus-newsgroup-dependencies ...) (setq gnus-newsgroup-headers ...) (gnus-agent-create-buffer) (setq category ...) (setq predicate ...) (unless ... ...) (unless ... ...)))
  (progn (let (...) (unless gnus-newsgroup-active ...) (setq marked-articles ...) (setq articles ...) (setq articles ...) (when articles ... ... ... ... ... ... ...)))
  (if (or gnus-newsgroup-active (gnus-active group) (gnus-activate-group group)) (progn (let ... ... ... ... ... ...)))
  (when (or gnus-newsgroup-active (gnus-active group) (gnus-activate-group group)) (let (...) (unless gnus-newsgroup-active ...) (setq marked-articles ...) (setq articles ...) (setq articles ...) (when articles ... ... ... ... ... ... ...)))
  (let ((gnus-command-method method) (gnus-newsgroup-name group) (gnus-newsgroup-dependencies gnus-newsgroup-dependencies) (gnus-newsgroup-headers gnus-newsgroup-headers) (gnus-newsgroup-scored gnus-newsgroup-scored) (gnus-use-cache gnus-use-cache) (gnus-summary-expunge-below gnus-summary-expunge-below) (gnus-summary-mark-below gnus-summary-mark-below) (gnus-orphan-score gnus-orphan-score) gnus-headers gnus-score articles arts category predicate info marks score-param) (unless (gnus-check-group group) (error "Can't open server for %s" group)) (when (or gnus-newsgroup-active ... ...) (let ... ... ... ... ... ...)))
  gnus-agent-fetch-group-1("ch.admin" (nntp "news.cis.dfn.de"))
  (if (or debug-on-error debug-on-quit) (gnus-agent-fetch-group-1 group gnus-command-method) (condition-case err (gnus-agent-fetch-group-1 group gnus-command-method) (error ...) (quit ...)))
  (progn (if (or debug-on-error debug-on-quit) (gnus-agent-fetch-group-1 group gnus-command-method) (condition-case err ... ... ...)))
  (if (<= (gnus-group-level group) gnus-agent-handle-level) (progn (if ... ... ...)))
  (when (<= (gnus-group-level group) gnus-agent-handle-level) (if (or debug-on-error debug-on-quit) (gnus-agent-fetch-group-1 group gnus-command-method) (condition-case err ... ... ...)))
  (while (setq group (pop groups)) (when (<= ... gnus-agent-handle-level) (if ... ... ...)))
  (let ((gnus-agent-fetching t)) (gnus-agent-start-fetch) (while (setq group ...) (when ... ...)))
  (unwind-protect (let (...) (gnus-agent-start-fetch) (while ... ...)) (gnus-agent-stop-fetch))
  (gnus-agent-with-fetch (while (setq group ...) (when ... ...)))
  (progn (setq groups (gnus-groups-from-server ...)) (gnus-agent-with-fetch (while ... ...)))
  (if (and (or ... ...) (gnus-online gnus-command-method)) (progn (setq groups ...) (gnus-agent-with-fetch ...)))
  (when (and (or ... ...) (gnus-online gnus-command-method)) (setq groups (gnus-groups-from-server ...)) (gnus-agent-with-fetch (while ... ...)))
  (while methods (setq gnus-command-method (car methods)) (when (and ... ...) (setq groups ...) (gnus-agent-with-fetch ...)) (setq methods (cdr methods)))
  (save-excursion (while methods (setq gnus-command-method ...) (when ... ... ...) (setq methods ...)) (gnus-run-hooks (quote gnus-agent-fetched-hook)) (gnus-message 6 "Finished fetching articles into the Gnus agent"))
  (let ((methods ...) groups group gnus-command-method) (save-excursion (while methods ... ... ...) (gnus-run-hooks ...) (gnus-message 6 "Finished fetching articles into the Gnus agent")))
  gnus-agent-fetch-session()
  call-interactively(gnus-agent-fetch-session)

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Robert Epprecht

can't get news, please help.

[Robert Epprecht]

As already reportet on ding in  Message-ID: <86ad2zw39k.fsf@i3d.home>
on Date: Tue, 02 Mar 2004 18:46:31 +0100
I cannot get new news (nntp) any more.

As I did not see any reply on my message I try it once more:

It is a Gnus installation which I was using for a long time and has been
working always without major problems. I did not change anything in the
configuration, but did a cvs update every once in a while.  I do not know
if the bug(?) had anything to do with such an upgrade, but it did not look
as if it did.

After doing 'J j g' (which behaves like it did before) I do 'J s' and get
Error Wrong type argument: stringp, nil.  Continue? (y or n)
The above mentioned message contains the (lengthy) backtrace I get.

Please give me advice what to do or tell me if you need further information.

Thanks a lot,
Robert Epprecht

Re: can't get news, please help.

[Henrik Enberg]

Robert Epprecht <epprecht@solnet.ch> writes:

> After doing 'J j g' (which behaves like it did before) I do 'J s' and get
> Error Wrong type argument: stringp, nil.  Continue? (y or n)
> The above mentioned message contains the (lengthy) backtrace I get.

You wouldn't be happening to use the News.CIS.DFN.DE server?  If so, go
to <http://news.cis.dfn.de/serversplit-en.html> to learn what's up.

Re: can't get news, please help.

[Robert Epprecht]

Henrik Enberg <henrik.enberg@telia.com> writes:

> Robert Epprecht <epprecht@solnet.ch> writes:
>
>> After doing 'J j g' (which behaves like it did before) I do 'J s' and get
>> Error Wrong type argument: stringp, nil.  Continue? (y or n)
>> The above mentioned message contains the (lengthy) backtrace I get.
>
> You wouldn't be happening to use the News.CIS.DFN.DE server?  If so, go
> to <http://news.cis.dfn.de/serversplit-en.html> to learn what's up.

Bingo, that's it!

Remains only the question if Gnus could not be made to give better error
messages in cases like this (the name of the newsserver was changed)

Thanks a lot, Robert