integrating x-face stuff

integrating x-face stuff

[Nick Papadonis]

Hi.

I spent some time trying to set up my X-face: header in gnus.  Since
I'm no lisp god, you can understand how frustrated I was.

Anyway I claim that the GNUS >= v5.8.8 does not have enough
documentation (info file) on setting up the X-face header.  I finally
found how to set it up from some post from 1999 in the group.

Why can't an X-face file be specified in 'customize->gnus'?  Since
they are displayed in gnus, shouldn't people be able to configure
which one to send.

I will include the old threads that brought this to mind:

--------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not sure what the proper way is, but I've been using the following for
some time, and it works great.  I'm not sure where this came from
originally; presumably one of the prolific contributors to this list.
Another option is to use gnus-posting-styles, IIRC.

It is probably a bug that this isn't covered in the documentation.  I'd
submit a doc patch, but am not confident enough that this is the most
elegant way to do it.

(defun message-insert-x-face ()
  (save-excursion
    (goto-char (point-min))
    (search-forward mail-header-separator)
    (beginning-of-line nil)
    (insert "X-Face: ")
    (insert-file (expand-file-name "/u/mmp/.xface"))))
(add-hook 'message-send-hook 'message-insert-x-face)

-matt 
--------------------------------------------------------------
I, for once, also searched for directions on inserting X-Face in gnus
and Xemacs manuals, and found nothing. I think that it should be
covered somewhere.

So, I second the request: could somebody please share the proper way
of inserting x-face header with gnus?

Thanks,
-- 
Arcady Genkin                          
----------------------------------------------------------------

> So, I second the request: could somebody please share the proper way
> of inserting x-face header with gnus?

I don't know of any "proper" way.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-- 
- Nick

Re: integrating x-face stuff

[Per Abrahamsen]

Nick Papadonis <nick@coelacanth.com> writes:

> I spent some time trying to set up my X-face: header in gnus.  Since
> I'm no lisp god, you can understand how frustrated I was.

Do a 

        M-x customize-option <ret> message-default-headers <ret>

and insert the header there directly.  Quite simple, really.

Maybe there should be a hint of this in the section that explains the
`W f' binding?

Re: integrating x-face stuff

[Nick Papadonis]

Thanks Per.
However, I can't agree with you on it being quite simple.
I looked through the info files and saw nothing on this.

So now, I must convert my ~/.x-face file to a string and cut and paste
it there?  Sounds too complicated for new users to add an x-face.
>>>>> "Per" == Per Abrahamsen <abraham@dina.kvl.dk> writes:

    > Nick Papadonis <nick@coelacanth.com> writes:
    >> I spent some time trying to set up my X-face: header in gnus.
    >> Since I'm no lisp god, you can understand how frustrated I was.

    > Do a

    >         M-x customize-option <ret> message-default-headers <ret>

    > and insert the header there directly.  Quite simple, really.

    > Maybe there should be a hint of this in the section that
    > explains the `W f' binding?


-- 
- Nick

Re: integrating x-face stuff

[Per Abrahamsen]

Nick Papadonis <nick@coelacanth.com> writes:

> So now, I must convert my ~/.x-face file to a string and cut and paste
> it there?  Sounds too complicated for new users to add an x-face.

New users are unlikely to _have_ a "~/.x-face" file.  How did you get
it?  And what made you call it "~/.x-face"?  

I don't think "cut and paste" is a complicated operation in a text
editor, especially not compared to what you have to go through to
create the X-Face in the first place.

Re: integrating x-face stuff

[Nick Papadonis]

Compface - 48x48x1 image compression and decompression
Copyright (c) James Ashton 1990.
Written 89/11/11

Creates from xbm/xpm -> uncompressed format.

Maybe I should just write a little doc on how to do this.  
>>>>> "Per" == Per Abrahamsen <abraham@dina.kvl.dk> writes:

    > Nick Papadonis <nick@coelacanth.com> writes:
    >> So now, I must convert my ~/.x-face file to a string and cut
    >> and paste it there?  Sounds too complicated for new users to
    >> add an x-face.

    > New users are unlikely to _have_ a "~/.x-face" file.  How did
    > you get it?  And what made you call it "~/.x-face"?

    > I don't think "cut and paste" is a complicated operation in a
    > text editor, especially not compared to what you have to go
    > through to create the X-Face in the first place.


-- 
- Nick

Re: integrating x-face stuff

[Per Abrahamsen]

kristian ragndahl <ragndahl@postmaster.co.uk> writes:

>     However, it might not work since the header can contain
>     inappropriate characters ("'() etc).

Only " would be a problem in a cut&paste.

Re: integrating x-face stuff

[Per Abrahamsen]

Per Abrahamsen <abraham@dina.kvl.dk> writes:

> kristian ragndahl <ragndahl@postmaster.co.uk> writes:
> 
> >     However, it might not work since the header can contain
> >     inappropriate characters ("'() etc).
> 
> Only " would be a problem in a cut&paste.

I'm wrong, even " would *not* be a problem in a cut&paste, since
customize will quote it as needed.

Re: integrating x-face stuff

[Kai Großjohann]

On 11 Jan 2001, Nick Papadonis wrote:

> Compface - 48x48x1 image compression and decompression

Per knows how to create an xface.  The point he was trying to make is
that after you have learned about all these tools, cut and paste does
not appear to be a formidable hurdle anymore.

kai
-- 
Be indiscrete.  Do it continuously.

Re: integrating x-face stuff

[Kai Großjohann]

On 11 Jan 2001, Nick Papadonis wrote:

> However, I can't agree with you on it being quite simple.
> I looked through the info files and saw nothing on this.

Which part of M-x customize-option RET message-default-headers RET did
you not know about?  The part of invoking Customize to change options?
Or the fact that the option in question is called
message-default-headers?

In fact, the variable in question is mentioned in the node `Message
Headers' in the `message' info file (not the Gnus info file).

kai
-- 
Be indiscrete.  Do it continuously.

Re: integrating x-face stuff

[Nick Papadonis]

    > On 11 Jan 2001, Nick Papadonis wrote:
    >> However, I can't agree with you on it being quite simple.  I
    >> looked through the info files and saw nothing on this.

    > Which part of M-x customize-option RET message-default-headers
    > RET did you not know about?  The part of invoking Customize to
    > change options?  Or the fact that the option in question is
    > called message-default-headers?

    > In fact, the variable in question is mentioned in the node
    > `Message Headers' in the `message' info file (not the Gnus info
    > file).

    > kai -- Be indiscrete.  Do it continuously.
My prev. message: 'Why can't an X-face file be specified in 'customize->gnus'?  Since
they are displayed in gnus, shouldn't people be able to configure
which one to send.' -> I understand customize.

Yes, I did not know about message-default-headers.
Excuse me if I didn't read through every info file for each of
X-Emacs's lisp packages.  I simply installed gnus, read all it's info files, and was
never pointed towards the message info file.  I don't know every
internal working of gnus, nor should I have to.

Let this not be an argument, but an attempt at bettering gnus and it's
documentation.  As seen in my previous post, I have not been the only
one misled here.

Maybe this doesn't even have to do with gnus.  I'm not a maintainer
so, this isn't my call.

-- 
- Nick

Re: integrating x-face stuff

[Charles Sebold]

On 17 Teveth 5761, Nick Papadonis wrote:

> Let this not be an argument, but an attempt at bettering gnus and it's
> documentation.  As seen in my previous post, I have not been the only
> one misled here.

Kai is sometimes very succinct, but I have never seen him particularly
argumentative.  I don't think he meant to imply that you were at fault;
he wanted to know what you missed in the docs, probably so he could fix
it.
-- 
Charles Sebold
Random Answer to an Emacs Very Frequently Asked Question:
 Change from Unix to Mac or DOS files using M-x set-buffer-file-coding-system.
--
17th of Teveth, 5761
--
You know you've been sitting in front of your Lisp machine too long
when you go out to the junk food machine and start wondering how to
make it give you the CADR of Item H so you can get that yummie
chocolate cupcake that's stuck behind the disgusting vanilla one.

Re: integrating x-face stuff

[Jack Twilley]

>>>>> "Charles" == Charles Sebold <csebold@ezl.com> writes:

[... Nick's expression of his point - bettering Gnus, not arguing ...]

Charles> Kai is sometimes very succinct, but I have never seen him
Charles> particularly argumentative.  I don't think he meant to imply
Charles> that you were at fault; he wanted to know what you missed in
Charles> the docs, probably so he could fix it.

Here's a suggestion.  How about something in Lars-ish style going
through the entire process from soup to nuts that starts off with
something like:

"Suppose you've heard about this nifty X-Face technology and you've
 created a 48x48x1 image of yourself, and you're wondering how to
 plaster your face across the internet with each mail and post..."

Jack.
(but much better, of course.)
-- 
Jack Twilley
jmt at tbe dot net
http colon slash slash www dot tbe dot net slash tilde jmt slash

Re: integrating x-face stuff

[Kai Großjohann]

On 12 Jan 2001, Nick Papadonis wrote:

> Yes, I did not know about message-default-headers.  Excuse me if I
> didn't read through every info file for each of X-Emacs's lisp
> packages.  I simply installed gnus, read all it's info files, and
> was never pointed towards the message info file.  I don't know every
> internal working of gnus, nor should I have to.

There have been previous attempts (well, at least one) to improve the
Gnus documentation so that people realize that they should look in the
Message info file, instead.

Alas, this does not appear to have been sufficient.

If you told us where in the Gnus info file you looked, that might help
us to add more pointers to the Message info file in all the right
places.

Hm.

The node `(gnus)Composing Messages' does point to the Message info
file, but that might be too easily overlooked.  Maybe it would be
useful to include a sentence there which stands out more?

kai
-- 
Be indiscrete.  Do it continuously.

Re: integrating x-face stuff

[Nick Papadonis]

>>>>> "Kai" == Kai Großjohann <Kai.Grossjohann@CS.Uni-Dortmund.DE> writes:

    > On 12 Jan 2001, Nick Papadonis wrote:
    >> Yes, I did not know about message-default-headers.  Excuse me
    >> if I didn't read through every info file for each of X-Emacs's
    >> lisp packages.  I simply installed gnus, read all it's info
    >> files, and was never pointed towards the message info file.  I
    >> don't know every internal working of gnus, nor should I have
    >> to.


    > The node `(gnus)Composing Messages' does point to the Message
    > info file, but that might be too easily overlooked.  Maybe it
    > would be useful to include a sentence there which stands out
    > more?

Kai,

The eye catcher for me was the picons section.  I now realize that
PICONS are not the same as using the X-face: header.  However there
are many (actually all) mentions of the work x-face in these
sections.  It's what actually gave me some motivation of messing with
my headers. :)

For instance, 'If you want to display faces from `X-Face' headers, you
should have the `xface' support compiled into XEmacs.  Otherwise you
must have the `netpbm' utilities installed, or munge the
`gnus-picons-convert-x-face' variable to use something else.''  What
if you want to add something like this in the header?

The sections that describe 'W f' - Look for and display any X-Face
headers.  Maybe add something like:  "If you want to add your own
x-face, add the header.  See Message info file."

Just skimmed the composing messages section and a reference to the
Message info file didn't stand out.  I would almost say mention in
posting styles, but that doesn't seem right?

What was the pointer to 'Message' in Composing Messages?  I tried
looking for it...

- Nick