Re: Synchronizing multiple computers

[David <de_bb@arcor.de>]

Reiner Steib <reinersteib+gmane@imap.cc> writes:
> ,----[ (info "(gnus)Various Various") ]
> | `gnus-home-directory'
> |      All Gnus file and directory variables will be initialized from this
> |      variable, which defaults to `~/'.
> `----
>
> ,----[ (info "(message)Various Message Variables") ]
> | `message-directory'
> |      Directory used by many mailey things.  The default is `~/Mail/'.
> |      All other mail file variables are derived from `message-directory'.
> `----

> > | but I guess it does no harm to set them all explicitly.
>
> It's confusing and error-prone, IMHO.

I remember I was confused that there exists 'gnus-home-directory' as
well as 'gnus-directory' where both doc strings more or less say that
everything will be derived from them. I see now that in gnus.el
gnus-directory is set to gnus-home-directory (except when the SAVEDIR
environment variable is set...). In gnus-registry.el,
'gnus-dribble-directory' (which, granted, is usually nil) has precedence
over 'gnus-home-directory' for setting 'gnus-registry-cache-file'. OK, I
suppose I'm nitpicking here...

> | rsync -e "ssh -l name" -auvzp workcomputer:./Gnus ~/.
>
> Only ancient versions of rsync don't use ssh by default. 

OK.

> I'd suggest to get rid of the shell script and do it in elisp[1].

Yes. This setup 'evolved' before I became more familiar with elisp...

> Within Emacs, the values of `gnus-directory', `message-directory',
> `gnus-startup-file', ... are available, you can use them in the sync
> function.  I'd guess that you don't even need to bother about frobbing
> `gnus-home-directory' and `message-directory'.  Just rsync ~/.newsrc*,
> ~/Mail and ~/News.  Or am I missing something?

Since I guess I am only using ~10% of Gnus' functionality I wouldn't
know for sure. I guess syncing the registry file isn't really necessary?

> Nice idea.  Maybe adding a prompt "Do you want to sync from ... to
> ...?" would make sense.

Yes. I'll revise that page as soon as I have time. Thanks for your
comments.

-David