Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Yuri D'Elia]

Hi everyone. After a long period with mutt (which indeed sucks less but
doesn't do news) and sylpheed/claws (which just sucks), I'm back to
GNUS. I'm a sadist underneath - I know.

So far I was able to setup all the receiving accounts successfully (a
couple of nnimap accounts, gmane via nntp, nnmaildir for local spools,
etc), but I'm having trouble to send outgoing e-mails to different
accounts depending on the current group.

I'm fine with the default of using sendmail, but for a couple of IMAP
groups I need to use a specific SMTP server with credentials.

Could I use 'gnus-parameters' for that, and change
'message-send-mail-function' depending on the group? Any pointer or
small example in how to do this?

Thanks.

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Tassilo Horn]

Yuri D'Elia <wavexx@users.sf.net> writes:

Hi Yuri,

> Could I use 'gnus-parameters' for that, and change
> 'message-send-mail-function' depending on the group?

I guess, that would be one way, at least as long as you start writing
your mail inside some summary buffer and thus gnus parameters apply.

Maybe you can come up with something more lightweight.  For example, I
choose the smtp server based on the network I'm connected to.  From
externally, my university's smtp doesn't allow sending mail with a
different From than that of a university accounts, and inside the
university, the smtp port is locked (not sure if that's still true, but
anyway).

Deciding if I'm connected to the university's network is easy, because
there I get an IP starting with 141.26, so here's my code.

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
(defun th-uni-network-p ()
  "Return non-nil, if the computer is connected to the uni network."
  (catch 'in-uni-network
    (dolist (net (network-interface-list))
      (let* ((iface (car net))
             (addr (car (network-interface-info iface))))
        (when (and (= 141 (elt addr 0))
                   (= 26  (elt addr 1)))
          (throw 'in-uni-network t))))))

(setq send-mail-function         'smtpmail-send-it
      message-send-mail-function 'message-smtpmail-send-it
      smtpmail-debug-info        t
      smtpmail-smtp-server       (if (th-uni-network-p)
                                     "deliver.uni-koblenz.de"
                                   "mail.messagingengine.com"))
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

So I use the uni smtp inside the university, and in all other cases I
use the smtp of my fastmail account.

WRT to Richards suggestion on using msmtp, you probably can do the same
without external dependency by setting `smtpmail-smtp-server'
appropriately in `message-send-hook'.

HTH,
Tassilo

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Joseph Gay]

Yuri D'Elia <wavexx@users.sf.net> writes:

> Hi everyone. After a long period with mutt (which indeed sucks less but
> doesn't do news) and sylpheed/claws (which just sucks), I'm back to
> GNUS. I'm a sadist underneath - I know.
>
> So far I was able to setup all the receiving accounts successfully (a
> couple of nnimap accounts, gmane via nntp, nnmaildir for local spools,
> etc), but I'm having trouble to send outgoing e-mails to different
> accounts depending on the current group.
>
> I'm fine with the default of using sendmail, but for a couple of IMAP
> groups I need to use a specific SMTP server with credentials.
>
> Could I use 'gnus-parameters' for that, and change
> 'message-send-mail-function' depending on the group? Any pointer or
> small example in how to do this?
>
> Thanks.
Yuri,
I recently set up multiple SMTP accounts and got it working to my
satisfaction. I thought I'd share a couple of links that I found useful.

Here's one that describes usage of msmtp as mentioned in other
followups:
http://cataclysmicmutation.com/blog
/2010/11/19/multiple-gmail-accounts-in-gnus.html

I didn't end up going that route, but I am pretty sure it would work
nicely.

Here's approximately what I ended up doing:
http://www.mostlymaths.net
/2010/12/emacs-30-day-challenge-using-gnus-to.html

This is a configuration found on emacswiki whereby the SMTP credentials
are set based on the from address.

The problem I ran into was that auth-source picks credentials solely
based on machine name and protocol, and since both my SMTP accounts are
on the same machine, it always picked the first set of credentials.

I did something rather ugly, which was to use the full domain name for
one auth entry, and the aliased domain name for the other, in which case
auth-source treats them as two separate machines. This also necessitated
using the --insecure option for gnutls as the certificate check fails
for the full domain because it was registered using the aliased domain.

So, after all that, I probably should have used msmtp, but now it works
a charm.

One other tip: if you use auth-source, don't set nnimap-authinfo-file
or point the smtp credentials at an authinfo file; gnus should use
auth-source to handle all of that, with the end result being that you
won't have to type your authinfo symmetric phrase in a million times.

I hope some of that will be useful from a fellow masochist.

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Stephen Leake]

Tassilo Horn <tassilo@member.fsf.org> writes:

> Deciding if I'm connected to the university's network is easy, because
> there I get an IP starting with 141.26, so here's my code.
>
>
> (defun th-uni-network-p ()
>   "Return non-nil, if the computer is connected to the uni network."
>   (catch 'in-uni-network
>     (dolist (net (network-interface-list))

I don't have network-interface-list; is it some library you added?

-- 
-- Stephe

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Tassilo Horn]

Stephen Leake <stephen_leake@stephe-leake.org> writes:

Hi Stephen,

>> Deciding if I'm connected to the university's network is easy,
>> because there I get an IP starting with 141.26, so here's my code.
>>
>>
>> (defun th-uni-network-p ()
>>   "Return non-nil, if the computer is connected to the uni network."
>>   (catch 'in-uni-network
>>     (dolist (net (network-interface-list))
>
> I don't have network-interface-list; is it some library you added?

No, it's defined in Emacs' process.c:

,----[ C-h f network-interface-list RET ]
| network-interface-list is a built-in function in `C source code'.
| 
| (network-interface-list)
| 
| Return an alist of all network interfaces and their network address.
| Each element is a cons, the car of which is a string containing the
| interface name, and the cdr is the network address in internal
| format; see the description of ADDRESS in `make-network-process'.
`----

But it's compiled only conditionally, depending on having the net/if.h
header file and maybe some configure switches.  I don't know if that's
available on windows, as I can see from your mail header.

Bye,
Tassilo

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen]

Yuri D'Elia <wavexx@users.sf.net> writes:

>   smtpmail-starttls-credentials '(("smtp.x", 25, nil, nil))

I know nothing about smtpmail, but those commas up there look
suspicious... 

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
  larsi@gnus.org * Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Tassilo Horn]

Yuri D'Elia <wavexx@users.sf.net> writes:

Hi Yuri,

> After trying some more, it seems that smtpmail is *not* making a
> secured connection with STARTTLS at all.
>
> (setq
>   send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it
>   message-send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it
>   smtpmail-debug-info t smtpmail-debug-verb t
>   smtpmail-auth-credentials '(("smtp.x" 25 "x" nil))
>   smtpmail-starttls-credentials '(("smtp.x", 25, nil, nil))
>   smtpmail-smtp-server "smtp.x")
>
> Anything missing? (yes, gnutls-cli is present and working).

Hm, as already said, I have no real clue about the material here.  All I
have is

(setq send-mail-function   'smtpmail-send-it
      message-send-mail-function 'message-smtpmail-send-it
      smtpmail-debug-info  t
      smtpmail-smtp-server   (if (th-uni-network-p)
             "deliver.uni-koblenz.de"
           "mail.messagingengine.com"))

with user/password in my encrypted ~/.authinfo.gpg.  That's all I can
say. :-(

Bye,
Tassilo

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Alberto Luaces]

Yuri D'Elia writes:

> On Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:21:37 +0100, Tassilo Horn wrote:
>>>> Looking at the trace buffer of my last SMTP session, that uses
>>>> STARTTLS, too.  I have the credentials for the server in
>>>> ~/.authinfo.gpg and didn't setup anything special about how to use
>>>> STARTTLS...
>>>
>>> In my case, LOGIN is only advertised after STARTTLS, maybe that makes
>>> some difference?
>>
>> Hm, dunno.  I have to admit, that I don't really have a clue about the
>> SMTP protocol an STARTTLS, but that's a snippet from my SMTP trace
>> buffer.
>>
>> 220 deliver.uni-koblenz.de ESMTP Postfix
>> EHLO thinkpad
>> 250-deliver.uni-koblenz.de
>> 250-PIPELINING
>> 250-SIZE 70000000
>> 250-VRFY
>> 250-ETRN
>> 250-STARTTLS
>> 250-AUTH PLAIN LOGIN
>
> After trying some more, it seems that smtpmail is *not* making a secured
> connection with STARTTLS at all.
>
> (setq
>   send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it
>   message-send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it
>   smtpmail-debug-info t smtpmail-debug-verb t
>   smtpmail-auth-credentials '(("smtp.x" 25 "x" nil))
>   smtpmail-starttls-credentials '(("smtp.x", 25, nil, nil))
>   smtpmail-smtp-server "smtp.x")
>
> Anything missing? (yes, gnutls-cli is present and working).

I have gnutls-cli and openssl installed, but my emacs only uses the
latter. Try to install it just in case it wants to use openssl.

-- 
Alberto

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Yuri D'Elia]

On Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:21:37 +0100, Tassilo Horn wrote:
>>> Looking at the trace buffer of my last SMTP session, that uses
>>> STARTTLS, too.  I have the credentials for the server in
>>> ~/.authinfo.gpg and didn't setup anything special about how to use
>>> STARTTLS...
>>
>> In my case, LOGIN is only advertised after STARTTLS, maybe that makes
>> some difference?
>
> Hm, dunno.  I have to admit, that I don't really have a clue about the
> SMTP protocol an STARTTLS, but that's a snippet from my SMTP trace
> buffer.
>
> 220 deliver.uni-koblenz.de ESMTP Postfix
> EHLO thinkpad
> 250-deliver.uni-koblenz.de
> 250-PIPELINING
> 250-SIZE 70000000
> 250-VRFY
> 250-ETRN
> 250-STARTTLS
> 250-AUTH PLAIN LOGIN

After trying some more, it seems that smtpmail is *not* making a secured
connection with STARTTLS at all.

(setq
  send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it
  message-send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it
  smtpmail-debug-info t smtpmail-debug-verb t
  smtpmail-auth-credentials '(("smtp.x" 25 "x" nil))
  smtpmail-starttls-credentials '(("smtp.x", 25, nil, nil))
  smtpmail-smtp-server "smtp.x")

Anything missing? (yes, gnutls-cli is present and working).

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Richard Riley]

Yuri D'Elia <wavexx@users.sf.net> writes:

> On Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:42:25 +0100
> Richard Riley <rileyrg@googlemail.com> wrote:
>
>> My code above  selects the msmtp profile to use based on the From
>> address which, im turn, is set by gnus-posting-styles but hopefully you
>> can adjust as appropriate.
>> 
>> Googling up the key vars above and msmtp should provide the info you
>> need.
>
> msmtp is a nice solution, but I don't really want to store the password on disk (typing at every message is not a nice solution either).
>
> I tried to go with the smtpmail route, but failed quickly.
>
> I have an SMTP server that requires encryption via STARTTLS on port 25.
> The following minimal configuration:
>
>   smtpmail-debug-info t
>   smtpmail-debug-verb t
>   smtpmail-auth-credentials '(("smtp.server" 25 "me" nil))
>   smtpmail-starttls-credentials '(("smtp.server", 25, nil, nil))
>   smtpmail-smtp-server "smtp.server")
>
> asks for my credentials, but it doesn't actually call STARTTLS (I can verify it from the SMTP trace).
>
> Ideas?
>

I would love to see a solution of msmtp working with gpg-agent. There is
one out there somewhere but 'twas a tad convoluted.

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Tassilo Horn]

Yuri D'Elia <wavexx@users.sf.net> writes:

Hi Yuri,

>> > msmtp is a nice solution, but I don't really want to store the
>> > password on disk (typing at every message is not a nice solution
>> > either).
>> 
>> You can save it encrypted in ~/.authinfo.gpg.
>
> Just to clarify, my understanding is that msmtp wouldn't read an
> encrypted authinfo file.

Ah, sorry.  I didn't realize that you want to use msmtp.  I use plain
`smtpmail-send-it', and that uses auth-sources.el to get the
user/password from ~/.authinfo.gpg.

>> Looking at the trace buffer of my last SMTP session, that uses
>> STARTTLS, too.  I have the credentials for the server in
>> ~/.authinfo.gpg and didn't setup anything special about how to use
>> STARTTLS...
>
> In my case, LOGIN is only advertised after STARTTLS, maybe that makes
> some difference?

Hm, dunno.  I have to admit, that I don't really have a clue about the
SMTP protocol an STARTTLS, but that's a snippet from my SMTP trace
buffer.

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
220 deliver.uni-koblenz.de ESMTP Postfix
EHLO thinkpad
250-deliver.uni-koblenz.de
250-PIPELINING
250-SIZE 70000000
250-VRFY
250-ETRN
250-STARTTLS
250-AUTH PLAIN LOGIN
250 8BITMIME
AUTH PLAIN SOMEHEXHASHCODE
235 Authentication successful
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Bye,
Tassilo

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Yuri D'Elia]

On Tue, 21 Dec 2010 20:49:21 +0100
Tassilo Horn <tassilo@member.fsf.org> wrote:

> Yuri D'Elia <wavexx@users.sf.net> writes:
> 
> > msmtp is a nice solution, but I don't really want to store the
> > password on disk (typing at every message is not a nice solution
> > either).
> 
> You can save it encrypted in ~/.authinfo.gpg.

Just to clarify, my understanding is that msmtp wouldn't read an encrypted authinfo file.

> > I tried to go with the smtpmail route, but failed quickly.
> >
> > I have an SMTP server that requires encryption via STARTTLS on port
> > 25.
> 
> Looking at the trace buffer of my last SMTP session, that uses STARTTLS,
> too.  I have the credentials for the server in ~/.authinfo.gpg and
> didn't setup anything special about how to use STARTTLS...

In my case, LOGIN is only advertised after STARTTLS, maybe that makes some difference?

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Tassilo Horn]

Yuri D'Elia <wavexx@users.sf.net> writes:

> msmtp is a nice solution, but I don't really want to store the
> password on disk (typing at every message is not a nice solution
> either).

You can save it encrypted in ~/.authinfo.gpg.

> I tried to go with the smtpmail route, but failed quickly.
>
> I have an SMTP server that requires encryption via STARTTLS on port
> 25.

Looking at the trace buffer of my last SMTP session, that uses STARTTLS,
too.  I have the credentials for the server in ~/.authinfo.gpg and
didn't setup anything special about how to use STARTTLS...

Bye,
Tassilo

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Yuri D'Elia]

On Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:42:25 +0100
Richard Riley <rileyrg@googlemail.com> wrote:

> My code above  selects the msmtp profile to use based on the From
> address which, im turn, is set by gnus-posting-styles but hopefully you
> can adjust as appropriate.
> 
> Googling up the key vars above and msmtp should provide the info you
> need.

msmtp is a nice solution, but I don't really want to store the password on disk (typing at every message is not a nice solution either).

I tried to go with the smtpmail route, but failed quickly.

I have an SMTP server that requires encryption via STARTTLS on port 25.
The following minimal configuration:

  smtpmail-debug-info t
  smtpmail-debug-verb t
  smtpmail-auth-credentials '(("smtp.server" 25 "me" nil))
  smtpmail-starttls-credentials '(("smtp.server", 25, nil, nil))
  smtpmail-smtp-server "smtp.server")

asks for my credentials, but it doesn't actually call STARTTLS (I can verify it from the SMTP trace).

Ideas?

Re: Multiple sources and accounts with GNUS

[Richard Riley]

Yuri D'Elia <wavexx@users.sf.net> writes:

> Hi everyone. After a long period with mutt (which indeed sucks less but
> doesn't do news) and sylpheed/claws (which just sucks), I'm back to
> GNUS. I'm a sadist underneath - I know.
>
> So far I was able to setup all the receiving accounts successfully (a
> couple of nnimap accounts, gmane via nntp, nnmaildir for local spools,
> etc), but I'm having trouble to send outgoing e-mails to different
> accounts depending on the current group.
>
> I'm fine with the default of using sendmail, but for a couple of IMAP
> groups I need to use a specific SMTP server with credentials.
>
> Could I use 'gnus-parameters' for that, and change
> 'message-send-mail-function' depending on the group? Any pointer or
> small example in how to do this?
>
> Thanks.
>

msmtp is your man.

,----
|   ;; Select the correct smtp server based on the from address.
|   (defun msmtp-account (&optional def)
|     (let* ((from
|             (save-restriction
|               (message-narrow-to-headers)
|               (message-fetch-field "From")))
|            (account (if from (catch 'match
|                                (dolist (element msmtp-name-list)
|                                  ;; (message (format "smpt chosen is %s" element))
|                                  (when (string-match (format ".*%s.*" element) from)
|                                    (throw 'match element)))) nil)))
|       (if account account (if def def "default"))))
| 
|   (defun msmtp-change-smtp ()
|     (setq sendmail-program "/usr/bin/msmtp")
|     (setq smtpmail-starttls-credentials '(("smtp.googlemail.com" 587 nil nil)))
|     (setq smtpmail-smtp-server "smtp.googlemail.com")
|     (setq message-sendmail-envelope-from 'header)
|     (if (message-mail-p)
|         (setq message-sendmail-extra-arguments (list "-a" (msmtp-account "default")))))
|   (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'msmtp-change-smtp)
`----

My code above  selects the msmtp profile to use based on the From
address which, im turn, is set by gnus-posting-styles but hopefully you
can adjust as appropriate.

Googling up the key vars above and msmtp should provide the info you
need.