Re: Starting gnus

Re: Starting gnus

[Brett I. Holcomb]

I have noticed that if I say "y" to continue? I get a gnus window and if 
I type ^ to get a list of servers they all say denied.  Neither of the 
servers I have defined require authentication so what is the denied 
trying to tell me?  If I pick nndraft or nnfolder I get connected to 
something and get a Gnu Browse Server tab.  What am I missing here.

I've gone through the gnus tutorial at gnus.org and checked the FAQs and 
set up my .gnu file which brings up another question.  The tutorial says 
to make a ~/.gnus.el file while other docs say make a ~/.gnus file. 
Which is correct?

Thanks.



Brett I. Holcomb wrote:
> I installed Xemacs and gnus and am attempting to get it running.  I get 
> the nntp:news.server.com open error '' Continue (y or n).  Yes I have 
> read all the FAQs on various sites and I have my ~/.gnus file setup with 
> a news server and the information the FAQs and tutorials say I need. The 
> newsgroups are ones that work in Thunderbird.  However, I still get the 
> error.
> 
> How can I fix this?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> 
> Here's the ~/.gnus file.  The last line might wrap but is not wrapped in 
> the file.
> 
> (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.microsoft.com"))
> (setq user-mail-address "brettholcomb@charter.net")
> (setq user-full-name "Brett I. Holcomb")
> (add-to-list 'gnus-secondary-select-methods '(nntp
> "news.linux-sxs.org"))
> 

Re: Starting gnus

[Brett I. Holcomb]

Thank you for the detailed explanation.  I will have to digest this and 
think on it.  I don't even get a password request.


Floyd L. Davidson wrote:
> "Brett I. Holcomb" <brett@R777charter.net> wrote:
> 
>>Here's the ~/.gnus file - the one line for linux-sxs.org has
>>wrapped here - its on one line.
>>
>>(setq user-mail-address "brettholcomb@charter.net")
>>(setq user-full-name "Brett I. Holcomb")
>>(setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.microsoft.com"))
>>
>>(add-to-list 'gnus-secondary-select-methods '(nntp "news.linux-sxs.org"))
>>(add-to-list 'gnus-secondary-select-methods '(nntp "news.charter.net"))
> 
> 
> I'd expect those to work fine.  The way that I've done it is
> slightly different, and looks like this (note the addition of
> an email method, nnfolder):
> 
>   (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
>     '(
>       (nntp "news.linux-sxs.org")
>       (nntp "news.charter.net")
>       (nnfolder "")))
> 
> The only thing of significance which is not obvious is that when
> Gnus starts up, or at any time you as for an update, it will access
> that list in order, starting first with the primary select method
> and then going one at a time through the secondard methods list.
> 
> However, all of the above is still missing one component.  The
> information for logging into the NNTP server is kept by default
> in file ~/.authinfo unless otherwise specified (variable
> nntp-authinfo-file).  If no such file is found, it should be
> prompting you for a username and password?
> 
> The format of that file must be one line per server, is
> essentially the same as the ~/.netrc format, and each line looks
> like this:
> 
>  machine host_name   login user_name   password  pass_word   force yes
> 
> The "host_name", "user_name", and "pass_word" tokens are changed to
> match each specific server, hence you might have a line that
> looks like this:
> 
>  machine news.microsoft.com login brettholcomb password bh$$** force yes
> 
> This is described in the Gnus manual under the major title of
> "Select Methods", at the sub-titles, "Getting News" and then "NNTP".
> 
> The "force yes" may be of interest to you, as that causes Gnus to
> send the authention commands whether or not the server asks for
> them.  If it is "no", they will only be sent when requested by the
> server.
> 
> 
> --
> Floyd L. Davidson           <http://web.newsguy.com/floyd_davidson>
> Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska)                         floyd@barrow.com

Re: Starting gnus

[Kai Grossjohann]

"Brett I. Holcomb" <brett@R777charter.net> writes:

> Just one in ~/.gnus.el.  I've also named this .gnus and tried it.

.gnus.el and gnus.el are two different files.  It won't work to use
Gnus without a gnus.el (or gnus.elc) file -- that's the source code ;-)

I'm sorry I caused this misunderstanding.

Kai

Re: Starting gnus

[Brett I. Holcomb]

So I need a gnus.el or gnus.elc file - what goes in it?  I've been 
putting my servers, etc in ~/.gnus?  Do I put that stuff in ~/gnus.el - 
this is what I have in my ~/.gnus file.


(setq mail-sources '((pop :server "xxxxxx" :user "xxxxx" :password
"xxx")))
(setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
(setq nnmail-split-methods '(("inbox" "")))
(setq send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it)
(setq message-send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it)
(setq smtpmail-default-smtp-server "your_smtp_server")

Kai Grossjohann wrote:
> "Brett I. Holcomb" <brett@R777charter.net> writes:
> 
> 
>>Just one in ~/.gnus.el.  I've also named this .gnus and tried it.
> 
> 
> .gnus.el and gnus.el are two different files.  It won't work to use
> Gnus without a gnus.el (or gnus.elc) file -- that's the source code ;-)
> 
> I'm sorry I caused this misunderstanding.
> 
> Kai
> 

Re: Starting gnus

[Tim McNamara]

"Brett I. Holcomb" <brett@R777charter.net> writes:

> Got it now.  I thought there was yet another gnus.el I needed.  Glad
> to know all the parts are there!
>
> Yup, I've done all that many times.  I read the tutorial, the
> gnus.org docs (have them all bookmarked) and went through and set up
> my ~/.gnus file.  I've used ~/.gnus from other working situations.
> I have found that I could connect to a free mail server and see the
> messages but couldn't post.  News just won't connect.  Here's what I
> have so far.
>
> (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.linux-sxs.org"))

That looks good.  Does your newsserver require authenticated login?
That's the next hangup I could forsee.

> (setq nntp-record-commands t)

I don't know what this does.  I don't have it in my .gnus, but that
doesn;t mean anything by itself.

For mail using Gnus, you have to choose which backend you want to
use.  I like nnml but there are options (rmail, for example) for POP
accounts; IMAP accounts have some different options.  In all cases,
Gnus really treats mail like news- it creates a local "group" like a
newsgroup except your mail goes in it and is treated like news
articles.  You can specify your own groups for mail and split mail
into those groups.  If you don't specify, Gnus puts all your mail in
"mail.misc" which appears in the group buffer just like a newsgroup.

You can specify your e-mail address and screen name thusly:

     (setq user-full-name "Tim McNamara")
     (setq user-mail-address "timmcn@bitstream.net")

and you can specify your mail server and mail backend (interface)
like this:

     (add-to-list 'gnus-secondary-select-methods '(nnml ""))
     (eval-after-load "mail-source"
      '(add-to-list 'mail-sources '(pop :server "your.mailserver.xxx"
                                        :user "your-username"
                                        :password "your-password")))

And you can specify how Gnus sends oput your mail (by default it
tries to use sendmail, I believe; if you want to send it via your
mail server, you have to specify):

   (setq send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it)
   (setq message-send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it)
   (setq smtpmail-smtp-server "mail.bitstream.net")

In my .emacs file I have (why I have this in my .emacs rather than my
.gnus, I am not sure.  I don't know if it makes a difference to have
it there versus in .gnus):

(require 'smtpmail)
  (setq send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it)         ; for `mail'           
  (setq message-send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it) ; for `message'
  (setq smtpmail-smtp-server "mail.bitstream.net")
  (setq smtpmail-local-domain "bitstream.net")
  (setq smtpmail-queue-mail nil)
  (setq smtpmail-debug-info nil)

You might want to change the latter sexp from "nil" to "t" in order
to debug any problems with sending mail.

Re: Starting gnus

[Brett I. Holcomb]

This news server doesn't need login.  Another one I have does but gnus 
is supposed to ask for a username/password it the ~/.authinfo file does 
not exist.

The nntp-record-commands is there at the suggestion of someone on this 
list.  It is supposed to give you another buffer with more details but 
so far doesn't work - I get no extra buffer.

I'll try working with just mail and see what happens.

Thanks.

Tim McNamara wrote:
> "Brett I. Holcomb" <brett@R777charter.net> writes:
> 
> 
>>Got it now.  I thought there was yet another gnus.el I needed.  Glad
>>to know all the parts are there!
>>
>>(setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.linux-sxs.org"))
> 
> 
> That looks good.  Does your newsserver require authenticated login?
> That's the next hangup I could forsee.
> 
> 
>>(setq nntp-record-commands t)
> 
> 
> I don't know what this does.  I don't have it in my .gnus, but that
> doesn;t mean anything by itself.
> 
> For mail using Gnus, you have to choose which backend you want to
> use.  I like nnml but there are options (rmail, for example) for POP
> accounts; IMAP accounts have some different options.  In all cases,
> Gnus really treats mail like news- it creates a local "group" like a
> newsgroup except your mail goes in it and is treated like news
> articles.  You can specify your own groups for mail and split mail
> into those groups.  If you don't specify, Gnus puts all your mail in
> "mail.misc" which appears in the group buffer just like a newsgroup.
> 
> You can specify your e-mail address and screen name thusly:
> 
>      (setq user-full-name "Tim McNamara")
>      (setq user-mail-address "timmcn@bitstream.net")
> 
> and you can specify your mail server and mail backend (interface)
> like this:
> 
>      (add-to-list 'gnus-secondary-select-methods '(nnml ""))
>      (eval-after-load "mail-source"
>       '(add-to-list 'mail-sources '(pop :server "your.mailserver.xxx"
>                                         :user "your-username"
>                                         :password "your-password")))
> 
> And you can specify how Gnus sends oput your mail (by default it
> tries to use sendmail, I believe; if you want to send it via your
> mail server, you have to specify):
> 
>    (setq send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it)
>    (setq message-send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it)
>    (setq smtpmail-smtp-server "mail.bitstream.net")
> 
> In my .emacs file I have (why I have this in my .emacs rather than my
> .gnus, I am not sure.  I don't know if it makes a difference to have
> it there versus in .gnus):
> 
> (require 'smtpmail)
>   (setq send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it)         ; for `mail'           
>   (setq message-send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it) ; for `message'
>   (setq smtpmail-smtp-server "mail.bitstream.net")
>   (setq smtpmail-local-domain "bitstream.net")
>   (setq smtpmail-queue-mail nil)
>   (setq smtpmail-debug-info nil)
> 
> You might want to change the latter sexp from "nil" to "t" in order
> to debug any problems with sending mail.

Re: Starting gnus

[Pettersen; Roald]

Brett I. Holcomb:

> I'm connected with a cable modem and TBird is seeing the
> connection. However, this is good to know.

Sorry to say I can't reproduce my problem,
so I could very well be totally wrong.
I just remember it as not beeing able to connect with gnus or w3,
while lynx gave me no problem.
When I at last got gnus going I had started pppd before emacs.
Today I don't need this, so again I could be very wrong.