11.2 Setting Up Netnews

  • 11.2.1 News-Browse Mode
  • To start reading bulletin boards from Hemlock you probably need to create a file containing the newsgroups you want to read. [annotate]

    Netnews Group File  (initial value ".hemlock-groups") [Variable]
    Netnews Database File  (initial value ".hemlock-netnews") [Variable]
              

    When you invoke the Netnews command, Hemlock merges the value of this variable with your home directory. This file maintains a pointer to the highest numbered message read in each group in Netnews Group File. [annotate]

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    List All Groups   [Command]
              

    When you invoke this command, Hemlock creates a buffer called Netnews Groups and inserts the names of all accessible Netnews groups into it alphabetically. You may find this useful if you choose to set up your Netnews Group File manually. [annotate]

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    Netnews NNTP Server  (initial value "netnews.srv.cs.cmu.edu") [Variable]
              

    This variable stores the host name of the machine which Hemlock will use as the NNTP server. [annotate]

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    Netnews NNTP Timeout Period  (initial value 30) [Variable]
              

    This is the number of seconds Hemlock will wait trying to connect to the NNTP server. If a connection is not made within this time period, the connection will time out and an error will be signalled. [annotate]

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    11.2.1 News-Browse Mode

    News-Browse mode provides an easy method of adding groups to your Netnews Group File. [annotate]

    Netnews Browse   [Command]
              

    This command sets up a buffer in News-Browse mode with all available groups listed one per line. Groups may be read or added to your group file using various commands in this mode. [annotate]

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    Netnews Browse Add Group To File   [Command]
    Netnews Browse Pointer Add Group to File   [Command]
              

    Netnews Browse Add Group to File adds the group under the point to your group file, and Netnews Browse Pointer Add Group To File adds the group under the mouse pointer without moving the point. [annotate]

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    Netnews Browse Read Group   [Command]
    Netnews Browse Pointer Read Group   [Command]
              

    Netnews Browse Read Group and Netnews Browse Pointer Read Group read the group under the cursor and the group under the mouse pointer, respectively. These commands neither use nor modify the contents of your Netnews Database File; they will always present the last few messages in the newsgroup, regardless of the last message read. Netnews Browse Pointer Read Group does not modify the position of the point. [annotate]

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    Netnews Quit Browse   [Command]
              

    This command exits News-Browse mode. [annotate]

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    The Next Line and Previous Line commands are conveniently bound to n and p in this mode. [annotate]