GNU bug report logs - #8973
"options ..." line underdocumented

Previous Next

To add a comment to this bug, you must first unarchive it, by sending
a message to control AT debbugs.gnu.org, with unarchive 8973 in the body.
You can then email your comments to 8973 AT debbugs.gnu.org in the normal way.

Toggle the display of automated, internal messages from the tracker.

Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com>
To: submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (The Gnus Bugfixing Girls + Boys)
Subject: "options ..." line underdocumented
Date: Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:15:18 -0400

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

1.4.3 Filtering New Groups mentions an "options" line I can put at the
top of my .newsrc, but only offers an example of how to disable certain
groups that way, and no links to anyplace where I can get more
information about how this line works, what options (e.g. "-n") are
available, and/or what they mean.  IMO there should be a link to more
complete documentation, or support for the option should be dropped.


Package: gnus
Version: 5.110018
No Gnus v0.18
GNU Emacs 23.3.1 (x86_64-apple-darwin, NS apple-appkit-1038.35)
 of 2011-03-09 on black.porkrind.org
200 news.gmane.org InterNetNews NNRP server INN 2.5.1 ready (posting ok)
101 Capability list:
VERSION 2
IMPLEMENTATION INN 2.5.1
AUTHINFO USER
HDR
LIST ACTIVE ACTIVE.TIMES DISTRIB.PATS HEADERS NEWSGROUPS OVERVIEW.FMT
OVER
POST
READER
STARTTLS
.

[Message part 2 (application/emacs-lisp, inline)]

[Message part 3 (text/plain, inline)]

-- 
Dave Abrahams
BoostPro Computing
http://www.boostpro.com

Message #8 received at 8973 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com>
Cc: 8973 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: "options ..." line underdocumented
Date: Sun, 03 Jul 2011 19:06:48 +0200

Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com> writes:

> 1.4.3 Filtering New Groups mentions an "options" line I can put at the
> top of my .newsrc, but only offers an example of how to disable certain
> groups that way, and no links to anyplace where I can get more
> information about how this line works, what options (e.g. "-n") are
> available, and/or what they mean.  IMO there should be a link to more
> complete documentation, or support for the option should be dropped.

The example lists denying two hierarchies, and forcing subscription to
the last one.  And there aren't any more features or options, so I'm not
sure what else to document...

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
  bloggy blog http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no/

Message #11 received at 8973 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com>
To: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: 8973 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: "options ..." line underdocumented
Date: Sun, 03 Jul 2011 16:37:26 -0400

on Sun Jul 03 2011, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi-AT-gnus.org> wrote:

> Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com> writes:
>
>> 1.4.3 Filtering New Groups mentions an "options" line I can put at the
>> top of my .newsrc, but only offers an example of how to disable certain
>> groups that way, and no links to anyplace where I can get more
>> information about how this line works, what options (e.g. "-n") are
>> available, and/or what they mean.  IMO there should be a link to more
>> complete documentation, or support for the option should be dropped.
>
> The example lists denying two hierarchies, and forcing subscription to
> the last one.  And there aren't any more features or options, so I'm not
> sure what else to document...

Well, for example, you could tell me what the `-n' option does.  I
expect it's meaningful to leave it out, or there wouldn't be any point
in having it.  What happens when I leave it out?

You could give me more detail about what's allowed for the other
arguments--- am I limited to arguments matching the regexp
`!\[A-Za-z]\.all'?  If not, what does the part after the `.' mean and
how is it interpreted?

-- 
Dave Abrahams
BoostPro Computing
http://www.boostpro.com

Message #14 received at 8973 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com>
Cc: 8973 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: "options ..." line underdocumented
Date: Sun, 03 Jul 2011 22:48:59 +0200

Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com> writes:

> Well, for example, you could tell me what the `-n' option does.  I
> expect it's meaningful to leave it out, or there wouldn't be any point
> in having it.  What happens when I leave it out?

It's just how the format was defined by xnews in...  89?  Or something?
I have no idea what the -n means, really.  But "options -n" is the only
thing anybody ever used, I seem to recall when writing that stuff.

> You could give me more detail about what's allowed for the other
> arguments--- am I limited to arguments matching the regexp
> `!\[A-Za-z]\.all'?

Yes.

Or rather, "!?\[A-Za-z.]+\.all".

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
  bloggy blog http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no/

Message #17 received at 8973 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com>
To: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: 8973 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: "options ..." line underdocumented
Date: Sun, 03 Jul 2011 16:55:04 -0400

on Sun Jul 03 2011, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi-AT-gnus.org> wrote:

> Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com> writes:
>
>> Well, for example, you could tell me what the `-n' option does.  I
>> expect it's meaningful to leave it out, or there wouldn't be any point
>> in having it.  What happens when I leave it out?
>
> It's just how the format was defined by xnews in...  89?  Or something?
> I have no idea what the -n means, really.  But "options -n" is the only
> thing anybody ever used, I seem to recall when writing that stuff.

Well you could explain something to that effect in the documentation, to
forestall questions like this one and the feeling among readers that
they're swimming in some vague half-understood reality that isn't quite
accessible to them (even if they are ;->).

>> You could give me more detail about what's allowed for the other
>> arguments--- am I limited to arguments matching the regexp
>> `!\[A-Za-z]\.all'?
>
> Yes.
>
> Or rather, "!?\[A-Za-z.]+\.all".

So, you could document that fact.  Does the pattern need to match at the
beginning of the newsgroup name (document that too)?

-- 
Dave Abrahams
BoostPro Computing
http://www.boostpro.com

Message #22 received at 8973-close <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com>
Cc: 8973-close <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: "options ..." line underdocumented
Date: Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:12:26 +0200

Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com> writes:

> Well you could explain something to that effect in the documentation, to
> forestall questions like this one and the feeling among readers that
> they're swimming in some vague half-understood reality that isn't quite
> accessible to them (even if they are ;->).

I've now added a sentence that things are as simple as they seem.

> So, you could document that fact.  Does the pattern need to match at the
> beginning of the newsgroup name (document that too)?

Yes.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
  bloggy blog http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no/

Previous Next

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997,2003 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.