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diff --git a/doc/knode/using-subscribing.docbook b/doc/knode/using-subscribing.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..618ab292 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/knode/using-subscribing.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,1367 @@ +<!-- <?xml version="1.0" ?> +<!DOCTYPE sect1 PUBLIC "-//KDE//DTD DocBook XML V4.2-Based Variant V1.1//EN" "dtd/kdex.dtd"> + +--> +<sect1 id="subscribing"> +<title>Working with newsgroups</title> + +<para>After the configuration of &knode; we will now try to get your +first news; to achieve this, you need to do some more steps of +configuration, but you will not have to do this very often.</para> + +<sect2 id="fetch-group-list"> +<title>Fetching the group-list from the news server</title> + +<anchor id="anc-fetch-group-list"/> + +<para>If you want to read a newsgroup you first have to subscribe to +it. &RMB;-click with your mouse on the entry of your newsserver in the +folder-list; from the context menu that appears select the +<guimenuitem>Subscribe to Newsgroups</guimenuitem> entry. &knode;, at +this moment, does not know which newsgroups are available from this +server and will ask you if it should fetch a list of available +newsgroups: confirm with <guibutton>Yes</guibutton>. Now you should +see the following dialog.</para> + +<screenshot> +<screeninfo>The <guilabel>Subscribe to +Newsgroups</guilabel> Dialog</screeninfo> +<mediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="knode-subscribe.png" format="PNG"/> </imageobject> +<textobject> +<phrase>The <guilabel>Subscribe to +Newsgroups</guilabel> dialog</phrase> +</textobject> +<caption> +<para>The <guilabel>Subscribe to +Newsgroups</guilabel> dialog</para> +</caption> +</mediaobject> +</screenshot> + +<para>After some time &knode; will has fetched the list of available +newsgroups and will show them in the left window, <guilabel>Groups +on</guilabel>, in a tree; this tree view shows the +newsgroup hierarchy.</para> + +<tip> +<para>You can find a short description about the structure of the usenet +and the hierarchy of the single newsgroups at <ulink +url="http://www.kirchwitz.de/~amk/dni/usenet-einfuehrung">http://www.kirchwitz.de/~amk/dni/usenet-einfuehrung</ulink> +(German).</para> +</tip> + +<sect3> +<title><guilabel>Search</guilabel></title> + +<para>The simplest method to navigate in the tree is to use +the <guilabel>Search</guilabel> input field: &knode; will filter the groups +displayed according to your input. If you are searching for +a group about &kde;, but you do not know its exact position in the +hierarchy, just type <userinput>kde</userinput> in the +<guilabel>Search</guilabel> field.</para> + +<para>When you enter the <userinput>k</userinput>, you will already +see the list changing; the second letter, <userinput>d</userinput>, +give you a significantly-reduced list of shown groups; and the final +<userinput>e</userinput> reduces the list to the groups with kde in +their name. You will most likely end with just one group:</para> + +<simplelist> +<member>comp.windows.x.kde</member> +</simplelist> + +<para>If your server carries the international groups, you might find +your list is:</para> + +<simplelist> +<member>comp.windows.x.kde</member> +<member>de.comp.os.unix.apps.kde</member> +</simplelist> + +<para>This incremental search gives you the possibility to search for +newsgroups without knowing their exact paths.</para> + +<tip> +<para>On a closer look, you will see &knode; showing the groups without +a tree if there are only a few groups left; this is not a bug, it is a +feature.</para> +</tip> +</sect3> + +<sect3> +<title><guilabel>disable tree view</guilabel></title> + +<para>Normally &knode; shows all the groups in a tree; if this option +is activated, all newsgroups are listed amongst one another.</para> + +</sect3> + +<sect3> +<title> +<guilabel>subscribed only</guilabel></title> + +<para>If <guilabel>subscribed only</guilabel> is checked the +tree-view <guilabel>Groups on</guilabel> shows only the groups you are +already subscribed to; this is very convenient if you want to +unsubscribe from some groups: you then won't have to search the whole tree +for these groups.</para> + +</sect3> + +<sect3> +<title><guilabel>new only</guilabel></title> + +<para>If <guilabel>new only</guilabel> is checked the tree-view +<guilabel>Groups on</guilabel> shows only the groups which are new +since you last fetched the group list; for this to be functional, you +first have to fetch a new group list with <guibutton>New +List</guibutton>.</para> + +<para>The <guibutton>New Groups</guibutton> button give the +possibility to show all the new groups since a specific date.</para> + +</sect3> + +<sect3> +<title><guilabel>Groups on</guilabel></title> + +<para>This list shows all newsgroups on this server; if you check one +of the checkboxes, <guilabel>subscribed only</guilabel> or +<guilabel>new only</guilabel>, you get the corresponding +selection.</para> + +</sect3> + +<sect3> +<title><guilabel>Current changes</guilabel></title> + +<para>The <guilabel>Current changes</guilabel> window shows all +changes you have made since you opened the dialog.</para> + +<para>The <guilabel>subscribe to</guilabel> list shows the newsgroups +you have chosen to subscribe to.</para> + +<para>Below you can see the <guilabel>unsubscribe +from</guilabel> list, which shows all newsgroups from which you have chosen to +unsubscribe. You cannot unsubscribe from groups you are not +subscribed to.</para> + +</sect3> + +<sect3> +<title><guilabel>New Groups</guilabel></title> + +<para>This button opens a dialog which allows you to configure the list +of new groups; you can choose between showing all groups since the +last refresh or all groups since a given date. With the date option, +&knode; provides a more-flexible possibility to check for new +groups; you can even check for new groups since before the last refresh of +the group list.</para> + +</sect3> + +<sect3> +<title><guibutton>New List</guibutton></title> + +<para>The <guibutton>New List</guibutton> button tells &knode; to +fetch a new group list from the news server.</para> + + +<para>The newsgroup hierarchy is in a constant flux; all the time +there are groups introduced, renamed or moved; some groups just +disappear: they are no longer available and get deleted. To reflect +this, &knode; gives you the possibility to refresh the the group +list. This is, normally, only needed to see if your server now +provides a group which was not there before.</para> + +<tip> +<para>If you simply want to make sure you have seen every new group, it is +more effective to use <guibutton>New Groups</guibutton>; fetching the +complete list is much more time consuming, but you do make sure that any +deleted groups vanish from the grouplist.</para> +</tip> + +<para>Unfortunately there is no guarantee that your newsserver is +providing all available newsgroups: many newsserver refuse groups +publishing binary attachments; other groups are only available from +special servers. &knode; provides you the possibility to use more than +one news-server if you want to access alternative servers providing +these groups; you can read more about this in <xref +linkend="multiple-news-accounts"/> .</para> + +</sect3> + +<sect3> +<title>Working with the dialog</title> + +<para>We now want to subscribe to the &kde; group: mark the the box +beside the name; you can now see the group in the list labelled +<guilabel>subscribe to</guilabel>. Another possibility is to use the +arrows between the two windows.</para> + +<para>If you picked the wrong newsgroup by mistake you can undo your +selection by unchecking the checkbox next to the group's name in the +<guilabel>Groups on</guilabel> window; again, you could use the +arrow (you probably noticed the arrow changing direction.)</para> + +<para>If you want to unsubscribe from a newsgroup it is as easy as +subscribing to it: you just uncheck the box next to its name. The groups +you wish to unsubscribe from are shown in the <guilabel>unsubscribe +from</guilabel> list. Again, the arrow is another way of doing things: to +correct your actions you can use the arrow again; this works as +long as the dialog is not closed by clicking +<guibutton>OK</guibutton>.</para> + +<para>As a &kde; and &knode; user you will probably want to subscribe +to the group, so make sure you checked the box and press +<guibutton>OK</guibutton>. This group now appears in the tree view +under the server entry it was chosen from; in our example this is +<emphasis>My News Account</emphasis>. If you can not see the group, +click on the cross next to the server entry or on the server entry +itself; the list of subscribed newsgroups should appear.</para> + +<para>Click on the newsgroup; now you see on the right in the article +view an empty folder: &knode; has to fetch the articles for the new +newsgroup. If you have, in +<menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure +KNode</guimenuitem><guimenuitem>Reading +news</guimenuitem><guimenuitem>General</guimenuitem></menuchoice>, the +check box <guilabel>Check for new article automatically</guilabel> +checked &knode; tries to fetch the articles from the server when the +newsgroup is first selected; if this is unchecked, you have to use +<menuchoice><guimenu>Account</guimenu><guimenuitem>Get new +articles</guimenuitem></menuchoice>.</para> + +<important> +<para>When you are using <application>leafnode</application> as a +server, there will be a single article in the +group: <application>leafnode</application> generates an article in +every new subscribed group; this indicates that +<application>leafnode</application> will consider this group the next +time it fetches articles. You can ignore an error message saying the +article can not be found. If you select this article you tell +<application>leafnode</application> you are really interested in this +group.</para> + +<para>You get the real articles when your local newsserver fetches +them from the Internet and provides them to you; details about this +can be found in the documentation of your local newsserver.</para> +</important> + +<para>When everything works the articles of the subscribed newsgroup +appear in the upper right window — the article view.</para> + +</sect3> +</sect2> + +<sect2 id="fetch-and-read-news"> +<title>Fetching and reading Articles</title> + +<para>&knode; always shows three views: the folder view, the article view and +the article window; you can change height and width of these views with +the mouse. If you click in a window it gets the focus; this is +important if you want to use &knode; with the keyboard. The +<keycap>Tab</keycap> key changes the focus between the views; the +currently-active view is indicated by a small colored bar over the +column headers.</para> + +<para>This picture shows &knode; with the subscribed &kde; +newsgroup.</para> + +<screenshot> +<screeninfo>The three views of &knode;</screeninfo> +<mediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="knode-views.png" format="PNG"/> </imageobject> +<textobject> +<phrase>The three views of &knode;</phrase> +</textobject> +<caption> +<para>The three views of &knode;</para> +</caption> +</mediaobject> +</screenshot> + +<para>It is possible to select more than one group or article. You can +select an area by clicking on the first entry with the &LMB;, holding +the &Shift; key and clicking on the last entry with the &LMB; +again.</para> + +<para>If you want to select more than one single entry, but they are +not next to each other in the list, you have to select the first by +clicking on it with the &LMB; and then select the other entries by +holding down the &Ctrl; key and clicking on them with the &LMB;.</para> + +<para>In either case you can clear your selection by clicking on +another entry with the &LMB;.</para> + +<caution> +<para> +If you have selected more than one entry you have to activate the +context menu with the &Shift; key pressed, otherwise you'll clear the +selection.</para> +</caution> + +<sect3> +<title>The Folder View</title> + +<para>The folder views contains not only the accounts you configured +— in our example this is <emphasis>My News Account</emphasis> +— but also three other folders. When you are subscribed to some +newsgroups there will be plus next to the name of the +account: clicking on the plus or the name of the account opens the +tree to show the names of the newsgroups you have chosen to subscribe +to using that account.</para> + +<tip> +<para>Using the &RMB; you can get a context menu for the selected item +(folders or newsgroups): if you select a newsgroup and choose +Properties you can, amongst other things, specify your identity for +this particular group; you can find more about this in the +<link linkend="group-identity">Local Identities</link> chapter.</para> +</tip> + +<para>When you select a newsgroup with your mouse a list of articles +of this group appears in the upper-right window; if there are no +articles in the upper-right window there are two possibilities — +either there are no articles for this newsgroup on the newsserver +or the newsserver did not fetch them yet. Select +<menuchoice><guimenu>Account</guimenu><guimenuitem>Get new articles in +all groups</guimenuitem></menuchoice>: if there are still no articles +appearing you either have some problems with your settings or there really +are no articles for this group. Try another group: if there are no +articles for this group you will probably have to work through the +first chapters, about the configuration of &knode;, again; the +<link linkend="faq">Frequently Asked Questions</link> chapter may help you, +too.</para> + +<caution> +<para>If you are using a local newsserver the articles only appear if +the newsserver has already got them from the internet; if you are using +<application>leafnode</application> this is done by the +<command>fetchnews</command> program.</para> +</caution> + +<sect4> +<title>The Newsgroup Folders</title> + +<para>The newsgroup folders appear with the name they are given by the +hierarchy on the newsserver; in our example this is +<guilabel>comp.windows.x.kde</guilabel>. You can change the name shown +in this view: in the context menu (click with the &RMB; on the +newsgroup's name) choose <menuchoice><guimenuitem>Rename +group</guimenuitem></menuchoice>, then you can change the name in the +input field. A good name for <guilabel>comp.windows.x.kde</guilabel> +would be, for example, <guilabel>The KDE Newsgroup</guilabel>.</para> + +<para>If you don't change this, the hierarchical name will still be shown.</para> + +<para>Besides the name of newsgroups the folder view shows more +information by altering its appearance: if a newsgroup contains +new articles its name is shown bold; the columns +<guilabel>Total</guilabel> and <guilabel>Unread</guilabel> also tell you +how many articles are in the corresponding group or folder and how many +are marked as unread.</para> + +</sect4> + +<sect4> +<title>The <guilabel>Outbox</guilabel> folder</title> + +<para>The <guilabel>Outbox</guilabel> folder contains all articles +which are to be sent later, or which could not be sent because +of an error. If you want to sent an article later choose +<menuchoice><guimenu>File</guimenu><guimenuitem>Send +Later</guimenuitem></menuchoice> in the editor: the article is then +filed in the <guilabel>Outbox</guilabel> folder; it is possible to +edit, delete or send these articles later.</para> + +<tip> +<para>If an article was not sent because of an error, it is stored in +this folder; you will not lose these articles.</para> +</tip> +</sect4> + +<sect4> +<title>The <guilabel>Drafts</guilabel> folder</title> + +<para>This folder is used for storing drafts of your articles; for +example, if you want to do some further work on them but you have no +time for it right now. To store an article in this folder +choose <menuchoice><guimenu>File</guimenu><guimenuitem>Save as +Draft</guimenuitem></menuchoice> in the editor.</para> + +<para>You can edit, delete and send the articles in this +folder.</para> + +</sect4> + +<sect4> +<title>The <guilabel>Sent</guilabel> Folder</title> + +<para>This folder contains copies of the articles that you have successfully +sent, including your e-mail replies; you can delete the messages in +this folder, but it will not un-send the messages already +sent.</para> + +<caution> +<para>If your are using a local newsserver an article appearing in +the folder <guilabel>Sent</guilabel> only indicates the local +newsserver received the article; it is possible this article will never +appears in any newsgroup if the local newsserver was not able to +send it for some reason. If you notice some articles not appearing in +the according newsgroup first make sure it was sent by the local +newsserver.</para> +</caution> + +<tip> +<para>If you are using <application>leafnode</application> then articles +leafnode was unable to send are normally found in +<filename>/var/spool/failed.postings</filename>.</para> +</tip> +</sect4> +</sect3> + +<sect3> +<title>The Article View</title> + +<para>The article view gives you a list of all articles in the +selected newsgroup or folder; you can change the appearance of this +view using the <guimenu>View</guimenu> menu. The uppermost row of the +view contains the column headers.</para> + +<variablelist> +<varlistentry> +<term><guilabel>Subject</guilabel></term> +<listitem> +<para>The <guilabel>Subject</guilabel> column shows the subjects of +an articles which, most of the time, give you a clue about the content +of this article. The subject is chosen by the article author. You can +find more about this in <link linkend="post-and-mail-news">How to post +and reply to news</link>.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term><guilabel>From</guilabel></term> +<listitem> +<para>The <guilabel>From</guilabel> column shows the author, or their +e-mail address if the author didn't give a name. You can configure +your settings in +<menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure +KNode</guimenuitem><guilabel>Identity</guilabel></menuchoice>; when +you publish an article &knode; will show these settings in the +<guilabel>From</guilabel> column.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term><guilabel>Score</guilabel></term> +<listitem> +<para>The <guilabel>Score</guilabel> column shows the scoring of an +article as a number; the default is 0. Articles which are important to +you can be scored up; articles you want to ignore can be scored +down: the range is -100000 to +100000. You can read more about this in +the <link linkend="score-watch-ignore">Scoring, Watching and +Ignoring</link> chapter.</para> +<para>The <guilabel>Score</guilabel> column is only shown if +<menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure +KNode...</guimenuitem><guilabel>Reading +News</guilabel><guilabel>General</guilabel><guilabel>Show article +score</guilabel></menuchoice> is activated.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term><guilabel>Date</guilabel></term> +<listitem> +<para>The <guilabel>Date</guilabel> column shows the date and time +when the article was written.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term><guilabel>Lines</guilabel></term> +<listitem> +<para>The <guilabel>Lines</guilabel> column shows the number of lines +of the <glossterm>article</glossterm>; this column is only shown if +<menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure +KNode...</guimenuitem><guilabel>Reading +News</guilabel><guilabel>General</guilabel><guilabel>Show line +count</guilabel></menuchoice> is activated.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +</variablelist> + +<sect4> +<title>The Symbols and Highlighting Used</title> + +<para>This is a short explanation of the different symbols for +labeling articles.</para> + +<itemizedlist> +<listitem> +<para><inlinemediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="greyball.png" format="PNG"/> </imageobject> +</inlinemediaobject> +Already-read articles are labeled with this symbol.</para> +</listitem> +<listitem> +<para> +<inlinemediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="greyballchk.png" format="PNG"/> </imageobject> +</inlinemediaobject> +Articles labeled with this symbol are read and the body was fetched +from the server.</para> +</listitem> +<listitem> +<para> +<inlinemediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="redball.png" format="PNG"/> </imageobject> +</inlinemediaobject> +Articles labeled with this symbol are unread and the body has not yet +been fetched.</para> +</listitem> +<listitem> +<para> +<inlinemediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="redballchk.png" format="PNG"/> </imageobject> +</inlinemediaobject> +Articles labeled with this symbol are unread but the body has already +been already fetched.</para> +</listitem> +<listitem> +<para> +<inlinemediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="newsubs.png" format="PNG"/> </imageobject> +</inlinemediaobject> +Articles labeled with this symbol are part of a thread with new and/or +unread articles in it.</para> +</listitem> +<listitem> +<para> +<inlinemediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="eyes.png" format="PNG"/> </imageobject> +</inlinemediaobject> +Articles labeled with this symbol are parts of a guarded thread. This +corresponds to a score of 100.</para> +</listitem> +</itemizedlist> + +<para>Besides different symbols, &knode; is using the following +highlighting:</para> + +<variablelist> +<varlistentry> +<term>Bold article subjects.</term> +<listitem> +<para>The article is new in this group; it was fetched during the last +connection with the server.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Article subjects printed in gray.</term> +<listitem> +<para>There are no unread follow-up articles.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +</variablelist> +</sect4> + +<sect4> +<title>Navigation in the Article View.</title> + +<para>You can navigate in articles, display an article and open or +close threads with your mouse or keyboard.</para> + +<para>When you select an article with your mouse its entry in the the +article view gets colored; at the same time the header and body of +this article appear in in the article window. If you want to read +another article you can use the mouse to select it, or you can use +the cursor keys. If you use the cursor keys you can move the +dashed frame to the article you want to read and then press +<keycap>Enter</keycap> to mark and display the article.</para> + +<para>There are many key commands to provide comfortable navigation +within a news group and to switching between newsgroups. Here the most +common key commands of the standard key configuration are listed; you +can configure the key bindings in +<menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure +Shortcuts</guimenuitem></menuchoice>.</para> + +<variablelist> +<varlistentry> +<term>Toggle Subthreads <keycap>T</keycap> +</term> +<listitem> +<para>The replies to an article are either shown or hidden by +multiply pressing this key; another way to open threads is +to use the <keycap>Right Arrow</keycap> key.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Filter <keycap>F6</keycap></term> +<listitem> +<para>A dialog is shown where you can choose the filter for the +articles.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Sort <keycap>F7</keycap> +</term> +<listitem> +<para>A dialog is shown where you can change the sorting of the +articles; if you choose a column for a second time it will change the +sorting direction.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Browsing articles <keycap>Space</keycap></term> +<listitem> +<para>This key gives you a convenient possibility for browsing through +the article view: by pressing this key the article in the article +window is scrolled; when you reach the end of the article by +repeatedly pressing <keycap>Space</keycap>, it takes you to the next +article; when you have read all articles in one newsgroup, +<keycap>Space</keycap> takes you to the first article of the next +newsgroup. By repeatedly pressing <keycap>Space</keycap> you can +browse through all subscribed newsgroups like this.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Next unread article <keycombo +action="simul">&Alt;<keycap>Space</keycap></keycombo> +</term> +<listitem> +<para>This key binding jumps to the next unread article. The sequence +follows the order of articles in the article view; threads are opened +if necessary.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Next unread thread <keycombo +action="simul">&Ctrl;<keycap>Space</keycap></keycombo> +</term> +<listitem> +<para>This command jumps to the next thread containing unread +articles: the first unread article is then selected and shown. The sequence +follows the order of articles in the article view.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Next article <keycap>N</keycap> +</term> +<listitem> +<para>This command jumps to the next article; the sequence follows the +order of articles in the article view. Replies in closed threads are +ignored.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Previous article <keycap>B</keycap></term> +<listitem> +<para>This command jumps to the previous article in the group; the +sequence follows the order of articles in the article view. Replies in +closed threads are ignored.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Next group <keycap> ++</keycap> +</term> +<listitem> +<para>This command jumps to the next newsgroup; the sequence follows +the order of newsgroups in the folder view.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Previous group <keycap>-</keycap> +</term> +<listitem> +<para>This command jumps to the previous newsgroup; the sequence +follows the order of newsgroups in the folder view.</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +</variablelist> +</sect4> + +<sect4> +<title>Sorting and Filtering of Articles</title> + +<para>Some newsgroups are very crowded and contain lots of +articles; perhaps only some of them are interesting to you. One +possibility to keep track of the news you are interested in is +to sort your articles with a certain criterion.</para> + +<para>Sorting your articles, and choosing sorting criteria, is +done with the column titles in the article view: clicking on a column +title makes it the current sorting criterion; another click on the same +column title changes the order of sorting.</para> + +<tip> +<para>The current sorting criterion is indicated with an arrow next to +the title; this gives you an easy sign which column is used for +sorting, too. You have to make the column wide enough, though, so you +can actually see the arrow; you can change the column width by moving +the mouse pointer on the small area between two column titles: the +pointer changes its appearance to two horizontal arrows; clicking +and holding the &LMB; mouse button now allows you to change the width +of the column to the left of the mouse pointer.</para> +</tip> + +<para>&knode; gives you the possibility to reduce the flood of +articles: you can show only articles fitting specific +criteria; &knode; uses filters for this task. In the following paragraphs we +are just dealing with the predefined filters; for defining and using +your own filters please refer to the <link +linkend="using-filters">Defining and using Filters</link> chapter.</para> + +<para>Normally you will read most articles only once, and then never +again. &knode; labels the articles which are unread, but when there +are more articles in a news group than can be shown by the article +view you often have to search for unread articles: it would be much +easier to see only the new fetched and unread articles; &knode; gives +you this feature by the predefined filters.</para> + +<para>In the status line at the bottom border of your main window +next to the word <guilabel>Filter</guilabel> the actually-active +filter is shown: if you do not change the filter configuration this +is the filter <guilabel>all</guilabel>; this means all articles of a +newsgroup are shown. <guilabel>all</guilabel> is one of the predefined +filters; there are eight of them in all, which are described in more detail +here.</para> + +<variablelist> +<varlistentry> +<term> +<guilabel>All</guilabel> +</term> +<listitem> +<para>This filter is the default setting; it shows all articles in a +newsgroup. You can choose this filter by selecting +<menuchoice><guimenu>View</guimenu><guisubmenu>Filter</guisubmenu><guimenuitem>All</guimenuitem></menuchoice></para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Unread</term> +<listitem> +<para>This filter shows only unread articles; you can choose this +filter by selecting +<menuchoice><guimenu>View</guimenu><guisubmenu>Filter</guisubmenu><guimenuitem>Unread</guimenuitem></menuchoice></para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term> +New</term> +<listitem> +<para>This filter shows only articles fetched during the last +connection; you can choose this filter by selecting +<menuchoice><guimenu>View</guimenu><guisubmenu>Filter</guisubmenu><guimenuitem>New</guimenuitem></menuchoice></para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Watched</term> +<listitem> +<para>This shows only threads chosen as watched threads by you; you +may be watching a thread because, for example, you are participating in it, +or because you are particularly interested in the answers. +You can choose this filter by selecting +<menuchoice><guimenu>View</guimenu><guisubmenu>Filter</guisubmenu><guimenuitem>Watched</guimenuitem></menuchoice></para> + +<para>This filter only shows something if have you selected one or more +threads to watch; you can achieve this by selecting +<menuchoice><guimenu>Article</guimenu><guisubmenu>Thread</guisubmenu><guimenuitem>Watch</guimenuitem></menuchoice>: +next to the subject a symbol will appear, showing a pair of eyes.</para> + +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Threads With Unread</term> +<listitem> +<para>This filter shows only threads containing unread articles; you +can choose this filter by selecting +<menuchoice><guimenu>View</guimenu><guisubmenu>Filter</guisubmenu> +<guimenuitem>Threads With Unread</guimenuitem></menuchoice></para> + +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Threads With New</term> +<listitem> +<para>This filter shows only threads with newly-fetched articles; you +can choose this filter by selecting +<menuchoice><guimenu>View</guimenu><guisubmenu>Filter</guisubmenu><guimenuitem>Threads +With New</guimenuitem></menuchoice></para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Own articles</term> +<listitem> +<para>This filter only articles you have published; you can choose +this filter by selecting +<menuchoice><guimenu>View</guimenu><guisubmenu>Filter</guisubmenu><guimenuitem>Own +Articles</guimenuitem></menuchoice></para> + +</listitem> +</varlistentry> +<varlistentry> +<term>Threads With Own Articles</term> +<listitem> +<para>This filter only shows threads containing articles you +have published; you can +choose this filter by selecting <menuchoice><guimenu>View</guimenu> +<guisubmenu>Filter</guisubmenu><guimenuitem>Own +Articles</guimenuitem></menuchoice></para> +</listitem> + +</varlistentry> +</variablelist> + +<tip> +<para>For everyday use the <guilabel>unread</guilabel> filter is +propably the most useful: it shows all unread articles, including the +old ones. The other filters are very task-specific and are seldom used; +in the end it is a matter of taste which filter to select.</para> +</tip> +</sect4> +</sect3> + +<sect3> +<title>The Article Window</title> + +<para>The article window shows the currently-selected article. You can +scroll in it like in a normal text editor window; the difference is +that you cannot change the article — it is for reading only.</para> + +<para>By pressing the &RMB; in the article viewer you can access the +important functions in the context menu very quickly.</para> + +<para>The window itself is divided in three areas; they are explained +in more detail now.</para> + +<sect4> +<title>The Header</title> + +<para>This part shows the header lines or a part of the header. You +will recognize some information here from the article view; for +example, the subject and the address or name where the article +originated. When you click on the <guilabel>From:</guilabel> address, +&knode; opens an editor window where the email address of the author and +the subject of the referring article are already filled in for +you; this enables you to reply to the author directly from their +article.</para> + +<para>The appearance and content of the header shown by default +can be configured by choosing <menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configuring +KNode...</guimenuitem><guilabel>Reading +News</guilabel><guilabel>Headers</guilabel></menuchoice>; you can +find a more-detailed view on this in <link +linkend="anc-knode-headers">Configuring the Shown +Headers</link>.</para> + +<para>By selecting +<menuchoice><guimenu>View</guimenu><guimenuitem>Show all +headers</guimenuitem></menuchoice> you force &knode; to show the whole +header as is produced by the newsreader and newsservers; normally +you do not need this view: it needs a lot of space in the article +window.</para> + +<para>The last lines of the header contain, if necessary, some +references to other articles, shown as numbers in the range from 1 to +n. These References are the articles to which the current article refers: +the article labeled with 1 is the oldest article to which this article +refers; the article with the highest number is the most-recent article +to which the current article refers.</para> + +<para>When you click on a reference the corresponding article is loaded +and shown in the article view; if the article is no longer available +you will be informed by &knode;. This will happen if +the article has been deleted by the article management of &knode; due to +its age, or your news server decided to delete it from the newsgroup; +for details on how to get such an article, please refer to the +<link linkend="faq">Frequently Asked Questions</link>.</para> + +<tip> +<para>The first lines in an article, with the subject and author +information and so on, are called +<glossterm>headers</glossterm>.</para> +</tip> +</sect4> + +<sect4> +<title>The Body of the Article</title> + +<para>The body of the article follows straight after the header; it +is the actual message the author published in the newsgroup. Be aware +that some articles may contain quotes from other articles which are +not recognizable as quotes; this depends on the news editor the author +used and their article-formatting habits.</para> + +<para>&knode; provides some formatting which can be used by articles; +at the moment the available options are:</para> + +<simplelist> +<member>/italic/</member> +<member>*bold*</member> +<member>_underlined_</member> +</simplelist> + +<para>Do not use the highlighting too often; the impact decreases +the more it is used.</para> + +<tip> +<para>The main part of the message (the contents) is called the +<glossterm>body</glossterm>.</para> +</tip> + +<para>Most of the time a quote is indicated by a prefixed > on +every line; however, there are other possible signs. If you can not directly +recognize a quote the author did not obey the rules of proper +quoting.</para> + +<para>Also, it is usual to start an answer with a +introductionary line, something like:</para> + +<informalexample> +<para>On 12/25/2000 Santa Claus wrote:</para> +</informalexample> + +<tip> +<para>Normally you do not have to concern yourself with these introductionary +lines: &knode; does this automatically when you reply to an +article; to find out how to customize this line see +<link linkend="knode-composer-settings">The Composer Settings</link> +documentation. +</para> +</tip> + +<para>In <menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure +KNode...</guimenuitem><guilabel>Reading +News</guilabel><guilabel>Appearance</guilabel></menuchoice> you can +choose how the articles are shown. In particular, &knode; provides the +smart coloring of different reply levels; you can read more about this +in the chapter <link linkend="knode-appearance">Configuring the +appearance</link>.</para> + +<caution> +<para>&knode; only supports the coloring of quotes if the quoting +lines starts with special characters; you can configure these +characters at +<menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure +KNode...</guimenuitem><guilabel>Reading +News</guilabel><guilabel>Viewer</guilabel></menuchoice>.</para> +</caution> + +<para>When the body of an article contains links to internet addresses +you can invoke an internet browser to display the web page it links to +by clicking on the link; details about configuring this feature can be +found in <link linkend="setting-news-general">General news +settings</link>.</para> + +</sect4> + +<sect4> +<title>The Signature</title> + +<para>Below the main text of an article you can find the signature of the +author, provided you did not disable signatures in +<menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure +KNode...</guimenuitem><guilabel>Reading +News</guilabel><guilabel>General</guilabel></menuchoice>. The +signature is divided from the text by thin horizontal line.</para> +</sect4> + + +<sect4> +<title>Attachments and Multipart <acronym>MIME</acronym> +messages</title> + +<para>If an article contains attachments they are shown below the +signature in a table.</para> + +<para>The multipart <acronym>MIME</acronym> format allows the body of +an article to be sent in more than one format; for example, in plain-text +and in <acronym>HTML</acronym>. It depends on the newsreader which format +is used for reading the article.</para> + +<para>&knode; allows the different formats to be shown by selecting +<menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure +KNode...</guimenuitem><guilabel>Reading +News</guilabel><guilabel>Viewer</guilabel><guilabel>Show alternative +contents as attachments</guilabel></menuchoice>; when this option is +checked all alternative formats are shown as attachments and can be +opened and viewed.</para> + +<para>If this option is unchecked you will not be shown the different text +formats and &knode; decides which one should be shown.</para> + +</sect4> +</sect3> +</sect2> + +<sect2 id="post-and-mail-news"> +<title>Writing and Replying to Articles</title> + +<para>Before you start writing articles or replying to other Usenet +users be sure you understand the habits of the current +newsgroup; again, reading <link linkend="knode-journey">A Journey +Through Usenet</link> would be a good idea.</para> + +<para>For testing the settings of &knode; please resist sending an +article to a random newsgroup; it is not very friendly to bother +people with test articles: what if you are subscribed to a newsgroup +and half of its articles only contain the word +<quote>test</quote>? It is like somebody calling you just to +testing their phone.</para> + +<para>This is the reason for the special groups having +<quote>test</quote> in their name; for example, +<emphasis>alt.test</emphasis>. In these groups you can test everything +you want without bothering anybody; some groups even send you error +messages back.</para> + +<para>Here you can easily identify obvious mistakes, like a missing or +a wrong e-mail address or a wrongly-configured charset which doesn't +show all special characters.</para> + +<para>You can find a selection of test groups in <link +linkend="infos-testgroups">Test Groups</link>.</para> + +<para>Subscribe to one of the test groups now; some news servers have +their own test groups, which are probably less crowded.</para> + +<tip> +<para>Remember, you have to download the articles of the new +subscribed group; this may take some time if there are many articles +in the group. The only +important articles are yours and the answers by the check handler; if +you want to reduce the number of articles fetched during the test you +can configure this in +<menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guilabel>Configure +KNode...</guilabel><guilabel>Reading +News</guilabel><guilabel>General</guilabel><guilabel>Maximal number of +articles to fetch</guilabel></menuchoice>: if you reduce this +dramatically, you should not wait too long to fetch the new +articles after sending your test article; however, if it set too low +your article might not be fetched. A tolerably-fast news server should +provide your article right after you sent it; you might, however, have to +wait a while, at worst 1 or 2 days. Feel free to send another article +if cannot see your initial one; this is what the test groups are +for.</para> +</tip> + +<caution> +<para>When you are using a local news server the configuration of +<guilabel>Maximal number of articles to fetch</guilabel> in &knode; is +probably unnecessary; you should consult the documentation of your +news server instead.</para> +</caution> + +<para>If you did not encounter any errors unsubscribe from the +test groups and set <guilabel>Maximum number of articles to +fetch</guilabel> back to normal (1000).</para> + +<sect3> +<title>Publishing Articles</title> + +<para>You have seen most of &knode; now, but have only used it +passively so far, so let's publish a test +article now. Select the new subscribed test group in the folder +view; then, with <menuchoice><guimenu>Article</guimenu><guimenuitem>Post to +newsgroup...</guimenuitem></menuchoice>or the key <keycap>P</keycap>, +the Editor will be opened.</para> + +<para>You can use the &knode; Editor like a normal Texteditor; there +are some additional features for writing news articles though.</para> + +<para>In the editor window there are two input lines: one +for the subject, which is empty at the moment; and another for the +newsgroups this article is going to be posted to.</para> + +<para>Enter the text <userinput>This is a test</userinput> in the +subject field.</para> + +<tip> +<para>Normally, when you post an article, use a descriptive subject. Articles +without a descriptive subject are often ignored. Avoid subjects like +<quote>Help, it doesn't work !!!!!</quote> This subject gives no +information about the content of your article.</para> +</tip> + +<para>The <guilabel>Groups:</guilabel> field already contains the test +newsgroup you selected before; do not change this.</para> + +<para>Below the input field for the <glossterm>newsgroup</glossterm> +there is another inactive option field: this function is explained +later in the chapter <link linkend="knode-editor-advanced">The +editor</link>; for now it is irrelevant.</para> + +<para>For simplicity reasons we will only use a simple +sentence; type:</para> + +<screen> +<userinput>This is the body of my test article. @ $ %</userinput> +</screen> + +<para>Then, enter an empty line, followed by:</para> + +<screen> +<userinput>Did it work?</userinput> +</screen> + +<para>This may look funny to you, but it does what it is supposed to +do — test your configuration..</para> + +<para>Your article should now look like the screenshot below:</para> + +<screenshot> +<screeninfo>Your first article</screeninfo> +<mediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="knode-new-article.png" format="PNG"/> </imageobject> +<textobject> +<phrase>Your first article</phrase> +</textobject> +<caption> +<para>Your first article</para> +</caption> +</mediaobject> +</screenshot> + +<para>If you are using &knode; with a local newsserver choose +<menuchoice><guimenu>File</guimenu><guimenuitem>Send +Now</guimenuitem></menuchoice> in the Editor; if you do not have a +connection to a newsserver at this point, you may want to send the +article later — you can achieve this by using +<menuchoice><guimenu>File</guimenu><guimenuitem>Send +Later</guimenuitem></menuchoice> — &knode; then stores this article +in the folder <guilabel>Outbox</guilabel>. You can start sending the +articles in the <guilabel>Outbox</guilabel> manually by selecting +<menuchoice><guimenu>File</guimenu><guimenuitem>Send pending +messages</guimenuitem></menuchoice>.</para> + +<para>After sending the article you will notice &knode; stores a copy +in the <guilabel>Sent</guilabel> folder.</para> + +<para>Depending on how fast your article is published in the according +newsgroup you can check the result after some time: mostly it is +sufficient to check for new messages immediately after sending the +article; be patient, though, it <emphasis>may</emphasis> take the article some +hours before reaching the newsgroup. If the article does not arrive +after a number of hours it is likely that something went wrong: try again; then, +if it is still not working, have a look at the <link +linkend="faq">Frequently Asked Questions</link>.</para> + +<important> +<para>Even when you are using a local news server, you have to check +for new articles: the local news server just sends the article, it does +not store it in the local newsgroup, so you have to synchronize with +an external news server if you want to see if your test article +has arrived.</para> +</important> + +<para>If the <glossterm>article</glossterm> appears in the newsgroup +you are successful; now you should check if there is the correct +sender and if the article is readable. Have a look on your +language-specific characters like the German umlauts; if they are not +readable you have to change the coding at +<menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure +KNode...</guimenuitem><guilabel>Posting +News</guilabel><guilabel>Technical</guilabel></menuchoice>to +<guilabel>Allow 8-bit</guilabel>. Change this and repeat your +test.</para> + +<para>If everything is right you have successfully published your first +article in usenet with &knode;.</para> + +</sect3> + +<sect3> +<title>Post Reply</title> + +<para>After successfully publishing an article we will now answer to +your own article. You want to answer the question you asked, don't +you?</para> + +<para>Select your article in the article view and press the &RMB;: a +context menu will appear; choose <guimenuitem>Followup to +newsgroup</guimenuitem>.</para> + +<para>&knode; opens the Editor again, but this time there is already a +subject filled in for you. The subject line reads:</para> + +<screen> +<computeroutput>Re: This is a test</computeroutput> +</screen> + +<para><emphasis>Re:</emphasis> is a shortcut for the Latin <quote>In +re</quote>, which translates to something along the lines of <quote>relating +to</quote>. You should not change the subject and, above all, the +<emphasis>Re:</emphasis>: most newsreaders sort threads by the +subject.</para> + +<tip> +<para>If you want to change the subject for some reason put the new +subject in front of the old and replace the Re: with a parenthesized +(Was: ... ); in our example this would look like </para> + +<informalexample> +<para>A new subject! (Was: This is a test)</para> +</informalexample> + +<para>With this kind of subject you show the other readers there is a +branch in the original discussion; this happens, for example, +when a new topic occurs in the original discussion or the original +subject has changed for some reason.</para> + +<para>If you answer to an article with such a subject, delete the +parenthesized part of the subject; the first part with a prefixed +<emphasis>Re:</emphasis> remains.</para> + +<informalexample> +<para>Re: A new subject!</para> +</informalexample> +</tip> + +<para>Let us have look at the Editor now. The contents of the article +to which we want to reply has already been copied to the Editor by &knode;; +to indicate the text is a quote every line is prefixed with a +<emphasis>></emphasis>.</para> + +<para>In front of the quoted text &knode; has put an introduction +line: the content of this line refers to the original author; you can +change the standard text of this line in +<menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure +KNode...</guimenuitem><guilabel>Posting +News</guilabel><guilabel>Composer</guilabel><guilabel>Introduction +Phrase:</guilabel></menuchoice>.</para> + +<para>The original article contains the question: <emphasis>Did it +work?</emphasis> We want to answer this question now.</para> + +<para>Place the cursor below the quoted question and write in the next +line:</para> + +<screen> +<userinput>Yes it worked, congratulations!</userinput> +</screen> + +<para>We are not finished yet: it is considered polite to begin with +a greeting like <quote>Hello</quote> in the first line; whether you call the +author by their name or not depends on your habits, watch the +newsgroup to get used to the habits there.</para> + +<para>Next we delete all non-mandatory parts of the quoted article; in +our case, we delete all parts except the question.</para> + +<para>With such a short text this is unnecessary, but this just an +example: if you have to read a message 100 lines long again just to +find an <citation>I agree</citation> at the end you will +understand.... Aside from this, it makes articles smaller so they use +less space on the server.</para> + +<para>At the end we say good bye.</para> + +<para>This screenshot shows our answer before sending it.</para> + +<screenshot> +<screeninfo>Your answer to your article</screeninfo> +<mediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="knode-followup.png" format="PNG"/> </imageobject> +<textobject> +<phrase>Your answer to your article</phrase> +</textobject> +<caption> +<para>Your answer to your article</para> +</caption> +</mediaobject> +</screenshot> + +<tip> +<para>You can find a good guide for correct quoting at <ulink +url="http://www.afaik.de/usenet/faq/zitieren">http://www.afaik.de/usenet/faq/zitieren</ulink> +(German).</para> +</tip> + +<para>Now we still need to post our reply; like posting the original message +choose <menuchoice><guimenu>File</guimenu><guimenuitem>Send +now</guimenuitem></menuchoice> or the alternative +<menuchoice><guimenu>File</guimenu><guimenuitem>Send +later</guimenuitem></menuchoice>, if you're not online at the moment +and you're not using a local newsserver. If everything works +you will see your article in the newsgroup after a while; easy, isn't +it?</para> + +<tip> +<para>Using the <guimenu>Options</guimenu> menu you can configure whether +you want to send an email, a news article or both.</para> +</tip> +</sect3> + +<sect3> +<title>Mail Reply</title> + +<para>The Mail Reply follows the same lines as posting a reply in a +newsgroup; the only difference is that a mail reply is sent directly +to the author and does not appear in any newsgroup.</para> + +<para>Sometimes it is better to use an emailed reply instead of +posting a reply to newsgroup; they are used primarily for when you +want to correct an error or misconduct by the author, without hurting +their feelings by doing so publicly on the newsgroup.</para> + +<para>To answer with an e-mail select your article; again, +open the context menu with the right mouse button; and choose +<guimenuitem>Reply by Email</guimenuitem>: &knode; opens the Composer +with the quoted article.</para> + +<para>Subject and body are identical as when posting an article but +the <guilabel>Groups:</guilabel> field is replaced by a +<guilabel>To:</guilabel> field; here the author's email address +appears. In our example this should be your own email address, if +&knode; is set up correctly.</para> + +<para>For emails the same rules for quoting and politeness apply +as for posting an article in a newsgroup.</para> + +<para>After finishing your Reply, you can send it.</para> + +<para>The screenshot below shows the reply we distributed by email.</para> + +<screenshot> +<screeninfo>A Mail Reply</screeninfo> +<mediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="knode-reply.png" format="PNG"/> </imageobject> +<textobject> +<phrase>A Mail Reply</phrase> +</textobject> +<caption> +<para>A Mail Reply</para> +</caption> +</mediaobject> +</screenshot> + +<important> +<para>The Mail Reply only works if you have used the correct settings in +<menuchoice><guimenu>Settings</guimenu><guimenuitem>Configure +KNode...</guimenuitem><guilabel>Accounts</guilabel><guilabel>Mail</guilabel></menuchoice>.</para> + +<para>Depending on the configuration of your computer, you will find +the reply in your mailbox; you might have to connect to your +<acronym>ISP</acronym> and fetch your new mail first though.</para> +</important> + +<tip> +<para>On the <guimenu>Options</guimenu> menu you can configure whether +you want to send an email, a news article or both.</para> +</tip> +</sect3> +</sect2> +</sect1> + |