Gnus and multiple Email servers

Gnus and multiple Email servers

[David Masterson]

I'm not grokking what it says in the Gnus manual for this problem (I
must be getting old...).  What I want is to setup Gnus as my email
reader for most of my family accounts such that I can read through all
of the email accounts in one Emacs session.  Is there a tutorial on this
particular issue?
-- 
David Masterson

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

David Masterson wrote:

> I'm not grokking what it says in the Gnus manual for this
> problem (I must be getting old...). What I want is to setup
> Gnus as my email reader for most of my family accounts such
> that I can read through all of the email accounts in one
> Emacs session. Is there a tutorial on this particular issue?

... "most of my family accounts"?

What do you mean?

But I think you use `mail-sources' like everyone else
for that! See

  (info "(gnus) Mail Source Specifiers")

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Michael Heerdegen]

Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor
<help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> writes:

> [...] see (info "(gnus) Mail Source Specifiers")

Also (info "(gnus) Select Methods"), and in particular
`gnus-secondary-select-methods'.

Michael.

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

Michael Heerdegen wrote:

>> [...] see (info "(gnus) Mail Source Specifiers")
>
> Also (info "(gnus) Select Methods"), and in particular
> `gnus-secondary-select-methods'.

That's right, I have `gnus-select-method'

  (nntp "news.gmane.io")

and `gnus-secondary-select-methods' is

  ((nntp "nntp.aioe.org") (nnml ""))

then one just adds groups with `gnus-group-make-group' in the
Group buffer.

Actually it should be a matter of doing it/something once, and
input data... and then do it again, and again.

It doesn't feel like it is like that tho ... but maybe it is,
or could be?

Hey, nobody said it was supposed to be easy, right?

But actually it is pretty easy! Even if the process is either
just a little bit wide (Norwegian) or not entirely
streamlined (Swedish) :)

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[David Masterson]

Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor
<help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> writes:

> Michael Heerdegen wrote:
>
>>> [...] see (info "(gnus) Mail Source Specifiers")
>>
>> Also (info "(gnus) Select Methods"), and in particular
>> `gnus-secondary-select-methods'.
>
> That's right, I have `gnus-select-method'
>
>   (nntp "news.gmane.io")
>
> and `gnus-secondary-select-methods' is
>
>   ((nntp "nntp.aioe.org") (nnml ""))
>
> then one just adds groups with `gnus-group-make-group' in the
> Group buffer.
>
> Actually it should be a matter of doing it/something once, and
> input data... and then do it again, and again.
>
> It doesn't feel like it is like that tho ... but maybe it is,
> or could be?
>
> Hey, nobody said it was supposed to be easy, right?
>
> But actually it is pretty easy! Even if the process is either
> just a little bit wide (Norwegian) or not entirely
> streamlined (Swedish) :)

What is the relationship (or difference?) between a select-method and a
mail-source?  Can you use a mail-source without setting up a
select-method?  Are split-methods the equivalent "select method" to
mail-source?

The manual is not clear (to me) on this.

-- 
David Masterson

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Eric Abrahamsen]

David Masterson <dsmasterson92630@outlook.com> writes:

> Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor
> <help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> writes:
>
>> Michael Heerdegen wrote:
>>
>>>> [...] see (info "(gnus) Mail Source Specifiers")
>>>
>>> Also (info "(gnus) Select Methods"), and in particular
>>> `gnus-secondary-select-methods'.
>>
>> That's right, I have `gnus-select-method'
>>
>>   (nntp "news.gmane.io")
>>
>> and `gnus-secondary-select-methods' is
>>
>>   ((nntp "nntp.aioe.org") (nnml ""))
>>
>> then one just adds groups with `gnus-group-make-group' in the
>> Group buffer.
>>
>> Actually it should be a matter of doing it/something once, and
>> input data... and then do it again, and again.
>>
>> It doesn't feel like it is like that tho ... but maybe it is,
>> or could be?
>>
>> Hey, nobody said it was supposed to be easy, right?
>>
>> But actually it is pretty easy! Even if the process is either
>> just a little bit wide (Norwegian) or not entirely
>> streamlined (Swedish) :)
>
> What is the relationship (or difference?) between a select-method and a
> mail-source?  Can you use a mail-source without setting up a
> select-method?  Are split-methods the equivalent "select method" to
> mail-source?
>
> The manual is not clear (to me) on this.

A mail source is an external "place" that mail comes from. Gnus doesn't
own or manage that source, it simply fetches the mail from there, then
stores it in a select method. As Gnus is storing the mail, it might also
split it.

So no, you can't use a mail source without a select method, because once
Gnus has got mail from the source, it has to put it somewhere.

A mail source is most often a POP server, or a mail spool.

It's confusing because some select methods essentially act as their own
mail sources, most notably IMAP and NNTP servers. An nnmaildir select
method can also be configured to find new mail "in place", if it's being
delivered there by some other process. In these cases, you won't be
using mail sources at all (I don't have any mail sources).

Hope that helps!

Eric

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Michael Heerdegen]

Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:

> In these cases, you won't be using mail sources at all (I don't have
> any mail sources).

Similar here.  I only have

  (setq mail-sources '((file :path "/var/mail/micha")))

for "system mail", everything else is configured using select methods.

Michael.

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[David Masterson]

Michael Heerdegen <michael_heerdegen@web.de> writes:

> Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:
>
>> In these cases, you won't be using mail sources at all (I don't have
>> any mail sources).
>
> Similar here.  I only have
>
>   (setq mail-sources '((file :path "/var/mail/micha")))
>
> for "system mail", everything else is configured using select methods.

So, where does your "system mail" get stored for you to read in Gnus?

-- 
David Masterson

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Michael Heerdegen]

David Masterson <dsmasterson92630@outlook.com> writes:

> > Similar here.  I only have
> >
> >   (setq mail-sources '((file :path "/var/mail/micha")))
> >
> > for "system mail", everything else is configured using select methods.
>
> So, where does your "system mail" get stored for you to read in Gnus?

In "/var/mail/micha".  AFAIK "/var/mail/$USER" is a canonical place.  I
chose my own user instead of "root" because I'm the administrator.

Michael.

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Eric Abrahamsen]

Michael Heerdegen <michael_heerdegen@web.de> writes:

> David Masterson <dsmasterson92630@outlook.com> writes:
>
>> > Similar here.  I only have
>> >
>> >   (setq mail-sources '((file :path "/var/mail/micha")))
>> >
>> > for "system mail", everything else is configured using select methods.
>>
>> So, where does your "system mail" get stored for you to read in Gnus?
>
> In "/var/mail/micha".  AFAIK "/var/mail/$USER" is a canonical place.  I
> chose my own user instead of "root" because I'm the administrator.

Lest we continue the confusion here, I think what David is asking is,
where does Gnus split the mail to after fetching it from the spool
source?

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Michael Heerdegen]

Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:

> Lest we continue the confusion here, I think what David is asking is,
> where does Gnus split the mail to after fetching it from the spool
> source?

Ah - ok, then I misunderstood.  But I'm the wrong one to enlighten this,
I'm happy that things work here, but I've forgotten in detail how and
why.

There seem to be multiple variables involved, `message-directory' and/or
`gnus-article-save-directory' in particular maybe?

Michael.

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Eric Abrahamsen]

Michael Heerdegen <michael_heerdegen@web.de> writes:

> Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:
>
>> Lest we continue the confusion here, I think what David is asking is,
>> where does Gnus split the mail to after fetching it from the spool
>> source?
>
> Ah - ok, then I misunderstood.  But I'm the wrong one to enlighten this,
> I'm happy that things work here, but I've forgotten in detail how and
> why.
>
> There seem to be multiple variables involved, `message-directory' and/or
> `gnus-article-save-directory' in particular maybe?

I mean, the messages must end up in some nnml or nnmaildir server that
you've configured, right?

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Michael Heerdegen]

Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:

> I mean, the messages must end up in some nnml or nnmaildir server that
> you've configured, right?

I am using rkunter, that's something that scans your systems for
rootkits and such once a day.  AFAIU it mails results to micha@drachen
(with "drachen" being the host name).  They arrive in
"/home/micha/Mail/archive/mail/misc" (that's the part I currently don't
understand anymore), and I access that place via an nnml:archive named
nnml server.

Michael.

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Eric Abrahamsen]

Michael Heerdegen <michael_heerdegen@web.de> writes:

> Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:
>
>> I mean, the messages must end up in some nnml or nnmaildir server that
>> you've configured, right?
>
> I am using rkunter, that's something that scans your systems for
> rootkits and such once a day.  AFAIU it mails results to micha@drachen
> (with "drachen" being the host name).  They arrive in
> "/home/micha/Mail/archive/mail/misc" (that's the part I currently don't
> understand anymore), and I access that place via an nnml:archive named
> nnml server.

Okay, I think for David's benefit this is the important part: Michael is
storing the incoming messages in an nnml select method, named "archive".
It's entirely possible that this select method only exists because of
Gnus defaults, and Michael didn't configure anything at all, but the
important thing to note is that, yes, mails are brought in via a mail
source, and then are stored in a select method.

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

Eric Abrahamsen wrote:

> Okay, I think for David's benefit this is the important
> part: Michael is storing the incoming messages in an nnml
> select method, named "archive". It's entirely possible that
> this select method only exists because of Gnus defaults, and
> Michael didn't configure anything at all [...]

I have

  (setq gnus-message-archive-group "nnml:mail.sent")

but also a nnfolder "archive" server that is empty.

Maybe unrelated on both accounts ... eh

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Eric Abrahamsen]

Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor
<help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> writes:

> Eric Abrahamsen wrote:
>
>> Okay, I think for David's benefit this is the important
>> part: Michael is storing the incoming messages in an nnml
>> select method, named "archive". It's entirely possible that
>> this select method only exists because of Gnus defaults, and
>> Michael didn't configure anything at all [...]
>
> I have
>
>   (setq gnus-message-archive-group "nnml:mail.sent")
>
> but also a nnfolder "archive" server that is empty.
>
> Maybe unrelated on both accounts ... eh

Not entirely unrelated, in that your archive-group setting is sufficient
to cause Gnus to create a default nnml select method for you. That could
potentially contribute to the confusion, if people are trying to
understand where all their select methods come from, and don't know why
they have an nnml method that they never configured.

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

Eric Abrahamsen wrote:

>> I have
>>
>>   (setq gnus-message-archive-group "nnml:mail.sent")
>>
>> but also a nnfolder "archive" server that is empty.
>>
>> Maybe unrelated on both accounts ... eh
>
> Not entirely unrelated, in that your archive-group setting
> is sufficient to cause Gnus to create a default nnml select
> method for you. That could potentially contribute to the
> confusion, if people are trying to understand where all
> their select methods come from, and don't know why they have
> an nnml method that they never configured.

Hm ... "method" here meaning ... ?

I have

  (setq gnus-select-method             '(nntp "news.gmane.io"))
  (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nntp "nntp.aioe.org")
                                        (nnml "") ))
  (setq gnus-message-archive-group      "nnml:mail.sent")

and servers

     nnfolder: archive       (opened)
      nndraft:               (opened)
         nnml:               (opened)
         nntp: nntp.aioe.org (opened)
         nntp: news.gmane.io (opened)

So nnml I configured explicitely (as well as implicitly if
I understand you correctly) and the nntp as well, twice.

In nndraft it turns up I had 0 drafts and 19 posts in
"queue", I don't know if that means they were never sent or
what else it indicates?

In the nnfolder "archive" there is nothing and it isn't even
opened by default, so I guess it doesn't do anything?
But I can open it so it is operational, maybe operational
doing nothing but still ...

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Eric Abrahamsen]

Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor
<help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> writes:

> Eric Abrahamsen wrote:
>
>>> I have
>>>
>>>   (setq gnus-message-archive-group "nnml:mail.sent")
>>>
>>> but also a nnfolder "archive" server that is empty.
>>>
>>> Maybe unrelated on both accounts ... eh
>>
>> Not entirely unrelated, in that your archive-group setting
>> is sufficient to cause Gnus to create a default nnml select
>> method for you. That could potentially contribute to the
>> confusion, if people are trying to understand where all
>> their select methods come from, and don't know why they have
>> an nnml method that they never configured.
>
> Hm ... "method" here meaning ... ?

Yet another contributor to confusion is the proliferation of
terminology. I believe "select method" and "backend" mean the same
thing: a type of server. Then "server" is an instance of one of those
backends. I'd rather drop "select method" altogether, but obviously it
shows up in all these variable/function names...

> I have
>
>   (setq gnus-select-method             '(nntp "news.gmane.io"))
>   (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nntp "nntp.aioe.org")
>                                         (nnml "") ))
>   (setq gnus-message-archive-group      "nnml:mail.sent")
>
> and servers
>
>      nnfolder: archive       (opened)
>       nndraft:               (opened)
>          nnml:               (opened)
>          nntp: nntp.aioe.org (opened)
>          nntp: news.gmane.io (opened)
>
> So nnml I configured explicitely (as well as implicitly if
> I understand you correctly) and the nntp as well, twice.

Right. You configure some servers with those options, then the *Server*
buffer shows you the sum total of the servers you configured, plus the
servers it constructed for various reasons: always-present servers,
servers created because of other customization options, and servers
constructed from existing groups.

> In nndraft it turns up I had 0 drafts and 19 posts in
> "queue", I don't know if that means they were never sent or
> what else it indicates?

Hit "J S" and see what happens :)

(Actually, don't do that, if they've been in there for years that could
mess up your life, or at least confuse a lot of people.)

> In the nnfolder "archive" there is nothing and it isn't even
> opened by default, so I guess it doesn't do anything?
> But I can open it so it is operational, maybe operational
> doing nothing but still ...

By bare default, Gnus will put your sent messages in an nnfolder
"archive" server. Probably when you first started using Gnus you hadn't
configured your archive server, so Gnus created this default. Then later
you set things up more thoroughly, so it never got used? Something like
that? Anyway, you're probably safe to remove it.

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

Eric Abrahamsen wrote:

>> In nndraft it turns up I had 0 drafts and 19 posts in
>> "queue", I don't know if that means they were never sent or
>> what else it indicates?
>
> Hit "J S" and see what happens :)
>
> (Actually, don't do that, if they've been in there for years
> that could mess up your life, or at least confuse a lot
> of people.)

Right, I removed all of them without reading. I wonder why
they didn't get sent to begin with tho? I have a "drafts"
group but that is/was empty at the time of the discovery.

>> In the nnfolder "archive" there is nothing and it isn't
>> even opened by default, so I guess it doesn't do anything?
>> But I can open it so it is operational, maybe operational
>> doing nothing but still ...
>
> By bare default, Gnus will put your sent messages in an
> nnfolder "archive" server. Probably when you first started
> using Gnus you hadn't configured your archive server, so
> Gnus created this default. Then later you set things up more
> thoroughly, so it never got used? Something like that?
> Anyway, you're probably safe to remove it.

`gnus-server-kill-server'? I did and it disappeared.
Problem solved :)

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

>> using Gnus you hadn't configured your archive server, so
>> Gnus created this default. Then later you set things up
>> more thoroughly, so it never got used? Something like that?
>> Anyway, you're probably safe to remove it.
>
> `gnus-server-kill-server'? I did and it disappeared.
> Problem solved :)

It did disappear but now it has returned, and now it doesn't
disappear when I do the same, instead it says

  gnus-server-kill-server: Server nnfolder:archive must be
  deleted from your configuration files

Strange days ...

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

>>> using Gnus you hadn't configured your archive server, so
>>> Gnus created this default. Then later you set things up
>>> more thoroughly, so it never got used? Something like
>>> that? Anyway, you're probably safe to remove it.
>>
>> `gnus-server-kill-server'? I did and it disappeared.
>> Problem solved :)
>
> It did disappear but now it has returned, and now it doesn't
> disappear when I do the same, instead it says
>
>   gnus-server-kill-server: Server nnfolder:archive must be
>   deleted from your configuration files
>
> Strange days ...

It can be killed if not opened. But it reappears.

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

>>>> using Gnus you hadn't configured your archive server, so
>>>> Gnus created this default. Then later you set things up
>>>> more thoroughly, so it never got used? Something like
>>>> that? Anyway, you're probably safe to remove it.
>>>
>>> `gnus-server-kill-server'? I did and it disappeared.
>>> Problem solved :)
>>
>> It did disappear but now it has returned, and now it doesn't
>> disappear when I do the same, instead it says
>>
>>   gnus-server-kill-server: Server nnfolder:archive must be
>>   deleted from your configuration files
>>
>> Strange days ...
>
> It can be killed if not opened. But it reappears.

Nope, now it can be killed if opened as well. Don't know what
that error message came from. But it seems to be right anyway.
Because it reappears :)

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Eric Abrahamsen]

Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor
<help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> writes:

>>>>> using Gnus you hadn't configured your archive server, so
>>>>> Gnus created this default. Then later you set things up
>>>>> more thoroughly, so it never got used? Something like
>>>>> that? Anyway, you're probably safe to remove it.
>>>>
>>>> `gnus-server-kill-server'? I did and it disappeared.
>>>> Problem solved :)
>>>
>>> It did disappear but now it has returned, and now it doesn't
>>> disappear when I do the same, instead it says
>>>
>>>   gnus-server-kill-server: Server nnfolder:archive must be
>>>   deleted from your configuration files
>>>
>>> Strange days ...
>>
>> It can be killed if not opened. But it reappears.
>
> Nope, now it can be killed if opened as well. Don't know what
> that error message came from. But it seems to be right anyway.
> Because it reappears :)

Check the "Archived Messages" section of the Gnus manual -- looks like
you'd need to set `gnus-message-archive-group' to nil to prevent its
creation. Probably `gnus-message-archive-server' as well, for good
measure.

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

Eric Abrahamsen wrote:

> Check the "Archived Messages" section of the Gnus manual --
> looks like you'd need to set `gnus-message-archive-group' to
> nil to prevent its creation.

Oh, but I don't want to do that, I have that "nnml:mail.sent"
which is the group I store and get everything sent ...

> Probably `gnus-message-archive-server' as well, for
> good measure.

Don't have that?

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Eric Abrahamsen]

Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor
<help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> writes:

> Eric Abrahamsen wrote:
>
>> Check the "Archived Messages" section of the Gnus manual --
>> looks like you'd need to set `gnus-message-archive-group' to
>> nil to prevent its creation.
>
> Oh, but I don't want to do that, I have that "nnml:mail.sent"
> which is the group I store and get everything sent ...
>
>> Probably `gnus-message-archive-server' as well, for
>> good measure.

gnus-message-archive-method! Sorry, not server.

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Byung-Hee HWANG]

Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:

> ...
> A mail source is an external "place" that mail comes from. Gnus doesn't
> own or manage that source, it simply fetches the mail from there, then
> stores it in a select method. As Gnus is storing the mail, it might also
> split it.
>
> So no, you can't use a mail source without a select method, because once
> Gnus has got mail from the source, it has to put it somewhere.
>
> A mail source is most often a POP server, or a mail spool.
>
> It's confusing because some select methods essentially act as their own
> mail sources, most notably IMAP and NNTP servers. An nnmaildir select
> method can also be configured to find new mail "in place", if it's being
> delivered there by some other process. In these cases, you won't be
> using mail sources at all (I don't have any mail sources).
>
> Hope that helps!

Thanks Eric, i didn't know about mail source, thanks again!

Sincerely, Gnus fan Byung-Hee

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[David Masterson]

Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:

> David Masterson <dsmasterson92630@outlook.com> writes:
>
>>> Michael Heerdegen wrote:
>>>
>>>>> [...] see (info "(gnus) Mail Source Specifiers")
>>>>
>>>> Also (info "(gnus) Select Methods"), and in particular
>>>> `gnus-secondary-select-methods'.
>>
>> What is the relationship (or difference?) between a select-method and a
>> mail-source?  Can you use a mail-source without setting up a
>> select-method?  Are split-methods the equivalent "select method" to
>> mail-source?
>>
>> The manual is not clear (to me) on this.
>
> A mail source is an external "place" that mail comes from. Gnus doesn't
> own or manage that source, it simply fetches the mail from there, then
> stores it in a select method. As Gnus is storing the mail, it might also
> split it.

I didn't know a select-method was storage!  I thought it defined a place
to get mail from.

> So no, you can't use a mail source without a select method, because once
> Gnus has got mail from the source, it has to put it somewhere.
>
> A mail source is most often a POP server, or a mail spool.
>
> It's confusing because some select methods essentially act as their own
> mail sources, most notably IMAP and NNTP servers. An nnmaildir select
> method can also be configured to find new mail "in place", if it's being
> delivered there by some other process. In these cases, you won't be
> using mail sources at all (I don't have any mail sources).

I take it then that mail-source is not used with an IMAP select method,
right? So, let me repeat the original question -- how do you setup Gnus
to get mail from multiple IMAP servers (so I can read all of my families
email accounts, but leave their email in their IMAP server for them to
read also).

-- 
David Masterson

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Eric Abrahamsen]

David Masterson <dsmasterson92630@outlook.com> writes:

> Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:
>
>> David Masterson <dsmasterson92630@outlook.com> writes:
>>
>>>> Michael Heerdegen wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>> [...] see (info "(gnus) Mail Source Specifiers")
>>>>>
>>>>> Also (info "(gnus) Select Methods"), and in particular
>>>>> `gnus-secondary-select-methods'.
>>>
>>> What is the relationship (or difference?) between a select-method and a
>>> mail-source?  Can you use a mail-source without setting up a
>>> select-method?  Are split-methods the equivalent "select method" to
>>> mail-source?
>>>
>>> The manual is not clear (to me) on this.
>>
>> A mail source is an external "place" that mail comes from. Gnus doesn't
>> own or manage that source, it simply fetches the mail from there, then
>> stores it in a select method. As Gnus is storing the mail, it might also
>> split it.
>
> I didn't know a select-method was storage!  I thought it defined a place
> to get mail from.

Well they *can* update themselves with new messages, but I'd say the
defining characteristic is that they're a message store.

>> So no, you can't use a mail source without a select method, because once
>> Gnus has got mail from the source, it has to put it somewhere.
>>
>> A mail source is most often a POP server, or a mail spool.
>>
>> It's confusing because some select methods essentially act as their own
>> mail sources, most notably IMAP and NNTP servers. An nnmaildir select
>> method can also be configured to find new mail "in place", if it's being
>> delivered there by some other process. In these cases, you won't be
>> using mail sources at all (I don't have any mail sources).
>
> I take it then that mail-source is not used with an IMAP select method,
> right? So, let me repeat the original question -- how do you setup Gnus
> to get mail from multiple IMAP servers (so I can read all of my families
> email accounts, but leave their email in their IMAP server for them to
> read also).

Add multiple nnimap servers to `gnus-secondary-select-methods'. Mine
looks something like:

'((nnimap "CHB"
	 (nnimap-address "mail.randomaddress.com")
	 (nnimap-stream network)
	 (nnimap-authenticator login)
	 (nnimap-user "eric@randomaddress.com"))
  (nnimap "EA"
	 (nnimap-address "localhost")
	 (nnimap-stream network)
	 (nnimap-authenticator login)
	 (nnimap-user "eric@ericabrahamsen.net"))

And many more. Each of those is a separate IMAP account.

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

David Masterson wrote:

> so I can read all of my families email accounts, but leave
> their email in their IMAP server for them to read also

... ?

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[David Masterson]

Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor
<help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> writes:

> David Masterson wrote:
>
>> so I can read all of my families email accounts, but leave
>> their email in their IMAP server for them to read also
>
> ... ?

If you're asking about privacy, as father of family with (even more than
me) limited computer experience, we agree with this to allow me to keep
an eye on what is going on in case of problems, but still let them read
their own way.

If you're asking process, I'm trying to avoid my (Gnus) sucking down the
email from the IMAP (or POP?) servers into local file(s) such that their
email accidentally disappears onto my system. However, I might want to
clean up old files in their INBOX by deletion or moving to other folders
(that I might create) on their IMAP server.

-- 
David Masterson

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

David Masterson wrote:

> If you're asking process, I'm trying to avoid my (Gnus)
> sucking down the email from the IMAP (or POP?) servers into
> local file(s) such that their email accidentally disappears
> onto my system. However, I might want to clean up old files
> in their INBOX by deletion or moving to other folders (that
> I might create) on their IMAP server.

Riight ... use IMAP.

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[David Masterson]

Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor
<help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> writes:

> David Masterson wrote:
>
>> I'm not grokking what it says in the Gnus manual for this
>> problem (I must be getting old...). What I want is to setup
>> Gnus as my email reader for most of my family accounts such
>> that I can read through all of the email accounts in one
>> Emacs session. Is there a tutorial on this particular issue?
>
> ... "most of my family accounts"?
>
> What do you mean?

Like the standard email on my iPhone, I'd like to setup (at least some
of) my family accounts as a list to choose from in Gnus so that I don't
have to switch to each login account separately.

> But I think you use `mail-sources' like everyone else
> for that! See
>
>   (info "(gnus) Mail Source Specifiers")

"mail-sources" -- why didn't I think of that...?  Thanks.  

-- 
David Masterson

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

David Masterson wrote:

>> ... "most of my family accounts"?
>>
>> What do you mean?
>
> Like the standard email on my iPhone, I'd like to setup (at
> least some of) my family accounts

What's a family account?

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[David Masterson]

Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor
<help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> writes:

> David Masterson wrote:
>
>>> ... "most of my family accounts"?
>>>
>>> What do you mean?
>>
>> Like the standard email on my iPhone, I'd like to setup (at
>> least some of) my family accounts
>
> What's a family account?

Various IMAP email accounts that I'd like to read and move email around
in. 

-- 
David Masterson

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Óscar Fuentes]

David Masterson <dsmasterson92630@outlook.com> writes:

> I'm not grokking what it says in the Gnus manual for this problem (I
> must be getting old...).  What I want is to setup Gnus as my email
> reader for most of my family accounts such that I can read through all
> of the email accounts in one Emacs session.  Is there a tutorial on this
> particular issue?

That's simple:

(setq mail-sources '((pop
		      :server "some.server.com"
		      :user "user"
		      :password "some-password")
		     (pop :server "pop.gmail.com"
			  :port 995
			  :user "myself@gmail.com"
			  :password "my-gmail-password"
			  :stream ssl)
                     ;;; etc
                     ))

For other methods, such as imap, see the info node Mail Source
Specifiers in the Gnus manual.

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[David Masterson]

Óscar Fuentes <ofv@wanadoo.es> writes:

> David Masterson <dsmasterson92630@outlook.com> writes:
>
>> I'm not grokking what it says in the Gnus manual for this problem (I
>> must be getting old...).  What I want is to setup Gnus as my email
>> reader for most of my family accounts such that I can read through all
>> of the email accounts in one Emacs session.  Is there a tutorial on this
>> particular issue?
>
> That's simple:
>
> (setq mail-sources '((pop
> 		      :server "some.server.com"
> 		      :user "user"
> 		      :password "some-password")
> 		     (pop :server "pop.gmail.com"
> 			  :port 995
> 			  :user "myself@gmail.com"
> 			  :password "my-gmail-password"
> 			  :stream ssl)
>                      ;;; etc
>                      ))
>
> For other methods, such as imap, see the info node Mail Source
> Specifiers in the Gnus manual.

I think I understand better.  I'll check the manual again.

-- 
David Masterson

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Byung-Hee HWANG]

David Masterson <dsmasterson92630@outlook.com> writes:

> I'm not grokking what it says in the Gnus manual for this problem (I
> must be getting old...).  What I want is to setup Gnus as my email
> reader for most of my family accounts such that I can read through all
> of the email accounts in one Emacs session.  Is there a tutorial on this
> particular issue?

X-Message-SMTP-Method is useful for sending.

Sincerely, Gnus fan Byung-Hee

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Sergey Organov]

Byung-Hee HWANG <soyeomul@doraji.xyz> writes:

> David Masterson <dsmasterson92630@outlook.com> writes:
>
>> I'm not grokking what it says in the Gnus manual for this problem (I
>> must be getting old...).  What I want is to setup Gnus as my email
>> reader for most of my family accounts such that I can read through all
>> of the email accounts in one Emacs session.  Is there a tutorial on this
>> particular issue?
>
> X-Message-SMTP-Method is useful for sending.

Is there handy way of setting it automagically depending on the From:
field of the outgoing mail?

Thanks,
-- Sergey Organov

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Daniel Fleischer]

Sergey Organov <sorganov@gmail.com> writes:

> Is there handy way of setting it automagically depending on the From:
> field of the outgoing mail?

You can use 'gnus-posting-styles' that matches the group; for example


(setq gnus-posting-styles
    '((".*"     ; Matches all groups of messages
        (address "Daniel Fleischer <danflscr@gmail.com>")
        (signature "\nDaniel Fleischer")
        ("X-Message-SMTP-Method" "smtp smtp.gmail.com 587 danflscr@gmail.com"))))


will use Google's SMTP, but you can define whatever you want. Read the
documentation since that matching is not like "cond", it iterates over
all clauses, and applies every thing that matches.

-- 

Daniel Fleischer

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Bob Newell]

>> X-Message-SMTP-Method is useful for sending.
>
> Is there handy way of setting it automagically depending on the From:
> field of the outgoing mail?

There are other ways, too. A very easy way is to use msmtp as
your mailer. You can find things online to show you how to use
it with gnus. msmtp reads the From: line and picks an SMTP
server based on that.

Finally, there is custom code. I use this to set the SMTP
server based on the To: field. (I insist that some people only
get mail from my AOL address.) It's complex to describe here
but I can correspond with anyone interested.

-- 
Bob Newell
Honolulu, Hawai`i

- Via GNU/Linux/Emacs/Gnus/BBDB

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Byung-Hee HWANG]

>> X-Message-SMTP-Method is useful for sending.
>
> Is there handy way of setting it automagically depending on the From:
> field of the outgoing mail?

Hellow Sergey!

This was mine with X-Message-SMTP-Method: (Ubuntu 18.04 LTS)
https://gitlab.com/soyeomul/Gnus/-/raw/master/dot.gnus.el

Currently, i am on Debian 11 Bullseye.

Sincerely, Gnus fan Byung-Hee

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Byung-Hee HWANG 🐂🐧]

Byung-Hee HWANG <soyeomul@doraji.xyz> writes:

>>> X-Message-SMTP-Method is useful for sending.
>>
>> Is there handy way of setting it automagically depending on the From:
>> field of the outgoing mail?
>
> Hellow Sergey!
>
> This was mine with X-Message-SMTP-Method: (Ubuntu 18.04 LTS)
> https://gitlab.com/soyeomul/Gnus/-/raw/master/dot.gnus.el

my-gnus-first-try.el: (set by shortcut keys)
https://gitlab.com/soyeomul/Gnus/-/raw/master/my-gnus-first-try.el

Sincerely, Gnus fan Byung-Hee

-- 
^고맙습니다 _白衣從軍_ 감사합니다_^))//

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Michael Heerdegen]

Byung-Hee HWANG 🐂🐧 <soyeomul@doraji.xyz> writes:

> https://gitlab.com/soyeomul/Gnus/-/raw/master/my-gnus-first-try.el

A good start.  Does it do the job?

I think Gnus veterans would tell you to use posting styles:

  (info "(gnus) Posting Styles")

to configure settings on a per account basis instead of changing global
variables back and forth - they are made for exactly this task.  Maybe
you want to give it a try - would be a bit cleaner.

Michael.

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor]

Michael Heerdegen wrote:

> Byung-Hee HWANG < <soyeomul@doraji.xyz> writes:
>
>> https://gitlab.com/soyeomul/Gnus/-/raw/master/my-gnus-first-try.el
>
> A good start.  Does it do the job?
>
> I think Gnus veterans [...]

Hahaha, for how long did you use Gnus, Byung-Hee HWANG?

Other than that ... maybe he is right.

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Byung-Hee HWANG]

Hellow Emanuel,

> Hahaha, for how long did you use Gnus, Byung-Hee HWANG?

Please call me "Byung-Hee", not "Byung-Hee HWANG".

Since 2010, i used Gnus with nnimap (Gmail). I still do not know
elisp at all. The code first-try-el, that idea was from emacs wiki.

Thanks for comments!

Sincerely, Gnus fan Byung-Hee

-- 
^고맙습니다 _救濟蒼生_ 감사합니다_^))//

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Byung-Hee HWANG]

Michael Heerdegen <michael_heerdegen@web.de> writes:

> Byung-Hee HWANG 🐂🐧 <soyeomul@doraji.xyz> writes:
>
>> https://gitlab.com/soyeomul/Gnus/-/raw/master/my-gnus-first-try.el
>
> A good start.  Does it do the job?
>
> I think Gnus veterans would tell you to use posting styles:
>
>   (info "(gnus) Posting Styles")
>
> to configure settings on a per account basis instead of changing global
> variables back and forth - they are made for exactly this task.  Maybe
> you want to give it a try - would be a bit cleaner.

Thanks! Michael ^^^

Sincerely, Gnus fan Byung-Hee

-- 
^고맙습니다 _救濟蒼生_ 감사합니다_^))//

Re: Gnus and multiple Email servers

[Vegard Vesterheim]

On Sun, 21 Nov 2021 22:54:39 +0300 Sergey Organov <sorganov@gmail.com> wrote:

> Byung-Hee HWANG <soyeomul@doraji.xyz> writes:
>
>> David Masterson <dsmasterson92630@outlook.com> writes:
>>
>>> I'm not grokking what it says in the Gnus manual for this problem (I
>>> must be getting old...).  What I want is to setup Gnus as my email
>>> reader for most of my family accounts such that I can read through all
>>> of the email accounts in one Emacs session.  Is there a tutorial on this
>>> particular issue?
>>
>> X-Message-SMTP-Method is useful for sending.
>
> Is there handy way of setting it automagically depending on the From:
> field of the outgoing mail?

https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/GnusAlias

-- 
Vennlig hilsen/Best regards
Vegard Vesterheim
Senior Software engineer
+47 48 11 98 98
vegard.vesterheim@uninett.no