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Tree Display
============
If you don't like the normal Gnus summary display, you might try
setting `gnus-use-trees' to `t'. This will create (by default) an
additional "tree buffer". You can execute all summary mode commands in
the tree buffer.
There are a few variables to customize the tree display, of course:
`gnus-tree-mode-hook'
A hook called in all tree mode buffers.
`gnus-tree-mode-line-format'
A format string for the mode bar in the tree mode buffers. The
default is `Gnus: %%b [%A] %Z'. For a list of legal specs,
see Summary Buffer Mode Line..
`gnus-selected-tree-face'
Face used for highlighting the selected article in the tree
buffer. The default is `modeline'.
`gnus-tree-line-format'
A format string for the tree nodes. The name is a bit of a
misnomer, though--it doesn't define a line, but just the node.
The default value is `%(%[%3,3n%]%)', which displays the first
three characters of the name of the poster. It is vital that all
nodes are of the same length, so you *must* use `%4,4n'-like
specifiers.
Legal specs are:
`n'
The name of the poster.
`f'
The `From' header.
`N'
The number of the article.
`['
The opening bracket.
`]'
The closing bracket.
`s'
The subject.
See Formatting Variables.
Variables related to the display are:
`gnus-tree-brackets'
This is used for differentiating between "real" articles and
"sparse" articles. The format is ((REAL-OPEN . REAL-CLOSE)
(SPARSE-OPEN . SPARSE-CLOSE) (DUMMY-OPEN . DUMMY-CLOSE)), and
the default is `((?[ . ?]) (?( . ?)) (?{ . ?}))'.
`gnus-tree-parent-child-edges'
This is a list that contains the characters used for
connecting parent nodes to their children. The default is
`(?- ?\\ ?|)'.
`gnus-tree-minimize-window'
If this variable is non-`nil', Gnus will try to keep the tree
buffer as small as possible to allow more room for the other Gnus
windows. If this variable is a number, the tree buffer will never
be higher than that number. The default is `t'.
`gnus-generate-tree-function'
The function that actually generates the thread tree. Two
predefined functions are available:
`gnus-generate-horizontal-tree' and `gnus-generate-vertical-tree'
(which is the default).
Here's and example from a horizontal tree buffer:
{***}-(***)-[odd]-[Gun]
| \[Jan]
| \[odd]-[Eri]
| \(***)-[Eri]
| \[odd]-[Paa]
\[Bjo]
\[Gun]
\[Gun]-[Jor]
Here's the same thread displayed in a vertical tree buffer:
{***}
|--------------------------\-----\-----\
(***) [Bjo] [Gun] [Gun]
|--\-----\-----\ |
[odd] [Jan] [odd] (***) [Jor]
| | |--\
[Gun] [Eri] [Eri] [odd]
|
[Paa]