* mu4e.texi: some better section in the manual

This commit is contained in:
djcb 2012-04-02 20:00:42 +03:00
parent 8b2539a835
commit a46e8c8626
1 changed files with 54 additions and 14 deletions

View File

@ -159,6 +159,8 @@ dependency between versions of @t{mu4e} and @t{mu} - you cannot combine
different versions.}, and be available from the command line and emacs
(respectively). You may need to restart @t{emacs} so it can pick up @t{mu4e}.
@subsection mu4e and emacs customization
There is @emph{experimental} support for using the @t{emacs} customization
system in @t{mu4e}, but for now we recommend setting the values
manually. Please refer to @ref{Example configuration} for a couple of examples
@ -306,7 +308,6 @@ Also, see the @t{mu-mkdir} and @t{mu-index} man pages.
their destination until you switch it off again; so, be careful not to do so
accidentally.
@node Basic configuration
@section Basic configuration
@ -420,6 +421,8 @@ This looks something like the following:
In the below, we assume the default key bindings here. If you've changed
those, well, mutatis mutandis.
@subsection Basic actions
First, the @emph{Basics}:
@itemize
@item @t{[j]ump to some maildir} means that after pressing @key{j},
@ -432,6 +435,8 @@ shown. @xref{Searching mail}.
will be thrown in a message-editing buffer, where you can compose a new message.
@end itemize
@subsection Bookmarks
Next come the @emph{Bookmarks}.These are set with the variable
@code{mu4e-bookmarks}; what you see in the above example are the
@emph{default} bookmarks - you can add your own and/or replace the default
@ -439,6 +444,9 @@ ones. @xref{Bookmarks}. In short, you can view the list of messages matching a
bookmark by pressing @key{b} followed by the shortcut for this bookmark. If
you'd like to edit the bookmarked query first, use @key{B}.
@subsection Miscellaneous
Finally, there are some @emph{Misc} actions:
@itemize
@item @t{[U]pdate email & database} will execute whatever is in
@ -478,7 +486,10 @@ End of search results
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@end verbatim
It should be fairly obvious what this means, but here are some notes:
@subsection Some notes
Some notes to explain what you see in the example:
@itemize
@item The fields shown in the headers view can be influenced by customizing
the variable @t{mu4e-headers-fields}
@ -494,10 +505,11 @@ which the header will show @t{To} followed by the recipient.
threading algorithm}@footnote{@url{http://www.jwz.org/doc/threading.html}}.
@end itemize
@subsection Keybindings
Using the default key bindings, you can do various things with these messages;
these actions are also listed in the @t{Headers} menu in the Emacs menu bar.
@verbatim
key description
--- -----------
@ -526,19 +538,21 @@ H get help
q leave the headers buffer
@end verbatim
@subsection Some notes on marking
Note, all mark/unmark commands support the current @emph{region} (i.e.,
selection) -- so, for example, if you the select a number of message and then
press @key{DEL}, all selected message will be marked for deletion.
The two-step mark-execute sequence is similar to what for example @t{dired}
does; @inforef{(emacs) Dired} - it tries to be as quick as possible while
still trying to protect you from accidents.
The two-step mark-execute sequence is similar to what @t{dired} and a number
of other emacs-based programs do. @t{mu4e} tries to be as quick as possible
while still trying to protect you from accidents.
When you try to do a new search, or refresh the headers buffer while you still
have marked messages, normally you will be asked what to do with those marks
-- whether to @emph{apply} them before leaving, @emph{ignore} them or to
@emph{cancel} the operation. This behavior can be influenced with the variable
@code{mu4e-headers-leave-behavior} -- see its documentation.
@code{`mu4e-headers-leave-behavior'} -- see its documentation.
@node Message view
@section Message view
@ -588,6 +602,8 @@ mechanism emacs provides.}
@end itemize
@subsection Keybindings
You can find most things you can do with this message in the @emph{View} menu,
or by using the keyboard; the default bindings are:
@ -626,6 +642,8 @@ Note that @key{x}, which means 'execute actions on marked messages' is not
available in this view, to reduce the risk of accidents. You need to go back
to the headers view to effectuate the actions.
@subsection Attachments
By default, the attachment is opened using either the @t{xdg-open}-program
@footnote{@url{http://portland.freedesktop.org/wiki/}} or (on MacOS) the
q@t{open} program. If you want to use another program, you specify this by
@ -639,6 +657,8 @@ variable @code{mu4e-attachment-dir}, for example:
(setq mu4e-attachment-dir (file-name-expand "~/Downloads"))
@end lisp
@subsection Displaying messages
For displaying messages, @t{mu4e} normally prefers the plain-text version for
messages consisting of both a plain-text and an html (rich-text) version of
its body-text. If there is only an html-version, or if the plaint-text version
@ -690,6 +710,8 @@ Since @t{mu4e} uses Gnu's message editor, for documentation
available, here are some of the essential ones (you can use the menu to find
more):
@subsection Some useful keybindings
@verbatim
key description
--- -----------
@ -714,7 +736,6 @@ search commands (such as with @code{mu4e-search}, @code{mu4e-search-bookmark},
@code{mu4e-search-bookmark-edit-first} and @code{mu4e-jump-to-maildir} with
@kbd{C-u}.
The reason for limiting the number of results in the query is that emacs may
become a bit slow when displaying many results, and in many cases
@code{mu4e-search-results-limit} should be enough.
@ -789,6 +810,7 @@ main view @ref{Main view}, header view @xref{Headers view}, and message view
@xref{Message view}, using (by default) the key @key{b}
(@code{mu4e-search-bookmark}).
@subsection Setting up bookmarks
@code{mu4e} provides some default bookmarks, which you can override. The
definition of the default bookmarks is instructive here:
@ -822,6 +844,8 @@ defined in the echo area, with the shortcut key highlighted. So, to invoke the
bookmark we just defined (to get the list of "Big Messages"), all you need to
type is @key{bb}.
@subsection Editing bookmarks before searching
There is also @code{mu4e-search-bookmark-edit-first} (key @key{B}), which lets
you edit the search query with some bookmark already filled in. This can be
useful if you have many similar queries, but need to change some
@ -841,6 +865,8 @@ client. By default, maildir searches are available in the @ref{Main view},
@ref{Headers view}, and @ref{Message view}, with the key @key{j}
(@code{mu4e-jump-to-maildir}).
@subsection Setting up maildir shortcuts
You can do Maildir searches manually (e.g. with a query like
@code{maildir:/myfolder}) but since it is so common, @t{mu4e} offers a quicker
way to do this.
@ -1238,7 +1264,8 @@ Mail' folder by pressing @kbd{ma}.
@node FAQ - Frequently Anticipated Questions
@chapter FAQ - Frequently Anticipated Questions
In this chapter we list a number of anticipated questions and their answers.
In this chapter we list a number of actual and anticipated questions and their
answers.
@itemize
@item @emph{How can I quickly delete/move/trash a lot of messages?} You can
@ -1260,7 +1287,7 @@ up-to-a-limited-number matches. Same for the other search based commands,
(default: @key{b}).
@item @emph{How can I easily include attachments in the messages I write?}
Drag-and-drop.
@item @emph{When I try do run @t{mu index} while @t{mu4e} os running I get
@item @emph{When I try do run @t{mu index} while @t{mu4e} is running I get
errors like @t{mu: mu_store_new_writable: xapian error 'Unable to get write
lock on ~/.mu/xapian: already locked'}. What can I do about this?} You get
this error because the underlying Xapian database allows itself to be opened
@ -1273,6 +1300,19 @@ but what you can do is telling @t{mu} to (gracefully) terminate:
@end verbatim
@t{mu4e} will automatically restart @t{mu} when it needs it. In practice, this
seems to work quite well.
@item @emph{Can I automatically execute the actions on marked messages when
leaving the headers buffer?} Yes you can -- see the documentation on
@t{mu4e-headers-leave-behavior}.
@item @emph{Can I automatically apply word-wrapping (and hiding cited parts)
when viewing a message?} Yes -- see the documentation on
@t{mu4e-view-wrap-lines} (and @t{mu4e-view-hide-cited}). You can always toggle
between the two states with @key{w} and @key{h}, respectively.
@item @emph{Is there context-sensitive help available?} Yes - pressing @key{H}
in most cases should point you to the right spot in this manual.
@end itemize
@node Known issues / missing features
@ -1298,10 +1338,10 @@ according to thread, then descending by date. It would be nice if it could be
sorted in other ways as well.
@item @emph{The key-bindings are @emph{somewhat} hard-coded} That is, the main
menu assumes the default key-bindings, as do the clicks-on-bookmarks.
@item @emph{Difficulties with attachments in messages with complex
MIME-hierarchy.} While dealing with attachments usually works fine, we have
found some problems with specific mails. This is an issue in @t{mu}, and it is
under investigation.
@item @emph{Attachments are not accessible in draft/sent messages}. Currently,
attachments in saved messages are special strings, which are transformed into
the actual attachments when sending. However, you cannot access them afterwards.
@end itemize