The formalities :-
[ lemacs-version 19.10 ; vm-version 5.55.L (beta) ; bbdb-version 1.50 ]
I'm a new BBDB user and am curious to know typical customizations / the
way in which folks actually use the package.
I've read the BBDB info nodes, but I use pretty much the default setup
(see vars at end).
I have the following observations/questions that are preventing me from
getting much out of BBDB:
Each time I move to a next or previous message, bbdb displays the
author's info in the small window at the bottom of the screen. This info
is typically of the form:
Michael Hucka
net: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Now, this information seems of little use to me, since it is visible in
the mail headers (the author's name is also visible in the summary
buffer). Also the (default) 5 lines waste screen-estate that would
otherwise display more of the message's first page.
I know I can insert `notes' about any author, but my BBDB database
contains over 150 entries (after a week); I don't know most of these
people and really can't think of any interesting `notes' for them!
Should I periodically switch to the BBDB buffer and manually s(ave) the
BBDB database?
When I switch to the BBDB buffer and m(ail) to the author, the mail
composition buffer is just 5 lines tall. Can I tell the VM window
configuration stuff to make such a window larger?
Finally, I run GNUS in a separate emacs (so I can still read mail or do
work in my other emacs while GNUS is sucking the net). Whenever I return
to GNUS, I am prompted that "BBDB has changed on disk. Revert?" This
seems a pain.
You may say "Hey, this package isn't for you, dude", which might be
true.
However, due to its popularity, I feel I'm under-utilizing it, and would
like to know how you folks gain the most benefit from it?
Thanks,
--- John.
vars:
(setq bbdb-send-mail-style 'vm)
(setq bbdb-dial-local-prefix "9")
(setq bbdb-dial-long-distance-prefix "1")
(setq bbdb-info-file "/kontiki/jsc/gnuemacs/bbdb/bbdb.info")
(autoload 'bbdb "bbdb-com" "Insidious Big Brother Database" t)
(autoload 'bbdb-name "bbdb-com" "Insidious Big Brother Database" t)
(autoload 'bbdb-company "bbdb-com" "Insidious Big Brother Database" t)
(autoload 'bbdb-net "bbdb-com" "Insidious Big Brother Database" t)
(autoload 'bbdb-notes "bbdb-com" "Insidious Big Brother Database" t)
(autoload 'bbdb-insinuate-vm "bbdb-vm" "Hook BBDB into VM" t)
(autoload 'bbdb-insinuate-gnus "bbdb-gnus" "Hook BBDB into GNUS" t)
(autoload 'bbdb-insinuate-sendmail "bbdb" "Hook BBDB into sendmail" t)
(add-hook 'gnus-startup-hook 'bbdb-insinuate-gnus)
(if running-era
(add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'bbdb-insinuate-sendmail))
