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(sc)Anonymous Attributions

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Anonymous Attributions
======================

   When the author's name cannot be found in the `From:' mail header, a
fallback author name and attribution string must be supplied.  The
fallback author name is contained in the variable
`sc-default-author-name' and the fallback attribution string is
contained in the variable `sc-default-attribution'.  Default values for
these variables are `"Anonymous"' and `"Anon"', respectively. Note that
in most circumstances, getting the default author name or attribution
is a sign that something is set up incorrectly.

   Also, if the preferred attribution, which you specified in your
`sc-preferred-attribution-alist' variable cannot be found, a secondary
method can be employed to find a valid attribution string. The variable
`sc-use-only-preference-p' controls what happens in this case.  If the
variable's value is non-`nil', then `sc-default-author-name' and
`sc-default-attribution' are used, otherwise, the following steps are
taken to find a valid attribution string, and the first step to return
a non-`nil', non-empty string becomes the attribution:

  1. Use the last selected attribution, if there is one.

  2. Use the value of the `"x-attribution"' key.

  3. Use the author's first name.

  4. Use the author's last name.

  5. Use the author's initials.

  6. Find the first non-`nil', non-empty attribution string in the
     attribution alist.

  7. `sc-default-attribution' is used.

   Once the attribution string has been automatically selected, a
number of things can happen. If the variable `sc-confirm-always-p' is
non-`nil', you are queried for confirmation of the chosen attribution
string. The possible values for completion are those strings in the
attribution alist, however you are not limited to these choices.  You
can type any arbitrary string at the confirmation prompt. The string
you enter becomes the value associated with the `"sc-lastchoice"' key
in the attribution alist.

   Once an attribution string has been selected, Supercite will force
the string to lower case if the variable `sc-downcase-p' is non-`nil'.

   Two hook variables provide even greater control of the attribution
selection process.  The hook `sc-attribs-preselect-hook' is run before
any attribution is selected.  Likewise, the hook
`sc-attribs-postselect-hook' is run after the attribution is selected
(and the corresponding citation string is built), but before these
values are committed for use by Supercite.  During the post-selection
hook, the local variables `attribution' and `citation' are bound to the
appropriate strings.  By changing these variables in your hook
functions, you change the attribution and citation strings used by
Supercite.  One possible use of this would be to override any
automatically derived attribution string when it is only one character
long; e.g. you prefer to use `"initials"' but the author only has one
name.