== fortune.el library ==

fortune.el is a fortune frontend for Emacs. It is bundled with Emacs.

To load put the following in .emacs file:

 (autoload 'fortune "fortune" nil t)
 (autoload 'fortune-add-fortune "fortune" nil t)
 (autoload 'fortune-from-region "fortune" nil t)
 (autoload 'fortune-compile "fortune" nil t)
 (autoload 'fortune-to-signature "fortune" nil t)

or simply:

 (require 'fortune)

Then set the path and file which should use fortune. E.g.:

 (setq fortune-dir "/usr/share/fortune")
 (setq fortune-file "/usr/share/fortune/bofh-excuses")

To insert a fortune in your signature use this function:

 (defun my-fortune-signature (&optional file signature-separator)
   (end-of-buffer)
   (if signature-separator
       (insert signature-separator)
     (insert "-- \n"))
   (if file
     (insert (fortune-to-signature file))
     (insert (fortune-to-signature))))


Automaticly insert a new signature every time you write a new mail:

  (add-hook 'message-signature-setup-hook 'fortune-to-signature)

== fortune shell command ==

Alternatively, you might just want to call the external ##fortune## as a shell command.

For example, to set your initial scratch buffer message:

 ;; Supply a random fortune cookie as the *scratch* message.
 (when (executable-find "fortune")
   (setq initial-scratch-message
         (with-temp-buffer
           (shell-command "fortune" t)
           (let ((comment-start ";;"))
             (comment-region (point-min) (point-max)))
           (concat (buffer-string) "\n"))))

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