1MOD-ACTIVE(8)             InterNetNews Documentation             MOD-ACTIVE(8)
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NAME

6       mod-active - Batch processing of newsgroups creation and removal
7       commands
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SYNOPSIS

10       mod-active [ctlinnd-command-file ...]
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DESCRIPTION

13       mod-active is a Perl script that updates the active file based on its
14       input lines of ctlinnd "newgroup", "rmgroup" and "changegroup"
15       commands.  It pauses the server briefly while the existing active file
16       is read and rewritten, which not only keeps innd from updating the
17       active file but also locks against other instances of mod-active.
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19       The script must be run as the news user.
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21       The input to mod-active can come either from one or more ctlinnd-
22       command-file files named on the command line, or from the standard
23       input.  Typically its input is the output from the docheckgroups or
24       actsync commands.  Every line which contains the string "ctlinnd
25       newgroup", "ctlinnd rmgroup", or "ctlinnd changegroup", optionally
26       preceded by whitespace and/or the path to ctlinnd, is noted for the
27       update.  Redundant commands, such as a newgroup directive for a group
28       that already exists, are silently ignored.  All other lines in the
29       input are also silently ignored.  After the new active file has been
30       generated, the existing one is renamed to active.old and the new one is
31       moved into place.  The script then displays the differences between the
32       two files.  Any groups that were added to the active file are also
33       added to the active.times file with the string "checkgroups-update".
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35       Please note that no syntax checking is performed on group names by mod-
36       active.
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BUGS

39       Though innd is paused while mod-active works, it is not inconceivable
40       that there could be a conflict if something else tries to update the
41       active file during the relatively short time that mod-active is
42       working.  The two most realistic ways for this to happen are either by
43       an administrator concurrently doing a manual ctlinnd command, or by
44       innd receiving a control message, then mod-active pausing the server,
45       then the control message handler script that innd forked running its
46       own ctlinnd command while mod-active is working.  Note that such
47       scenarios are very unlikely to happen.
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HISTORY

50       Written by David C Lawrence <tale@isc.org> for InterNetNews.  Converted
51       to POD by Julien Elie.
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SEE ALSO

54       active(5), active.times(5), actsync(8), ctlinnd(8), docheckgroups(8),
55       innd(8).
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59INN 2.6.5                         2022-01-23                     MOD-ACTIVE(8)
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