1MOD-ACTIVE(8) System Manager's Manual MOD-ACTIVE(8)
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6 mod-active - batch processing of ctlinnd newgroup/rmgroup/changegroup
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9 mod-active [ ctlinnd_command_file ]
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12 mod-active is a perl script that updates the active file based on its
13 input lines of ctlinnd newgroup, rmgroup and changegroup commands. It
14 pauses the server briefly while the existing active file is read and
15 rewritten, which not only keeps innd from updating the active file but
16 also locks against other instances of mod-active.
17 The input to mod-active can come either from one or more files named on
19 the command line, or from the standard input. Typically its input is
20 the output from the docheckgroups or actsync commands. Every line
21 which contains the string "ctlinnd newgroup", "ctlinnd rmgroup", or
22 "ctlinnd changegroup", optionally preceded by whitespace and/or the
23 path to ctlinnd, is noted for the update. Redundant commands, such as
24 a newgroup directive for a group that already exists, are silently
25 ignored. All other lines in the input are also silently ignored.
26 After the new active file has been generated, the existing one is
28 renamed to active.old and the new one is moved into place. The script
29 then displays the differences between the two files.
30 Any groups that were added to the active file are also added to the
32 active.times file with the string "checkgroups-update".
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35 Though innd is paused while mod-active works, it is not inconceivable
36 that there could be a conflict if something else tries to update the
37 active file during the relatively short time that mod-active is work‐
38 ing. The two most realistic ways I can think of for this to happen are
39 either by an administrator concurrently doing a manual ctlinnd command,
40 or by innd receiving a control message, then mod-active pausing the
41 server, then the control message handler script that innd forked run‐
42 ning its own ctlinnd command while mod-active is working. I've been
43 using mod-active regularly for several years, though, and never had
44 either problem.
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47 Written by David C Lawrence <tale@isc.org>.
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50 active(5), active.times(5), actsync(8), ctlinnd(8), innd(8).
51 MOD-ACTIVE(8)