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

NAME
       mod-active - Batch processing of newsgroups creation and removal
       commands

SYNOPSIS
       mod-active [ctlinnd-command-file ...]

DESCRIPTION
       mod-active is a Perl script that updates the active file based on its
       input lines of ctlinnd "newgroup", "rmgroup" and "changegroup"
       commands.  It pauses the server briefly while the existing active file
       is read and rewritten, which not only keeps innd from updating the
       active file but also locks against other instances of mod-active.

       The script must be run as the news user.

       The input to mod-active can come either from one or more ctlinnd-
       command-file files named on the command line, or from the standard
       input.  Typically its input is the output from the docheckgroups or
       actsync commands.  Every line which contains the string "ctlinnd
       newgroup", "ctlinnd rmgroup", or "ctlinnd changegroup", optionally
       preceded by whitespace and/or the path to ctlinnd, is noted for the
       update.  Redundant commands, such as a newgroup directive for a group
       that already exists, are silently ignored.  All other lines in the
       input are also silently ignored.  After the new active file has been
       generated, the existing one is renamed to active.old and the new one is
       moved into place.  The script then displays the differences between the
       two files.  Any groups that were added to the active file are also
       added to the active.times file with the string "checkgroups-update".

       Please note that no syntax checking is performed on group names by mod-
       active.

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

HISTORY
       Written by David C Lawrence <tale@isc.org> for InterNetNews.  Converted
       to POD by Julien Elie.

SEE ALSO
       active(5), active.times(5), actsync(8), ctlinnd(8), docheckgroups(8),
       innd(8).

INN 2.6.0                         2015-09-12                     MOD-ACTIVE(8)