ACTSYNC(8)ACTSYNC(8)NAME
actsync, actsyncd - synchronize newsgroups
SYNOPSISactsync [-A] [-b hostid] [-d hostid] [-g max]
[-i ignore_file] [-I hostid] [-k] [-l hostid] [-m]
[-n name] [-o fmt] [-p min_%_unchg] [-q hostid]
[-s size] [-t hostid] [-T] [-v verbosity]
[-z sec] [host1] host2
actsyncd [-x] actsync.cfg [debug_level [debug_outfmt] ]
DESCRIPTIONActsync(8) permits one to synchronize, compare, or merge two active
files. With this utility one may add, change, or remove newsgroups on
the local news server to make it similar to the list the newsgroups
found on another system or file. The synchronization need not be
exact. Local differences in newsgroup lists may be maintained and pre‐
served. Certain newsgroup errors may be detected and optionally cor‐
rected.
There are several reasons to run actsync(8) (or actsyncd(8)), on a
periodic basis. Among the reasons are:
A control message to add, change or remove a newsgroup may fail to
reach your site.
Your control.ctl may be out of date or incomplete.
News articles for a new newsgroup can arrive ahead (sometimes days
ahead) of the control message.
Control messages may be forged, thus bypassing the restrictions
found in control.ctl .
Your active file may have been trashed.
If host1 or host2 begins with a ``.'' or ``/'', then it is assumed to
be a name of a file containing information in the active(5) format.
The getlist(1) utility may be used to obtain copy a remote system's
active file via its NNTP server, or an FTP client program can retrieve
such a file from an FTP archive (such as
ftp://ftp.isc.org/pub/usenet/CONFIG/active; see more about this below).
Newsgroup information from a file may be treated as if it was obtained
from a host. In this man page host1 and host2 are called hosts, even
though they may be file names.
If a host argument does not begin with ``.'' or ``/'', is assumed to
be a hostname or Internet address. In this case, actsync(8) will
attempt to use the NNTP protocol to obtain a copy of the the specified
system's active file. If the host argument contains a ``:'' , the
right side will be considerd the port to connect to on the remote sys‐
tem. If no port number is specified, actsync(8) will connect to port
119.
Regardless how the active file information is obtained, the actions of
actsync(8) remain the same.
If only one host is specified, it is assumed to be host2; if host1 is
not specified, it assumed to be the default local NNTP server as speci‐
fied by the NNTPSERVER environment variable, or by the server value
found in inn.conf.
The newsgroup synchronization, by default, involves all newsgroups
found on both hosts. One may also synchronize a subset of newsgroups
by directing actsync(8) to ignore certain newsgroups from both systems.
Only newsgroups with valid names will be synchronized. To be valid, a
newsgroup name must consist only of alphanumeric characters, ``.'',
``+'', ``-'', and ``_''. One may not have two ``.''s in a row. The
first character must be alphanumeric, as must any character following a
``.''. The name may not end in a ``.'' character.
The actsyncd(8) daemon provides a convenient interface to configure and
run actsync(8). If a host is not initially reachable, the daemon will
retry up to 9 additional times, waiting 6 minutes before each retry.
This daemon runs in the foreground, sending output to standard output
and standard error.
If the -x flag is given to actsyncd(8), then a ctlinnd xexec will be
used instead of a ctlinnd reload to load the newly modified active
file.
The configuration filename for the daemon is given as a commandline
argument, usually <pathetc in inn.conf>/actsync.cfg The config file can
contain the following options:
host=host2
ftppath=/remote/path/to/active/file
spool=<normally patharticles in inn.conf>
ignore_file=ignore_file
flags=actsyncd(8) options
The host, ignore_file, and flags lines are mandatory.
The keyword must start at the beginning of the line, and there may be
no whitespace before the ``='' character. Blank lines are ignored.
Comment lines start with ``#'' and are ignored. Any other lines may
produce undefined results.
The host config file line refers to the host2 parameter to actsync(8).
The ftppath directive causes the machine named in the host line to
accessed as an ftp server, retrieving the file named. If the filename
ends in .gz or .Z, then it will automatically be uncompressed after
retrieval. The spool config file lines determines where the top of the
news spool tree is to be found. The ignore_file config file line names
the ignore file to be used by actsync(8). The flags config file line
contains any flags that you wish to pass to actsync(8).
Note that the -i ignore_file option and the -o format option should not
be given in the flags= line because they are automatically taken care
of by actsyncd(8).
INN is shipped with default values of ftp.isc.org for host and
/pub/usenet/CONFIG/active for ftppath. You can read about the policies
used for maintaining that active file at
ftp://ftp.isc.org/pub/usenet/CONFIG/README. Consider sychronizing from
this file on a daily basis by using cron(8).
OPTIONS
The options to actsync(8) are as follows:
-Aactsync(8) tries to authenticate before issuing LIST command.
-b hostid
This flag causes actsync(8) to ignore newsgroups with
``bork.bork.bork'' style names. That is, newsgroups whose last
3 components are identical. For example, the following news‐
groups have bork style names:
alt.helms.dork.dork.dork
alt.auto.accident.sue.sue.sue
alt.election.vote.vote.vote
The value hostid determines on which hosts this action is per‐
formed:
0 neither host
1 local default server
2 remove server
12 both servers
21 both servers
The default is -b 0; no newsgroups are ignored because of bork-
style names.
-d hostid
This flag causes actsync(8) to ignore newsgroups that have all
numeric path components. The hostid value is interpreted the
same as in -b. For example, the following newsgroups have
numeric path components:
alt.prime.chongo.23209
391581.times.2.to_the.216193.power.-1
99.bottles.of.treacle.on.the.wall
linfield.class.envio_bio.101.d
The newsgroups directory of a newsgroups with a all numeric com‐
ponent could conflict with an article from another group if
stored using the ``tradspool'' storage method; see stor‐
age.conf(5). For example, the directory for the first newsgroup
listed above is the same path as article number 23209 from the
newsgroup:
alt.prime.chongo
The default is -d 0; all numeric newsgroups from both hosts will
be processed.
-g max Ignore any newsgroup with more than max levels. For example, -g
6 would ignore:
alt.feinstien.votes.to.trash.freedom.of.speech
alt.senator.exon.enemy.of.the.internet
alt.crypto.export.laws.dumb.dumb.dumb
but would not ignore:
alt.feinstien.acts.like.a.republican
alt.exon.amendment
alt.crypto.export.laws
If max is 0, then the max level feature is disabled.
By default, the max level feature is disabled.
-i ignore_file
The ignore_file , usually <pathetc in inn.conf>/actsync.ign ,
allows one to have a fine degree of control over which news‐
groups are ignored. It contains a set of rules that specifies
which newsgroups will be checked and which will be ignored.
By default, these rules apply to both hosts. This can be modi‐
fied by using the -I hostid flag.
By default, all newsgroups are checked. If no ignore_file if
specified, or if the ignore file contains no rule lines, all
newsgroups will be checked.
Blank lines and text after a ``#'' are considered comments and
are ignored.
Rule lines consist of tokens separated by whitespace. Rule
lines may be one of two forms:
c newsgroup [type ...]
i newsgroup [type ...]
If the rule begins with a c then the rule requests certain news‐
groups to be checked. If the rule begins with an i then the
rule requests certain newsgroups to be ignored. The newsgroup
field may be a specific newsgroup, or a uwildmat(3) pattern.
If one or more types are specified, then the rule applies to the
newsgroup only if is of the specified type. Types refer to the
4th field of the active file; that is, a type may be one of:
y
n
m
j
x
=group.name
Unlike active files, the group.name in an alias type may be a
newsgroup name or a uwildmat(3) pattern. Also, ``='' is equiva‐
lent to ``=*''.
On each rule line, no pattern type may not be repeated. For
example, one may not have more than one type that begins with
``='', per line. However, one may achieve an effect equivalent
to using multiple ``='' types by using multiple rule lines
affecting the same newsgroup.
By default, all newsgroups are candidates to be checked. If an
ignore file is used, each newsgroup in turn is checked against
the ignore file. If multiple lines match a given newsgroup, the
last line in the ignore file is used.
For example, consider the following ignore file lines:
i *.general
c *.general m
i nsa.general
The newsgroups ba.general and mod.general would be synchronized
if moderated and ignored if not moderated. The newsgroup
nsa.general would be ignored regardless of moderation status.
All newsgroups not matching *.general would be synchronized by
default.
-I hostid
This flag restricts which hosts are affected by the ignore file.
The hostid value is interpreted the same as in -b described
above.
This flag may be useful in conjunction with the -m merge flag.
For example:
actsync-i actsync.ign -I 2 -m host1 host2
will keep all newsgroups currently on host1 . It will also will
only compare host1 groups with non-ignored newsgroups from host2
.
The default is -I 12, newsgroups from both hosts to be ignored
per the -i actsync.ign file.
-k By default, any newsgroup on host1 that is in error will be con‐
sidered for removal. This causes actsync(8) simply ignore such
newsgroups. This flag, used in combination with -m , will pre‐
vent any newsgroup from being scheduled for removal.
-l hostid
This flag causes ``problem newsgroups'' of type ``='' from host1
or host2 to be considered as errors. The hostid value is inter‐
preted the same as in -b. Newsgroups of type ``='' are news‐
groups active entries that have 4th field that begins with
``='', i.e. newsgroups that are equivalent to other newsgroups.
A ``problem'' newsgroup is one which is:
* equivalent to itself
* in an equivalence chain that loops around
to itself
* in an equivalence chain longer than 16 groups
* equivalent to a non-existant newsgroup
* equivalent to a newsgroup that has an error
of some kind
However, a newsgroup that is equivalent to an ignored newsgroup
is not a problem.
By default, problem newsgroups from both hosts are marked as
errors.
-m Merge newsgroups instead of sync. By default, if a newsgroup
exists on host1 but not host2, it will be scheduled to be
removed. This flag disables this process, permitting newsgroups
unique to host1 to be kept.
-n name
The ctlinnd(8) command is used to create newsgroups as neces‐
sary. By default, the creator name used is actsync. This flag
changes the creator name to name.
-o fmt
Determine the output / action format of this utility. The fmt
may one of:
a output in active(5) format
a1 output in active(5) format,
and output host1 non-error ignored groups
ak output in active(5) format, but use host2
hi & low (2nd & 3rd active fields) values
for any newsgroup being created
aK output in active(5) format, but use host2
hi & low (2nd & 3rd active fields) values
for all newsgroups found in host2
a1k output in active(5) format, but use host2
hi & low (2nd & 3rd active fields) values
for any newsgroup being created,
and output host1 non-error ignored groups
a1K output in active(5) format, but use host2
hi & low (2nd & 3rd active fields) values
for all newsgroups found in host2,
and output host1 non-error ignored groups
ak1 same as a1k
aK1 same as a1K
c output in ctlinnd(8) format
x no output, directly exec ctlinnd(8) commands
xi no output, directly exec ctlinnd(8) commands,
in an interactive mode
The a, a1, ak, aK, a1k, a1K, ak1 and aK1 style formats allow one
to form a new active file instead of producing ctlinnd(8) com‐
mands. They use hi & low values of 0000000000 and 0000000001
respectively for newsgroups that are created. The ak and aK
variants change the the hi & low (2nd & 3rd active fields). In
the case of ak, newsgroups created take their hi & low values
from host2. In the case of aK, all newsgroups found on host2
take their hi & low values from host2.
The c format produces ctlinnd(8) commands. No actions are taken
because actsync(8) simply prints ctlinnd(8) commands on standard
output. The sync (or merge) with host2 may be accomplished by
piping this output into sh(1). A paranoid person might prefer
to use x or xi in case a newsgroup name or type contains bogus
characters that might be interpreted by sh(1). Even so, this
output format is useful to let you see how host1 will be
affected by the sync (or merge) with host2.
The sync (or merge) may be accomplished directly by use of the x
format. With this format, actsync(8) uses the execl(2) system
call to directly execute ctlinnd(8) commands. Because of the
exec, there is no risk of bogus newsgroups containing bogus
characters causing a shell to do bogus (or dangerous) things.
The output of such exec calls may be seen if the verbosity level
is at least 2.
The actsync(8) utility will pause for 4 seconds before each com‐
mand is executed if -o x is selected. See the -z sec flag below
for discussion of this delay and how to customize it.
The xi format interactively prompts on standard output and reads
directives on standard input. One may pick and choose changes
using this format.
Care should be taken when producing active(5) formatted output.
One should check to be sure that actsync(8) exited with a zero
status prior to using such output. Also one should realize that
such output will not contain lines ignored due to -i ignore_file
even if -p 100 is used.
By default, -o c is assumed.
-p min_%_unchg
By default, the actsync(8) utility has safeguards against per‐
forming massive changes. If fewer than min_%_unchg percent of
the non-ignored lines from host1 remain unchanged, no actions
(output, execution, etc.) are performed and actsync(8) exits
with a non-zero exit status. The min_%_unchg may be a floating
point value such as 66.667.
A change is considered a host1 line that was removed, added,
changed, or found to be in error. Changing the 2nd or 3rd
active fields via -oak or -o aK are not considered changes by
-p.
To force actsync(8) to accept any amount of change, use the -p 0
option. To force actsync(8) to reject any changes, use the -p
100 option.
Care should be taken when producing active(5)-formatted output;
be sure to check that actsync(8) exited with a zero status prior
to using such output. Also one should realize that such output
will not contain lines ignored by the -i ignore_file process
even if -p 100 is used.
By default, 96% of the lines not ignored in host1 must be
unchanged. That is, by default, -p 96 is assumed.
-q hostid
By default, all newsgroup errors are reported on standard error.
This flag quiets errors from host1 or host2. The hostid value
is interpreted the same as in -b.
-s size
If size > 0, then ignore newsgroups with names longer than size,
and ignore newsgroups equivalent (by following ``='' chains) to
names longer than size. Length checking is performed on both
the local and remote hosts.
By default, size is 0 and thus no length checking is performed.
-t hostid
Ignore improper newsgroups consisting of only a top component
from host1 or host2. The hostid value is interpreted the same
as in -b. The following newsgroups are considered proper news‐
groups despite top only names and therefore are exempt from this
flag:
control
general
junk
test
to
For example, the following newsgroup names are improper because
they only contain a top level component:
dole_for_pres
dos
microsoft
windows95
The default is -t 2, that is, all improper top-level-only news‐
groups from the remote are ignored.
-T This flag causes host2 newsgroups from new hierarchies to be
ignored. Normally a newsgroup which only exists on host2 , for
example chongo.was.here , will be created for host1. However,
if this flag is given and host1 does not have any other news‐
groups in the same hierarchy, e.g. ``chongo.*'', then the news‐
group in question will be ignored and will not be created on
host1.
-v verbosity
By default, actsync(8) is not verbose. This flag controls the
verbosity level as follows:
0 no debug or status reports (default)
1 print summary,
but only if work was needed or done
2 print actions, exec output, and summary,
but only if work was needed or done
3 print actions, exec output, and summary
4 full debug output
-z sec If -o x is selected, actsync(8) will pause for sec seconds
before each command is executed. This helps prevent innd(8)
from being busied-out if a large number of ctlinnd(8) commands
are needed. One can entirely disable this sleeping by using -z
0.
By default, actsync(8) will pause for 4 seconds before each com‐
mand is executed if -o x is selected.
EXAMPLES
Determine the difference (but don't change anything) between your news‐
group set and uunet's set:
actsync news.uu.net
Same as above, with full debug and progress reports:
actsync-v 4 news.uu.net
Force a site to have the same newsgroups some other site:
actsync-o x master
This may be useful to sync a slave site to its master, or to sync
internal site to a gateway.
Compare your site with uunet, disregarding local groups and certain
local differences with uunet. Produce a report if any differences were
encountered:
actsync-v 2 -i actsync.ign news.uu.net
where actsync.ign contains:
# Don't compare to.* groups as they will differ.
#
i to.*
# These are our local groups that nobody else
# (should) carry. So ignore them for the sake
# of the compare.
#
i nsa.*
# These groups are local favorites, so keep them
# even if uunet does not carry them.
#
i ca.dump.bob.dorman
i ca.keep.bob.dorman
i alt.tv.dinosaurs.barney.die.die.die
i alt.tv.dinosaurs.barney.love.love.love
i alt.sounds.* =alt.binaries.sounds.*
To interactively sync against news.uu.net, using the same ignore file:
actsync-o xi -v 2 -i actsync.ign news.uu.net
Based on newsgroups that you decided to keep, one could make changes to
the actsync.ign file:
# Don't compare to.* groups as they will differ.
#
i to.*
# These are our local groups that nobody else
# (should) carry. So ignore them for the sake
# of the compare.
#
i nsa.*
# These groups are local favorites, so keep them
# even if uunet does not carry them.
#
i ca.dump.bob.dorman
i alt.tv.dinosaurs.barney.die.die.die
i alt.sounds.* =alt.binaries.sounds.*
# Don't sync test groups, except for ones that are
# moderated or that are under the gnu hierarchy.
i *.test
c *.test m # check moderated test groups
c gnu.*.test
c gnu.test # just in case it ever exists
Automatic processing may be setup by using the following actsync.cfg
file:
# host to sync off of (host2)
host=news.uu.net
# location of the ignore file
ignore_file=<pathetc in inn.conf>/actsync.ign
# where news articles are kept
spool=<patharticles in inn.conf>
# actsync(8) flags
#
# Automatic execs, report if something was done,
# otherwise don't say anything, don't report
# uunet active file problems, just ignore
# the affected entries.
flags=-o x -v 2 -q 2
and then by running actsyncd(8) with the path to the config file:
actsyncd <pathetc in inn.conf>/actsync.cfg
One may produce a trial actsyncd(8) run without changing anything on
the server by supplying the debug_level arg:
actsyncd <pathetc in inn.conf>/actsync.cfg 2
The debug_level causes actsyncd(8) to run actsync(8) with an -v
debug_level (overriding any -v flag on the flags line), not make any
changes to the active file, write a new active file to standard output,
and write debug messages to standard error.
If the debug_outfmt arg is also given to actsyncd(8) then the data
written to standard output will be in -o debug_outfmt instead of in -o
a1 format. The /bin/sh command
actsyncd <pathetc in inn.conf>/actsync.cfg 4 \
>cmd.log 2>dbg.log
will operate in debug mode, not change the active file, write
ctlinnd(8) style commands to cmd.log, and write debug statements to
dbg.log.
To check only the major hierarchies against news.uu,net, use the fol‐
lowing actsync.ign file:
# by default, ignore everything
i *
# check the major groups
c comp.*
c gnu.*
c sci.*
c alt.*
c misc.*
c news.*
c rec.*
c soc.*
c talk.*
and the command:
actsync-i actsync.ign news.uu.net
To determine the differences between your old active and your current
default server:
actsync <pathetc in inn.conf>/active.old -
To report but not fix any newsgroup problems with the current active
file:
actsync - -
To detect any newsgroup errors on your local server, and to remove any
*.bork.bork.bork style silly newsgroup names:
actsync-b 2 - -
The active file produced by:
actsync ...flags... -o x erehwon.honey.edu
or by:
actsync ...flags... -o c erehwon.honey.edu | sh
is effectively the same as the active file produced by:
ctlinnd pause 'running actsync'
rm -f active.new
actsync ...flags... -o a1 erehwon.honey.edu > active.new
rm -f active.old
ln active active.old
mv active.new active
ctlinnd reload active 'running actsync'
ctlinnd go 'running actsync'
It should be noted that the final method above, pausing the server and
simply replacing the active file, is faster.
CAUTION
Careless use of this tool may result in the unintended addition,
change, or removal of newsgroups. You should avoid using the x output
format until you are sure it will do what you want.
BUGS
If a newsgroup appears multiple times, actsync(8) will treat all copies
as errors. However, if the group is marked for removal, only one
rmgroup will be issued.
The timeout for ctlinnd(8) commands is fixed at 30 seconds when running
in ``x'' or ``xi'' output format. Perhaps the timeout value should be
controlled via a command line option?
SEE ALSOactive(5),
simpleftp(1),
mod-active(8),
ctlinnd(8),
getlist(8),
inn.conf(5).
HISTORY
Written by Landon Curt Noll <chongo@toad.com> for InterNetNews.
Updated to support ftp fetching by David Lawrence <tale@isc.org>.
ACTSYNC(8)
