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 2.7.2                                          2024-03-31                                      MOD-ACTIVE(8)