[net.news.b] Active file deletions

sjb (06/18/82)

It was just pointed out to me that at least one legitimate group
(in this case, net.periphs) was deleted from our active file.  I
just reinstated it and found that it happened around THREE MONTHS
AGO; i.e. there are now three months worth of net.periphs waiting
to be read by us!  This can get very annoying.  I have no idea
just how many groups are in this situation here now (groups that
have directories and dot-files in SPOOLDIR but no entry in the
active file) and will cross check SPOOLDIR against the active file
to make sure.  My suggestion is that when articles come into a
group (or groups) with no entry in the active file, that an entry
for them be put back into the file.  This is not the same as
creating a new group, since the directory for the group already
exists, so inews does not at the present reenter the group in
the active file.

Adam

lepreau (06/19/82)

Yeah, this can be a problem.  Here's a script I run every now and then,
particularly after I've edited the active file to reorder it.  It's
probably missing some long ng name substutitions at other sites.

cd /usr/spool/news
ls -d [a-z]* | sed -e 's/wizar$/wizards/' -e 's/rogu$/rogue/' \
 -e 's/pacm$/pacman/' -e 's/newsi$/newsite/' -e 's/base$/baseball/' \
 -e 's/hock$/hockey/' -e 's/skydiv$/skydive/' -e 's/direc$/directory/' \
 > /tmp/chkngs.$$
sort /usr/lib/news/active | diff - /tmp/chkngs.$$
rm /tmp/chkngs.$$

-jay lepreau