[comp.unix.questions] Few news problems.

raanan@bc-cis.UUCP (Raanan Herrmann) (03/09/87)

	I have few problems with my news version 2.11 on 4.2BSD Unix:

	- News that are posted in our computer to the "general" news-group (this
is a local news group) are fed to the other computers that are connected to
my computer even though that the "sys" file contain the following in 
distribution field (field number 2):
	":!local.all,!general,all,to.sysname:"

	- A batch file for "uuhosts" is not created even though the "sys" entry
for it is reading:
	"uuhosts:mod.map:F:/usr/spool/batch/uuhosts"

	Any ideas?

	Thanks,
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Raanan Herrmann  (...!delftcc,phri!bc-cis!raanan)

heiby@mcdchg.UUCP (03/10/87)

In article <850@bc-cis.UUCP> raanan@bc-cis.UUCP (Raanan Herrmann) writes:
>	- News that are posted in our computer to the "general" news-group (this
>is a local news group) are fed to the other computers that are connected to
>my computer even though that the "sys" file contain the following in 
>distribution field (field number 2):
>	":!local.all,!general,all,to.sysname:"

The problem here is that the keyword "all" is following the exceptions.
As the software parses the "sys" file entries, it must see the "list of
stuff to include" *followed by* the "list of that stuff not to include,
really".  So, your line should instead read:
	":all,!local.all,!general,to.sysname:"
Actually, I don't think you mean that, as it will include *all* to.* groups,
not just to.sysname.  This isn't much of a problem unless you are running
with ihave/sendme protocol, but something more like the following would be
better.
	":all,!local.all,!general,!to,to.sysname:"
All in all, I find it easier to make explicit what categories I'm passing,
with lines like:
	sys:world,na,usa,mod,net,comp,misc,news,rec,sci,soc,to.sys:F

(Don't forget that you can use a "\" to continue lines, as:
	sys:world,na,usa,\
		mod,net,comp,misc,news,rec,sci,soc,to.sys:F
As you can see, I like to seperate the purely distribution-oriented
flags from the newsgroup-oriented flags.)

>	- A batch file for "uuhosts" is not created even though the "sys" entry
>for it is reading:
>	"uuhosts:mod.map:F:/usr/spool/batch/uuhosts"

Here, you've forgotten to add in the distribution, which defaults to "world".
News versions prior to 2.11 didn't require that you include this.  2.11 fixed
the way newsgroups/distributions are handled.  The line should be:
	"uuhosts:world,mod.map:F:/usr/spool/batch/uuhosts"
Of course, if they ever start posting the maps to distribution "na" or "usa",
then you'd have to either add that to the line or replace "world" with it.

Have fun!
-- 
Ron Heiby, mcdchg!heiby		Moderator: mod.newprod & mod.os.unix
Motorola Microcomputer Division (MCD), Schaumburg, IL
"Save your energy.  Save yourselves.  Avoid the planet 'cuae2' at all costs!"