Subject: Bug#3942: tin cannot find Newsgroup Descriptions

From: Christoph Lameter <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1996 15:45:37 -0700 (PDT)

Package: tin
Version: tin-1.3beta.950824-12

I just set up INN (debian 1.1) and copied over my newsgroups file to
/var/lib/news. There INN finds it and processes it correctly but tin
does not show these descriptions when run in non nntp mode.
When tin runs in NNTP mode all works fine.

tin expects the descriptions instead in /etc/news/descriptions! I found
that by studying the source package. Please move the file to a standard
location and name it the way INN wants it or provide a symlink.

---

From: Kenny Wickstrom <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1996 00:00:23 -0500 (CDT)

> location and name it the way INN wants it or provide a symlink.

I can make a change to the source to point it in right place.  My
question: Is /var/lib/news/descriptions a standard location for this file
with other news servers such as C-News?  Or should I look for the file at
installation time and make a link to a file whereever I find it?  Or
(better yet for me) should the news server create a link from /etc/news to
whereever they locate the file?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Kenny Wickstrom           | gnu - a new generation in s/w devel/support
[email-masked]          | Linux - a much improved Un*x clone
(847)740-4008             | Debian - a Linux distribution setting the
#include <std-disclaimer> |    standard for future distributions

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From: Christoph Lameter <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1996 22:46:17 -0700 (PDT)

> whereever they locate the file?
The standard location is
/usr/lib/news/newsgroups corresponding to the active file in the same
directory /usr/lib/news/active.

But since Debian separates variables from programs and places the active
file in /var/lib/news therefore one would expect that also the
newsgroups file should live there. INN expects it there under the
name "newsgroups" and not "descriptions". The newsgroups file is also
processed by a number of utilities that automatically add and remove
newsgroups during INN operation.

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From: Miquel van Smoorenburg <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 1996 14:24:59 +0200 (MET DST)

You (Kenny Wickstrom) wrote:
> with other news servers such as C-News?

I don't think so. By the way, the file is "/var/lib/news/newsgroups". The
reason that it is in /var/lib/news is that it is not a configuration
file and most news system update this file regulary and automatically.

> Or should I look for the file at

Check what cnews does and if it also uses /var/lib/news/newsgroups,
use that.

By the way - what is the overview path that tin uses? INN puts the
overview database in /var/spool/news/over.view, _not_ in /var/spool/news.

Mike.
-- 
  Miquel van    | Cistron Internet Services   --    Alphen aan den Rijn.
  Smoorenburg,  | mailto:[email-masked]          http://www.cistron.nl/
[email-masked] | Tel: +31-172-419445 (Voice) 430979 (Fax) 442580 (Data)

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From: Kenny Wickstrom <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 1996 16:19:25 -0500 (CDT)

> overview database in /var/spool/news/over.view, _not_ in /var/spool/news.

tin uses the file /var/spools/news/.overview.

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From: Miquel van Smoorenburg <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 1996 12:07:35 +0200 (MET DST)

> tin uses the file /var/spools/news/.overview.

Ehm. This gets confusing. Ok, I'll use an example. Where is the overview
data for the group "cistron.test" stored?

INN stores it in "/var/spool/news/over.view/cistron/test/.overview".
                                  ^^^^^^^^^

Most packages used to put it in "/var/spool/news/cistron/test/.overview".

The way the debian INN package does it now is a new ad-hoc standard, and
it will stay this way. Storing the .overview files in the article directory
itself can be very slow if you have a big news server...

Mike.

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From: Kenny Wickstrom <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Jul 1996 00:19:33 -0500 (CDT)

> Most packages used to put it in "/var/spool/news/cistron/test/.overview".

Okay, after reviewing the code some more, I believe that I was wrong and
the overview file is as 'most packages' do it.

> itself can be very slow if you have a big news server...

Does anyone have any strong feelings for it be done (or not done) like
INN?  I am leaning on doing it like INN.

NOTE: I am going on vacation tomorrow and will return on Aug 12th.  I will
catch up on this saga then.

Thanks for the constructive discussion we have had up til now.

---

From: Miquel van Smoorenburg <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Jul 1996 10:31:16 +0200 (MET DST)

> INN?  I am leaning on doing it like INN.

Yes, if you read the overview FAQ you'll see that they actually recommend
using /var/spool/news/over.view. (That's where I got it from).

Mike.