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nnrpd - NNTP server for on-campus hosts
nnrpd [ -b address ]
[ -D ] [ -g shadowgroup ] [ -i ] [ -o ] [ -p port ] [ -R ] [ -r reason ] [ -S ]
[ -s title padding ] [ -t ]
Nnrpd is an NNTP server for newsreaders.
It accepts commands on its standard input and responds on its standard
output. It is normally invoked by innd(8)
with those descriptors attached
to a remote client connection. Nnrpd also supports running as a standalone
daemon.
Unlike innd, nnrpd supports all NNTP commands for user-oriented reading
and posting.
Nnrpd uses the readers.conf(5)
file to control who is authorized
to access the Usenet database. When <NNRP_LOADLIMIT in include/config.h> is
not 0, It will also reject connections if the load average is greater than
that value (typically 16.)
On exit, nnrpd will report usage statistics through
syslog(3)
.
Nnrpd can also prevent high-volume posters from abusing your resources.
See the discussion of exponential backoff in inn.conf(5)
.
- -b
- The ``-b''
parameter instructs nnrpd to bind to the specified IP address when started
as a standalone daemon using the ``-D'' flag. This has to be a valid Internet
address in dotted-quad format belonging to an interface of the local host.
- -D
- If specified, this parameter causes nnrpd to operate as a daemon. That
is, it detaches itself and runs in the background, forking a process for
every connection. By default nnrpd listens on the NNTP port (119), so either
innd has to be started on another port or nnrpd is invoked with the ``-p'' parameter.
Note that with this parameter, nnrpd continues running until killed. This
means that it reads inn.conf(5)
once on startup and never again until restarted.
nnrpd should therefore be restarted if inn.conf is changed.
- -g
- On systems
that have a shadow password file, nnrpd tries to add the group ``shadow'' as
a supplementary group if it is running in standalone mode. On many systems,
members of that group have read permission for the shadow password file.
The ``-g'' parameter instructs nnrpd to try to add the named group as a supplementary
group on shadow systems instead of ``shadow''. This only works if <HAVE_GETSPNAM
inn include/config.h> is defined and nnrpd is running in standalone mode
since this call only works when nnrpd is started as root.
- -o
- The ``-o'' flag causes
all articles to be spooled instead of sending them to innd. Rnews with ``-U''
flag should be invoked from cron on a regular basis to take care of these
articles. This flag is useful if innd in accepting articles and nnrpd is
started standalone or using inetd.
- -p
- The ``-p'' parameter instructs nnrpd to
listen on port when started as a standalone daemon using the ``-D'' flag.
- -R
- This
option forces nnrpd to be ``read-only''. The startup banner will indicate ``no
posting''.
- -r
- If the ``-r'' flag is used, then nnrpd will reject the incoming connection
giving reason as the text. This flag is used by innd when it is paused or
throttled.
- -S
- If specified, nnrpd start a negotiation for SSL session as
soon as connected. To use this flag, <--with-openssl at configure> must be specified.
- -s
- As each command is received, nnrpd tries to change its ``argv'' array so
that ps(1)
will print out the command being executed. To get a full display,
the ``-s'' flag may be used with a long string as its argument, which will be
overwritten when the program changes its title.
- -t
- If the ``-t'' flag is used
then all client commands and initial responses will be traced by reporting
them in syslog. This flag is set by innd under the control of the ctlinnd(8)
``trace'' command, and is toggled upon receipt of a SIGHUP; see signal(2)
.
Nnrpd implements the NNTP commands defined in RFC 977, with
the following differences:
- 1.
- The ``ihave'' command is not implemented. Users
should be using the ``post'' command to post articles.
- 2
- The ``slave'' command is
not implemented. This command has never been fully defined.
- 3
- The ``list'' command
may be followed by the optional word ``active.times'', ``distributions'', ``distrib.pats'',
``moderators'', ``newsgroups'', ``subscriptions'', or ``overview.fmt'' to get a list of
when newsgroups where created, a list of valid distributions, a file specifying
default distribution patterns, moderators list, a one-per-line description
of the current set of newsgroups, a list of the automatic group subscriptions,
or a listing of the overview.fmt(5)
file. The command ``list active'' is equivalent
to the ``list'' command. This is a common extension.
- 4.
- The ``xhdr'', ``authinfo user'',
and ``authinfo pass'' commands are implemented. These are based on the reference
Unix implementation. See ftp://ftp.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-nntpext-imp-04.txt
- 5.
- A new command, ``xpat header range|MessageID pat [morepat...]'', is provided. The
first argument is the case-insensitive name of the header to be searched.
The second argument is either an article range or a single Message-ID, as
specified in RFC 977. The third argument is a wildmat(3)
-style pattern; if
there are additional arguments they are joined together separated by a
single space to form the complete pattern. This command is similar to the
``xhdr'' command. It returns a 221 response code, followed by the text response
of all article numbers that match the pattern.
- 6.
- The ``listgroup group'' command
is provided. This is a comment extension. It is equivalent to the ``group'' command,
except that the reply is a multi-line response containing the list of all
article numbers in the group.
- 7.
- The ``xgtitle [group]'' command is provided. This
extension is used by ANU-News. It returns a 282 reply code, followed by a
one-line description of all newsgroups that match the pattern. The default
is the current group.
- 8.
- The ``xover [range]'' command is provided. It returns
a 224 reply code, followed by the overview data for the specified range;
the default is to return the data for the current article.
- 9.
- The ``xpath MessageID''
command is provided; see innd(8)
.
- 10.
- The ``date'' command is provided; this is
based on the draft NNTP protocol revision( draft-ietf-nntpext-imp-04.txt). It
returns a one-line response code of 111 followed by the GMT date and time
on the server in the form YYYYMMDDhhmmss.
Written by Rich $alz <rsalz@uunet.uu.net>
for InterNetNews. Overview support added by Rob Robertston <rob@violet.berkeley.edu>
and Rich in January, 1993. Exponential backoff (for posting) added by Dave
Hayes in Febuary 1998. This is revision 1.14.2.3, dated 2000/11/16.
ctlinnd(8)
,
innd(8)
, inn.conf(5)
, signal(2)
, wildmat(3)
.
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