

CHANGESYS(1)               Unix Programmer's Manual               CHANGESYS(1)


NAME
     changesys - change the NEWS sys file via mail.

SYNOPSIS
     Pipe  the  commands   through   changesys.   The   following   entry   in
     /usr/lib/aliases would do it.

     changesys: "|/usr/lib/news/changesys"

DESCRIPTION
     Changesys allows remote machines to change their current sys  file  entry
     by sending mail to user changesys@system.

     The mail body contains the necessary information for  changesys  and  the
     subject line one of the following commands:

     o    getsys: Send the current sys file entry.

     o    setsys: Replace the sys file entry.

     o    delsys: Delete the sys file entry.

     o    suspendsys: Delete the  sys  file  entry,  but  save  it  for  later
          retrival with the restoresys command (useful for vacation).

     o    restoresys: Restore a previously suspended sys file entry.

     o    getgroups: Send the /usr/lib/active file.

     o    help: Send a short help text.

     The following lines are an example of a mail body and show how  an  entry
     in  the  sys  file  is  specified  with  the  keywords system, passwd and
     sysentry:

     system: gold
     passwd: fasel
     sysentry: comp,!comp.graphics,news,sci,rec,\
     gnu,!alt.sex

     The resulting sys file entry for a system configured to work  with  Cnews
     would be:

     gold:comp,!comp.graphics,news,sci,rec,\
     gnu,!alt.sex/all,!local:f:

     As shown in the example, sysentry lines may be multiple lines long.  Only
     valid news groups are allowed to appear in sysentry lines. Changesys will
     reject the request, if Bnews or Cnews specific parameters were  added  to
     the sysentry lines.

     Before a system is able to change the sysfile for his  system  (and  only
     for  his system), he first has to apply for a password. This is necessary
     to make sure, that not everybody screws around with the sys file.

     To get the whole thing to work, you also need an intelligent mailer.  The


                                Sep 21, 1991                                 1



CHANGESYS(1)               Unix Programmer's Manual               CHANGESYS(1)


     mailer should be able to pipe mail through a program. I use smail3.1  for
     this purpose.

INSTALLATION
     Take a look into config.h and the Makefile. Make  the  necessary  changes
     for your particular system and type make. After successful compilation of
     changesys, type make install.

ENVIRONMENT
     No environment variables are used.

Files

     /usr/lib/news/changepwd
     /usr/lib/news/changedeny
     /usr/lib/news/active
     /usr/lib/news/sys
     /usr/lib/news/changeXXXXXX
     /usr/lib/news/mailXXXXXX
     /usr/lib/news/LOCK
     /usr/lib/news/LOCKTMXXXXXX
     /usr/lib/news/changehelp
     /usr/lib/news/suspend/....

AUTHOR

     Christian Seyb
     Subnet: cs@gold.sub.org

DIAGNOSTICS
     Returns the original mail and the resulting sys file entry  back  to  the
     requesting system.

BUGS

     NONE (I am just kidding)

     Send bug reports to the above mentioned Author.




















                                Sep 21, 1991                                 2

