Xref: utzoo news.admin:9002 news.software.b:4880 unix-pc.general:5571
Path: utzoo!utstat!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sunybcs!boulder!pikes!aspen.craycos.com!sphere!ruck
From: ruck@sphere.UUCP (John R Ruckstuhl Jr)
Newsgroups: news.admin,news.software.b,unix-pc.general
Subject: sendactive control message
Message-ID: <291@sphere.UUCP>
Date: 1 Jun 90 09:34:43 GMT
Followup-To: news.admin
Distribution: world,to.sphere
Organization: Private; Colorado Springs, CO
Lines: 26

I've recently had to diagnose an incomplete feed -- it turns out that an
upstream neighbor had correct sys-file entries (verified by the useful
"sendsys" control message) but didn't have some newsgroups properly
"active"-ated.  It was tough to track this down with my level of 
(in)experience.  
Apparently, News (all versions?) will junk articles posted singly to 
inactive groups, and not forward them.

I wish there was a control-message analogous to "sendsys" which could 
grab a copy of neighbors' active-files.

Gurus ask: "why post something so conspicuous?"

Because another neighbor corresponded to me:

> 	I hadn't thought of the problem being in the 'active' file.  I
> could only think in terms of the 'sys' file.  Why don't you post an
> article about what you found and perhaps some other people will be able
> to get feeds from sites which think that they are passing them on since
> they too will be thinking in terms of the 'sys' files, not 'active'.

(I post to unix-pc.general also, because unix-pc newsgroups are
particularly susceptible to incomplete feeding)
-- 
John R Ruckstuhl, Jr	UUCP: sphere!ruck
			DOMAIN: ruck%sphere@hp-lsd.cos.hp.com