[leafnode-list] Can't get leafnode to work with news servers that work with clients.

[Adam Funk]

On Wednesday 08 June 2005 23:55, Matthias Andree wrote:
> Adam Funk <adam00f at ducksburg.com> writes:
> >> > 1. The servers time out while leafnode is "considering" articles
> >> > to download.  For example:
...
> >> > 2. The processes started by the hourly fetchnews cron job stay
> >> > alive and hold the lock file for a *long* time and prevent
> >> > subsequent jobs from starting.  They don't appear to do anything
> >> > according to `top` and find `/var/spool/news -mmin -5` (for
> >> > example).
...
> I've released 1.11.3 because 1.11.2 and older versions didn't check the
> timeout while fetchnews was reading the message headers (getfoldedline
> used the no-timeout version of getaline), please try 1.11.3 and see if
> the hangs go away. If they don't, I will need a backtrace...

I removed the Debian leafnode package (but did not purge it: this left the 
cron jobs, config files and existing news spool) and compiled and 
installed 1.11.3 from source (to /usr/local/...).  Then I copied my 
config file to /etc/leafnode/config and created symlinks so the Debian 
cron jobs would continue to run.  I also copied in touch_newsgroups.

The news version has solved problem 2: the processes now all finish within 
a few minutes.  The syslog info and the mail spool, however, indicate 
that my ISP's news servers are disconnecting before fetchnews gets all 
the desired news.  I assume that is my ISP's fault!  Would it be possible 
for fetchnews to attempt to reconnect instead of aborting when this 
happens?

I've increased the cron fetchnews from once to three times an hour, and it 
seems to be getting a greater proportion of the news now.  I may increase 
it again and see how it goes.

Thanks!
Adam