@database GetActive.guide
@master Inet:docs/I-Net.guide
@index "Inet:docs/Index.guide/main"
@Author "Michael B. Smith"
@$VER: GetActive.guide 1.0 (01.01.96)
@Width 80
@SmartWrap

@Node Main "GetActive"
@{b}GetActive@{ub}							   @{b}GetActive@{ub}


NAME
@{lindent 5}


@{b}GetActive@{ub} - transfer active file from NNTP server host to local system
@{lindent 0}


SYNOPSIS
@{lindent 5}


GetActive nntpserver activefile
@{lindent 0}


DESCRIPTION
@{lindent 5}


@{b}GetActive@{ub} transfers the active file from the specified NNTP server
to a local file. The active file is used at the server to define the
available newsgroups, and the article numbers present in those groups.


@{b}GRn@{ub} and @{b}NNTPxfer@{ub} both use an activefile. When the NNTP option is set
for @{b}GRn@{ub}, @{b}GRn@{ub} looks first for the active file to be named
@{b}INet:s/news/active@{ub}, and secondly UULib:Newsgroups. @{b}NNTPxfer@{ub} will use
whatever active file is specified by the user, and has no default.
@{lindent 0}



PRAGMATICS
@{lindent 5}


Using your NNTP server's active file on your system is probably @{b}@{u}not@{ub}@{uu} the
right thing to do.  It is very likely that your server will carry
many more newsgroups than you desire, and @{b}NNTPxfer@{ub} will attempt to
transfer articles for every newsgroup named in its active file.


As of December, 1995, Usenet news volume was about 500 megabytes a day,
for over 12,000 newsgroups.


Also, the article numbers named in the server's active file will
represent current figures. You would not receive any new news until
after new news arrives at your server. Use of the "newgroup" command
will transfer all articles in the desired newsgroup.


Last, but certainly not least, @{b}NNTPxfer@{ub} trying to process all of those
newsgroups would consume LOTS of memory.
@{lindent 0}


@EndNode