7 News Support Utilities
7.2 Testing NNTP connections over DECnet or TCP/IP networks
The programs described below are designed for use in testing DECnet or TCP/IP
connections to an NNTP server (yours or another site's), or allowing you to
converse directly with the server using NNTP commands. These are useful
principally for tracking down problems with an NNTP server, and do not need to
be used during normal operations.
7.2.1 NNTP_Client
NNTP_Client is a utility used to test a connection to a remote NNTP server.
The program attempts to establish an interactive session with the remote
server, allowing the user to send NNTP commands to the server. In the case of a
connection made over TCP, this is equivalent to a telnet session to the remote
NNTP port (i.e. Telnet/Port=119). There is no direct equivalent with DECnet.
NNTP_Client.Exe is created in the [News_Dist] directory by the NewsBuild
procedure. The image should be placed in a location, such as News_Manager,
which is not accessible to general users. This is necessary because
NNTP_Client can be used to easily make fraudulent postings to an NNTP server,
since it contains no authentication checks like those in News.Exe.
7.2.1.2 Command syntax
NNTP_Client is invoked via the DCL Run command, and takes no command line
parameters or qualifiers. It will prompt you for all necessary information
before connecting to the remote NNTP server.
At the Node: prompt, enter the name of the remote host. This can be a
DECnet node name, a DECnet node number in the format area*1024+node
(area*1024 is optional if the server is in the same area as your system),a
TCP host name, or an IP address in dotted decimal form.
At the Channel: prompt, enter the transport over which you wish to
establish the connection (DECnet or TCP). If you just press <Return>, the
transport defaults to DECnet.
If you are establishing a DECnet connection, you will also be asked for the
DECnet object name for the remote server. Enter the object name, or press
<Return> to accept the default string TASK=NNTP. You will also be asked if you want to
use DECnet stream input calls, instead of record input calls. This is usually
necessary only if the remote server is running on an Ultrix system.
7.2.1.3 Session Summary
Once it has obtained the necessary information, NNTP_Client will connect to
the remote NNTP server, and allow you to conduct an interactive session, using
NNTP commands to communicate with the server. Lines you type are sent to the
server when you press <Return>, and the server's responses are displayed on the
terminal. For more information on the NNTP command set, see the NNTP standard,
RFC977, which is provided in the News_Doc ZIP file.
When you have finished the session, use the NNTP QUIT command to close the
connection, and then exit from NNTP_Client by pressing <Ctrl-Z>.
The following example connects to the NNTP server running on
wombat.bush.au using TCP as the transport:
$ Run [News_Dist]NNTP_Client
Node: wombat.bush.au
Channel (DECNET, WINtcp)? [DECNET]: wintcp
200 ANU NEWS/NNTP server wombat (V6.1.1). Ready at Fri Feb 25 02:19:55 1994 (posting ok).
quit
205 closing connection -- goodbye!
<Ctrl-Z>
$
The following example connects to the NNTP server running on the Ultrix system
KOALA, using DECnet as the transport:
$ Run [News_Dist]NNTP_Client
Node: KOALA
Channel (DECNET, WINtcp)? [DECNET]: decnet
Decnet NNTP Objects are commonly of the form:
TASK=NNTP used by most VMS NNTP server implementations
NNTP= used by Ultrix NNTP servers
NEWS= used by some VMS NNTP server implementations
Decnet Object string? [TASK=NNTP] : NNTP=
Use DECnet stream input calls (normally only with Ultrix NNTP server)? [N]: y
200 ANU NEWS/NNTP server KOALA (V6.1.1). Ready at Fri Feb 25 02:19:55 1994 (posting ok).
quit
205 closing connection -- goodbye!
<Ctrl-Z>
$
NNTP_TTY is a direct interface to the ANU NNTP server code in NNTP_Server.C,
which allows you to simulate a connection to the NNTP server for debugging or
informational purposes. Note that this includes only a portion of the actual
NNTP server: the command interpreter, authorization checks, and routines which
handle items once they have reached the local system. In effect, running
NNTP_TTY is identical to establishing a DECnet connection to your local NNTP
server, but without involving any of the transport level code. If you want to
establish an actual test connection to your local NNTP server (i.e. via a
DECnet or TCP connection to your own system), use NNTP_Client instead.
In order to run NNTP_TTY, you will need at least read access to the News
database. In addition, if you plan to use the POST command, you will
need write access to the News database, and if you intend to 'send' an item
via the IHAVE command, you will need write access to News_Manager.
NNTP_TTY.Exe is created in the News_Dist directory by NewsBuild.Com. You
should leave it in a location, such as News_Manager, where it is available to
you when you want to test the NNTP_Server.C code. It does not pose a
security hazard, as it can only be run successfully by users who already have
direct access to the local News database.
7.2.2.2 Command syntax
NNTP_TTY is invoked using the DCL Run command; it takes no parameters or
qualifiers.
7.2.2.3 Session summary
When invoked, NNTP_TTY simulates a connection to the ANU NNTP server on your
system. It performs all authorization checks as if you had established a
DECnet connection (i.e. using your username and DECnet nodename). You interact
with NNTP_TTY using NNTP commands; the server's responses are displayed at
your terminal. The NNTP command set is described in detail in the NNTP
standard, RFC977, which is distributed in the News_Doc ZIP file.
Note that, while the connection to the local system is simulated, any actions
you take do affect the local News database. Thus, any POSTed items appear in
the appropriate newsgroups (and will be forwarded to downstream sites), and any
items 'forwarded' using the IHAVE command will appear in batch files in
the News_Manager directory.
The following session results when NNTP_TTY is invoked from the account NEWSMGR
on node WOMBAT:
$ Run [News_Dist]NNTP_TTY
201 ANU NEWS/NNTP server wombat (V6.1.1). Ready at Sat Feb 26 16:03:55 1994 (posting ok).
xconn
281 NNTP connection information: newsmgr@wombat.
quit
205 closing connection -- goodbye!
previous: 7.1.2.5 Examples
next: 7.3 Copying News index files
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