ovdb_init - Prepare ovdb database for use

ovdb_init [CW-u|CW-r]

This command must be run before any other process can access the overview database. It performs the following steps:

1

Creates the database environment, if necessary

2

If the database is idle (and if the CW-u option is not specified), it performs a normal recovery. The recovery will remove stale locks, recreate the memory pool cache, and repair any damage caused by a system crash or improper shutdown.

3

If the CW-u option is specified, it performs any necessary upgrades to the database. See the UPGRADING section below.

4

Starts the DB housekeeping processes (ovdb_monitor) if they're not already running. (Unless the CW-r option is specified).

5

Starts the ovdb readserver (ovdb_server) processes if CWreadserver in ovdb.conf is CWtrue, and if they're not already running. (Unless the CW-r option is specified).

Returns exit status of 0 if all steps were completed successfully. In the event of an error, messages are written to syslog and/or stderr.

If a recovery was attempted but it failed, the database may be damaged beyond repair, requiring a rebuild with makehistory(8).

This command is normally invoked automatically by rc.news(8).

It is OK to run this command multiple times.

Perform recovery only. CWovdb_monitor is not started. Perform any needed upgrades. Recovery is not attempted. CWovdb_monitor is started if the upgrade succeeded.

There are two situations in which the database will need to be upgraded:

•

You upgrade the BerkeleyDB library to a newer version, for example from 2.7.7 to 3.1.17. In this case, the BerkeleyDB db->upgrade() method is used.

•

You upgrade ovdb to a newer major version; i.e., ovdb-1.0 to ovdb-2.0.

In both of these cases, the database is upgraded in-place; and the upgrade can not be undone. Do not interrupt the upgrade process once it has started, because there is a risk of irrepairable corruption. The upgrade may take several minutes to complete. If an upgrade does get interrupted, try running the upgrade again.

Here's an example procedure to upgrade a database created with BerkeleyDB 2.7.7 to use BerkeleyDB 3.1.17:

1

Build and install the BerkeleyDB 3.1.17

2

Run configure in the INN source tree and make sure it picks up the right BerkeleyDB directory (e.g., /usr/local/BerkeleyDB.3.1)

3

Do a CWmake

4

Shut down INN (e.g., with CWrc.news stop). Be sure to kill all nnrpds as well.

5

Do a CWmake update to install the new binaries.

6

Run CWovdb_init -u as the news user.

7

Start INN with CWrc.news

It is OK to specify CW-u even if no upgrades are needed.

Written by Heath Kehoe <hakehoe@avalon.net> for InterNetNews.

ovdb(5), makehistory(8)