controlperm - responses to news control messages

/controlperm controls how the news system responds to control messages (specifically, at the moment, newgroup and rmgroup control messages). It's an ASCII text file, each line consisting of four fields separated by white space.

The first field is a newsgroup pattern, as described in newssys(5), specifying the newsgroup(s) to which the line applies.

The second field is either ``any'' or an Internet-style mail address. If the latter form is used, the line applies only to control messages from that author (with that address in the From header).

The third field is a set of opcode letters indicating which control messages the line applies to:

n

newgroup

r

rmgroup The opcode letters can be in any order, e.g. either ``nr'' or ``rn'' indicates applicability to both newgroup and rmgroup.

The fourth field is a set of flag letters indicating how to respond to a control message that meets all the applicability tests:

y

Do it.

n

Don't do it.

q

Don't report it at all.

v

Report it, and include the entire control message in the report. Either y or n must be present. In the absence of both q and v, the message is reported using a terse format.

The first line which is applicable to a control message governs the response to that control message. If no line is applicable, the message is handled as if there was an applicable line with flag letters yv.

c/controlperm

news(5), newssys(5), RFC1036 (or successor)

Invented by Henry Spencer for the C News project.

Ought to be extended to the other control messages.