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INSTALLATION
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1995-08-21
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CONFIGURATION AND INSTALLATION OF NN & NN-TK
--------------------------------------------
This file describes the necessary steps to configure and install nn.
You are advised to read this file before proceeding with the installation.
If you want to use NNTP (accessing news from a remote host), you must
also read the file NNTP.
NN & NN-TK
----------
It is a compile option (TK) as to whether NN (the character interface)
or NN-TK (the X windows interface) is built.
To build NN-TK you need to have TCL and TK installed.
The following command line prompts are used in the examples:
`$' is used when no special privileges are required.
`#' is used when SUPER USER privileges may be required.
STEP 1
CREATE CONFIGURATION FILE config.h
----------------------------------
The configuration file is distributed in the file config.h-dist. You
must COPY this to config.h before proceeding. Keep the original -dist
file to allow patches to be applied to it if necessary.
$ cp config.h-dist config.h
STEP 2
EDIT config.h TO REFLECT YOUR SYSTEM
------------------------------------
For each required configuration parameter, the config.h file contains
verbose comments explaining the meaning of each parameter in the file.
Read and follow these instructions carefully. If you do that, nn
should compile and run without problems.
Further information about the parameters can be found below in case
you are in doubt. Regarding the NNTP related definitions, consult the
file named NNTP.
Notice that every time you edit config.h, the file update.h is
modified to make a new configuration level for the version in the
source directory. The current configuration is showed in the version
string as #number.
Finally, a single config.h can be used even if you maintain nn on
several platforms. Use predefined macro definitions to #ifdef the
inclusion of configuration files and varying definitions.
STEP 2.1: CONFIGURATION OF MAKEFILE
-----------------------------------
Check the 'Makefile' file for the following parameters. To ease
future upgrades, override these values with definitions in config.h.
The proper definition is provided in parenthesis. For example, to use
gcc as a compiler, add "#undef COMPILER" if necessary, and "#define
COMPILER gcc" to config.h.
CC The command to invoke the C compiler (COMPILER).
CPP The command to invoke the C preprocessor with the result
written to the standard output stream (PREPROC).
CFLAGS Flags to the C compiler (e.g. -O or -g) (CDEBUG for debug or
optimization flags, COMPILER_FLAGS for everything else).
LDFLAGS Additional flags to the C compiler when linking executables
(LDEBUG, LOADER_FLAGS and EXTRA_LIB).
Notice that mandatory system specific definitions for the above are
usually defined in the s- file (see below).
STEP 2.2: SPECIFY NETWORK AND NNTP CONFIGURATION
------------------------------------------------
If you use nn on a single system with news on its local disks, you
will not have to worry the least about networking, and you simply
leave NNTP undefined.
Otherwise, consult the file NNTP for further instructions on sharing
the news file and/or the database via NFS and/or NNTP.
STEP 2.3: SELECT SYSTEM FILE
----------------------------
A list of systems that nn runs on and their associated include files
is found in the file doc/MACHINES.
If none of these can be used on your system, create your own based on
the file conf/s-template.h.
STEP 2.4: SELECT MACHINE FILE
-----------------------------
A list of machines that nn runs on and their associated include files
is found in the file doc/MACHINES.
If none of these can be used on your system, create your own based on
the file conf/m-template.h.
STEP 2.5: LOCALIZE NN
---------------------
You will have to specify a number of files and directories which nn
has to know about to work properly. If you don't specify these, nn
will in most cases use it own alternatives which will correspond to
common practices on most installations.
The following directories and files can be defined in config.h:
BIN_DIRECTORY (mandatory)
The directory where you want the user programs to be
installed. The following programs will be installed in that
directory:
nn The news reader program
nn-tk The X windows news reader program
nnacct Accounting, quota, and access management
nncheck Check for unread articles (link to nn)
nngrep Grep for news groups (link to nn)
nnpost Standalone posting program (link to nn).
nntidy Cleans up the rc file (link to nn)
LIB_DIRECTORY
The directory where nn's auxiliary programs and files will
be installed unless another directory is specified by one of
the following definitions.
CLIENT_DIRECTORY (optional, default = LIB_DIRECTORY)
Contains the auxiliary programs and files required by the nn
program:
aux The shell script used in connection with replies etc.
It knows about common editors like vi and gnu emacs to
have them position the cursor appropriately. To add
support for your own favourite editor, you should edit
the file aux.sh, not the compiled `aux' script!
HELP_DIRECTORY (optional, default = CLIENT_DIRECTORY/help)
The directory where the help files and online manual are
stored. This directory is an obvious candidate for sharing in
a network.
CACHE_DIRECTORY (optional, default = each user's .nn directory)
Only used with NNTP!! Directory to be used as a common storage
for temporary cache files when nn is used with NNTP. Using a
common directory for cache files allows you to clean these out
on reboot with a single "rm" command in the rc file:
(cd CACHE_DIRECTORY; rm -f *)
But of course this requires that you use a separate directory
for the cache!
TMP_DIRECTORY (optional, default = /usr/tmp)
The directory to be used as temporary storage for files used
when editing responses etc.
NEWS_DIRECTORY (optional, default = /usr/spool/news)
The directory containing the news spool directories and files.
It is not required when a remote NNTP server is used.
NEWS_LIB_DIRECTORY (optional, default = /usr/lib/news)
The directory containing the news system's active file and
other related files.
When a remote NNTP server is used, it is still needed as the
location of the (mini-)inews program if posting is allowed
(unless INEWS is explicitly defined to override the default
location).
LOG_FILE (optional, default = LIB_DIRECTORY/Log)
The log file used by nnmaster and nn to store reports, error
messages, usage statistics, etc.
TKINCLUDE (default /usr/local/tcl/include)
The location of the TCL/TK include files
TKLIB (default /usr/local/tcl/lib)
The location of the TCL and TK libraries for linking
into NN-TK
STEP 3
COMPILE THE SOFTWARE
--------------------
To compile the software, you just have to run one of the following
make commands.
If you are making a complete package with both master and client, do
$ make all
If you want to share a database which resides on another host (through
NFS/RFS/rdist), you don't need a master on the local system, so you
can do the following instead:
$ make client
STEP 4
INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE
-----------------------
Installation of the nn software is handled entirely via a script
"./inst" created during the compilation. The components of nn are
split into five parts, which can be installed separately or in various
combinations depending on whether you run a stand-alone system or
networked systems sharing the database and other parts of the nn
package. The five components are:
1) User files and programs (machince dependent, shareable)
Install the BIN_DIRECTORY programs.
2) Auxiliary programs (configuration dependent, shareable)
Install the CLIENT_DIRECTORY files and programs, this includes
the tcl directory when NN-TK keeps its tcl files.
3) Documentation (shareable)
Install the MAN pages in the proper directories.
4) Help files (shareable)
Install the HELP_DIRECTORY files (except online manual).
5) Online manual (shareable with 5)
Format and install the online manual in HELP_DIRECTORY.
6) The nn-tk binary
Install in BIN_DIRECTOR
Unless you have defined yourself as the owner of the nn package and
have write permission on all the necessary directories, you will need
to be super-user to install nn, so start with
$ su
Now run the installation script:
# ./inst
The `inst' script will list a menu with the following choices:
(1)-(6) Install individual parts of the package.
(s) Install a complete server + client package (1-6).
(c) NN (character version) full installation (excluding nnmaster)
(t) NN-TK full installation (excluding nnmaster)
(h) Install a client with local auxiliary files, but shared
documentation and help files (2-3).
(n) Install a client accessing only the database via a network (2-6).
(m) Install only the nnmaster (1).
(c) Install only the client programs (2).
(u) Update already installed parts of the package. This will
check for the existence of the old programs, and only update
programs and files already installed. You will typically use
this after applying patches.
You can also run the `inst' script with the choices as arguments, e.g.
./inst m c
TCL
---
The tcl files the implement the X interface in NN-TK are installed
in the tcl directory in the CLIENT_DIRECTORY, usuall /usr/local/lib/nn/tcl.
NN-TK will will look for the tcl directory in the current directory and
the in .nn before looking in /usr/local/lib/nn/tcl so it is possible to
replace the system wide tcl files with a local copy.
EXMH
----
Using EXMH adds a significant extra capabilities to NN-TK.
To include the EXMH routines create a symbolic link named exmh
in the tcl directory pointing to the EXMH lib directory. It
isn't necessary to have MH installed. If EXMH is not available
NN will still work, but will less functionality.
STEP 7
INSTALL AND EDIT GLOBAL FILES
-----------------------------
Depending on your needs, you should create the following files on each
host running nn (you may also just share the files if you like):
CLIENT_DIRECTORY/init
The global init file for all users on the system. Users will
be able to override the definitions in this file, but you can
probably make some sensible decisions which will prevent
novice users from getting into trouble, for example set the
default distribution to "local" etc.
You can also specify a global presentation sequence here.
You may use init.sample as a starting point, but don't use it
without careful examination. Especially, the sequence part
is mainly an illustration of the possibilities. If you are in
doubt, just delete the sequence part of the file (groups will
then be presented in pure alphabetical order).
CLIENT_DIRECTORY/routes
You DO NOT NEED this file if you already run a domain based
mailer, i.e. when HAVE_ROUTING is defined in config.h.
Otherwise, you can use it as a configuration file for the
domain address remapping done by nn in reply addresses and the
nnmail program. You may use routes.sample as a starting point
(it briefly describes how to build a routes file).
Please notice that neither the routes functionality, nor
nnmail is a supported part of nn - if you really want to
run a domain-based mailer, get smail 2.5 or later. And if you
ask me how to use it I will answer: "Get SMAIL instead".
CLIENT_DIRECTORY/motd
Every time you change this file, it will be shown to the nn
users the next time they invoke nn. This can be used to
inform the users about changes in the news environment or
local policies. (motd = message of the day)
NNTP_SERVER
Must contain the host name of the NNTP-server when NNTP is
used. If you already run NNTP with your other news readers,
this file does not need to be modified.
CLIENT_DIRECTORY/nn-defaults
This file is in X resource format, it contains the defaults
for the various NN-TK options. It also contains resources
setting other aspects of the interface such as colors, fonts
and adjustments to the EXMH interface. The resources can also
be set in the X server.
The system wide nn-defaults can be overridden by having a
local file in .nn
STEP 8
TEST THE BASIC FUNCTIONS
------------------------
If any of the following tests fails or you see other peculiar
behaviour, you should consult the PROBLEMS file. You may not be the
only one to have seen the problems, and there might even be a solution.
There are a few things you should check to ensure the proper
functioning of nn.
1) Backup your current .newsrc file if you have one. (Don't save it
in .newsrc.bak or .newsrc.orig since nn may use these names).
2) Run `nn'.
3) Does nn find any news? If not, does nn -x find anything?
4) Can you send mail to yourself? Try the sequence:
m (return) (return) testing (return)
edit the letter
s (return)
If not, you should check the REC_MAIL program.
5) Can you post an article to the local test group? Try:
:post (return)
test (return)
local (return)
edit the article
s (return)
If not, you should check the INEWS program.
-------------------------------------------
IF EVERYTHING WORKS
YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE INSTALLATION
-------------------------------------------