This is version 3.0 of sendbatches for INN.  April 1993.
If you have an older version, take care where unpacking, you
might overwrite existing software.

Major change since 2.0 is the Perl version which is now included.
The bourne script is still there, but will not evolve much anymore.
The sendbatches.ctl format has also been changed to add a new useful
flag (minimum batch size before processing, supported only by the
Perl version; suggested by Marcel Schneider @ SWITCH).

This package is an attempt to furnish a "sendbatches" for INN with similar
behavior than its C-News version.

----------  IMPORTANT  ----------

To unpack this tar archive, you should be in $inn/contrib/sendbatches (see
INN's Install.ms file if you don't know what $inn means) when doing
the tar xvf command.

The Makefile assumes the files are really there. If you choose another
location, be sure to recheck the Makefile.

Rich Salz has agreed not to use the $inn/contrib for official stuff,
so what you'll find in this sub-directory is not part of the official
release of INN.

-----------------------------------

This version as well as its extensions will be made available via
anonymous ftp to grasp1.univ-lyon1.fr, in the directory
/pub/unix/news/inn/contrib/sendbatches*.tar.Z
Also available by the means of ftpmail@grasp1.univ-lyon1.fr for those
not having Internet access yet.
Locking is done by site now, and not for the package. This means that 
multiple instances of sendbatches can be started.

-----------------------------------

How to install sendbatches for INN.

- Edit and customize sendbatches.ctl, add one line for each site you
  feed batches to.

  Field 1:  site name (from the newsfeeds file) or /default/ line
  Field 2:  minimum batchfile size (bytes) before batching (0 always batch)
  Field 2:  maximum # of batches (calls to batcher) per call
  Field 3:  size of batch (passed to batcher)
  Field 4:  muncher (in the batch sub-dir)
  Field 5:  sender (in batch) with its (few) arguments.

  Space/Tabulation are separators.

- Change, delete and add whatever you need in the batch sub-dir.

- Run "make" to get sendbatches subst'ed (C version of subst only).

- Give an eye to the script if you wish.

- Check the install part of the Makefile in order to be sure none of
  your custom will be destroyed.

- Run "make install" with appropriate privilege.

Update your crontab entries in order to run the script.

Example: 

0 * * * * /usr/local/news/bin/sendbatches site1 site2 there foo bar

The shell version behaves as before, there are no changes except some 
cleaning. YOU ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO USE THE PERL SCRIPT.
As before, as explicit list of sites to batch must be furnished.


5 8-16 * * * /usr/local/news/bin/sendbatches.pl s1 s2 '*.fr'
5 8-16 * * * /usr/local/news/bin/sendbatches.pl

Usage: sendbatches.pl [-force] [site | expression]...

If -force is present, the site will be batched even if the batchfile size
is below the threshold (second column in the ctl file). Typically
called once a day to ensure all articles in stock get spooled.

With no parameters: batches each site having an explicit line in the
sendbatches.ctl file will be processed.

With parameters, each parameter can be:

- an explicit site name (no star "*" in the name) then batching is 
  done for that site using an explicit ctl line if any, otherwise
  it uses /default/ is there or does nothing.

- a name containing at least a star (*), then it is considered to be a
  mask (like the shell globbing, but only * is recognized) then all lines
  from the ctl file which match the parameter are batched.
  This means that 
     sendbatches.pl
  is equivalent to
     sendbatches,pl '*'

Both kind of parameters can be mixed within the same command line.
Remember to protect the stars from shell expand, except if that's what
you want.


ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY WITH THIS SOFTWARE.

Comments, questions to Christophe.Wolfhugel@grasp.insa-lyon.fr.
