grephistory - display file names from Usenet history file
grephistory [ -f filename ] [ -e ] [
-n ] [ -q ] [ -l ] [ -t ] [ -i ] [
-s ] [ messageid ]
Grephistory queries the dbz(3) index into the
history(5) file for an article having a specified Message-ID.
If messageid cannot be found in the database, the program
prints ``Not found'' and exits with a non-zero status. If messageid
is in the database, the program prints the pathname and exits
successfully.
- -n
- If no pathname exists, the program will print ``/dev/null'' and exit
successfully. This can happen when an article has been cancelled, or if it
has been expired but its history is still retained. This is default
behaviour, which can be obtained by using the ``-n'' flag.
- -q
- If the ``-q'' flag is used, then no message is displayed. The
program will still exit with the appropriate exit status.
- -t
- If the ``-t'' flag is used, then only the offset into the history
text file is printed.
- -e
- If the ``-e'' flag is used, then grephistory will only print
the filename of an existing article.
- -l
- If the ``-l'' flag is used then the entire line from the history
file will be displayed.
- -i
- If the ``-i'' flag is used, then grephistory will read a
list of Message-ID's on standard input, one per line. Leading and trailing
whitespace is ignored, as are any malformed lines. It will print on
standard output those Message-ID's which are not found in the history
database. This flag is used in processsing ``ihave'' control
messages.
- -s
- If the ``-s'' flag is used, then grephistory will read a
similar list from its standard input. It will print on standard output a
list of filenames for each article that is still available. This flag is
used in processsing ``sendme'' control messages.
- -f
- To specify a different value for the history file and database, use the
``-f'' flag.
Written by Rich $alz <rsalz@uunet.uu.net> for InterNetNews.
This is revision 1.7, dated 1996/11/08.