OVDB_INIT(8)

NAME
ovdb_init - Prepare ovdb database for use

SYNOPSIS
ovdb_init ["-u"|"-r"]

DESCRIPTION
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 "-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 "-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 "-r" option is specified).

5.  Starts the ovdb readserver (ovdb_server) processes if readserver in ovdb.conf is true, and if they are not already running. (Unless the "-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.

OPTIONS

"-r"
    Perform recovery only. "ovdb_monitor" is not started.

"-u"
    Perform any needed upgrades. Recovery is not attempted. "ovdb_monitor" is started if the upgrade succeeded.

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

•   You upgrade the Berkeley DB library to a newer version, for example from 2.7.7 to 3.1.17. In this case, the Berkeley DB 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 Berkeley DB 2.7.7 to use Berkeley DB 3.1.17:

1.  Build and install the Berkeley DB 3.1.17;

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

3.  Do a "make";

4.  Shut down INN (e.g., with "rc.news stop") and be sure to kill all instances of nnrpd as well;

5.  Do a "make update" to install the new binaries;

6.  Run "ovdb_init -u" as the news user;

7.  Start INN with "rc.news".

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

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

$Id: ovdb_init.pod 9765 2014-12-07 21:07:34Z iulius $

SEE ALSO
ovdb(5), makehistory(8)