[slrn] Using slrn to read from multiple servers

[Pseudo Silk Kimono]

Greetings,

Not only do I read news from motzarella, I also frequent the grc news
server. Is there a way to configure slrn so that I can use multiple
.slrn files, one for each server? Or better yet, add something to the
.slrnrc file like a switch or flag that will tell slrn which server to
connect to.

Thanks

[Blinky the Shark]

Post by Pseudo Silk Kimono
Greetings,
Not only do I read news from motzarella, I also frequent the grc news
server. Is there a way to configure slrn so that I can use multiple
.slrn files, one for each server? Or better yet, add something to the
.slrnrc file like a switch or flag that will tell slrn which server to
connect to.

This is what I've done to accomplish that.

1. Create a mini .slrnrc for each server that only contains the few
lines that are server specific. Name it something like, for instance,
.slrnrc-motz

2. Create a master .slrnrc file that *excludes* the server-specific
commands that you have included in your mini .slrnrc files, above.

3. In the mini .slrnrc files, use an include command to pull in the
master .slrnrc file at run time. This will create a complete .slrnrc
file for the server you're using. And when you want to change general
(non-server-specific) settings you only have to change them once - in
the master .slrnrc file.

4. Run slrn from a shell script that includes the slrn -i switch that
designates the .slrnrc file to use (.slrnrc-motz, in this example) and
the -h switch that designates the server (news.motzarella.org, in this
example). Note: you do *not* need to screw with the NNTPSERVER
environment variable; you're specifying your host in this script, so the
value of the environment variable is irrelevant. If I were doing this
for motzarella, my bash script would look like this:

#!/bin/bash
cleanscore -f ~/News/Score -e 2
rxvt -title 'Blinky Motz' +sb -e slrn -i .slrnrc-motz -h news.motzarella.org

[Brad Sims]

Post by Blinky the Shark
This is what I've done to accomplish that.
1. Create a mini .slrnrc for each server that only contains the few
lines that are server specific. Name it something like, for instance,
.slrnrc-motz
2. Create a master .slrnrc file that *excludes* the server-specific
commands that you have included in your mini .slrnrc files, above.
3. In the mini .slrnrc files, use an include command to pull in the
master .slrnrc file at run time. This will create a complete .slrnrc
file for the server you're using. And when you want to change general
(non-server-specific) settings you only have to change them once - in
the master .slrnrc file.
4. Run slrn from a shell script that includes the slrn -i switch that
designates the .slrnrc file to use (.slrnrc-motz, in this example) and
the -h switch that designates the server (news.motzarella.org, in this
example). Note: you do *not* need to screw with the NNTPSERVER
environment variable; you're specifying your host in this script, so the
value of the environment variable is irrelevant. If I were doing this

What I did was create seperate server entries with specified .jnewsrc
files in .slrnrc; then I listed the passwords/etc in npraccess.

I have a script that displays the servers I use and I simply
pick the one I want.

[Blinky the Shark]

Post by Brad Sims

Post by Blinky the Shark
This is what I've done to accomplish that.
1. Create a mini .slrnrc for each server that only contains the
few lines that are server specific. Name it something like,
for instance, .slrnrc-motz
2. Create a master .slrnrc file that *excludes* the
server-specific commands that you have included in your mini
.slrnrc files, above.
3. In the mini .slrnrc files, use an include command to pull in
the master .slrnrc file at run time. This will create a
complete .slrnrc file for the server you're using. And when
you want to change general (non-server-specific) settings you
only have to change them once - in the master .slrnrc file.
4. Run slrn from a shell script that includes the slrn -i
switch that designates the .slrnrc file to use (.slrnrc-motz,
in this example) and the -h switch that designates the server
(news.motzarella.org, in this example). Note: you do *not*
need to screw with the NNTPSERVER environment variable; you're
specifying your host in this script, so the value of the
environment variable is irrelevant. If I were doing this for

What I did was create seperate server entries with specified
.jnewsrc files in .slrnrc; then I listed the passwords/etc in
npraccess.

Hmm. I've never used npraccess.

[Brad Sims]

Post by Blinky the Shark
Hmm. I've never used npraccess.

It's great, you don't get prompted to enter your username
and password... downside is it is there in plain text.

[Blinky the Shark]

Post by Brad Sims

Post by Blinky the Shark
Hmm. I've never used npraccess.

It's great, you don't get prompted to enter your username
and password... downside is it is there in plain text.

I don't get prompted for username and password. I sure wouldn't use
a method that required such. :)

[Troy Piggins]

Post by Pseudo Silk Kimono
Greetings,
Not only do I read news from motzarella, I also frequent the grc news
server. Is there a way to configure slrn so that I can use multiple
.slrn files, one for each server? Or better yet, add something to the
.slrnrc file like a switch or flag that will tell slrn which server to
connect to.

You could do as Blinky suggests and run different instances of
slrn for different servers, or you could use slrnpull, a part of
slrn, to download messages from all mail servers and slrn reads
from slrnpull as a local spool.

I did that for a while.

Now I use leafnode, actually I'm using leafnode v2alpha, to do
the same thing with a lot more functionality. Way more
flexibility/power than slrnpull.

[Blinky the Shark]

Post by Pseudo Silk Kimono
Greetings,
Not only do I read news from motzarella, I also frequent the grc news
server. Is there a way to configure slrn so that I can use multiple
.slrn files, one for each server? Or better yet, add something to
the .slrnrc file like a switch or flag that will tell slrn which
server to connect to.

You could do as Blinky suggests and run different instances of slrn
for different servers, or you could use slrnpull, a part of slrn, to
download messages from all mail servers and slrn reads from slrnpull
as a local spool.

And, Pseudo, there's another option, I believe from PJR, that uses IF
logic within .slnrrc to determine what server-specific settings are to
be used, based on fiddling around with the otherwise irrelevant
NNTPSERVER environment variable.

[Peter J Ross]

In news.software.readers on 14 Sep 2007 19:03:52 GMT, Blinky the Shark

Post by Blinky the Shark
And, Pseudo, there's another option, I believe from PJR, that uses IF
logic within .slnrrc to determine what server-specific settings are to
be used, based on fiddling around with the otherwise irrelevant
NNTPSERVER environment variable.

Message-ID: <***@pjr.gotdns.org>
or
<http://groups.google.com/group/news.software.readers/msg/4c99c7cdc7f36a12>

Your method and mine have identical results. Troy's method is more
efficient than both but requires a local server or proxy to be
installed.

Swings and roundabouts.

[Pseudo Silk Kimono]

Post by Peter J Ross
In news.software.readers on 14 Sep 2007 19:03:52 GMT, Blinky the Shark

Post by Blinky the Shark
And, Pseudo, there's another option, I believe from PJR, that uses IF
logic within .slnrrc to determine what server-specific settings are to
be used, based on fiddling around with the otherwise irrelevant
NNTPSERVER environment variable.

or
<http://groups.google.com/group/news.software.readers/msg/4c99c7cdc7f36a12>
Your method and mine have identical results. Troy's method is more
efficient than both but requires a local server or proxy to be
installed.
Swings and roundabouts.

A hand held over a candle in angst fuelled bravado
a carbon trail scores a moist fresh palm
Trapped in the indecion of another fine menu
and you sit there and ask me to tell you the story so far
This is the story so far
Shuffling your memories dealing your doodles in margins

you scrawl out your poems across a beermat or two
and when you declare the point of grave creation
They turn round and you to tell them the story so far
This is the story so far
And you listen with a tear in you eye
to their hopes and betrayals and your only reply
is Slainte mhath
Princes in exile raising the standard Drambuie
parading their anecdotes tired from oldd campaigns
holding their own last orders commanding attention
we sit here and listen to all of the story so far

[Pseudo Silk Kimono]

Post by Blinky the Shark

Post by Pseudo Silk Kimono
Greetings,
Not only do I read news from motzarella, I also frequent the grc news
server. Is there a way to configure slrn so that I can use multiple
.slrn files, one for each server? Or better yet, add something to
the .slrnrc file like a switch or flag that will tell slrn which
server to connect to.

You could do as Blinky suggests and run different instances of slrn
for different servers, or you could use slrnpull, a part of slrn, to
download messages from all mail servers and slrn reads from slrnpull
as a local spool.

And, Pseudo, there's another option, I believe from PJR, that uses IF
logic within .slnrrc to determine what server-specific settings are to
be used, based on fiddling around with the otherwise irrelevant
NNTPSERVER environment variable.

I got it working. It's kind of brute force.
I create a script called runslrn and make it executable.

server=$1
if [[ $server = "grc" ]]
then
export NNTPSERVER=news.grc.com
slrn -i ~/.slrnrc-grc
else
export NNTPSERVER=news.motzarella.org
slrn -i ~/.slrnrc
fi

.slrnrc-grc is basically a copy of .slrnrc except that I changed the
details for motzarella to grc.
Then I simply run ./runslrn grc or ./runslrn motza and I have both

And I can have both at the same time, in separate terminals. I suppose
I could change the script to run slrn in background, but it's not too
bad for a 5 minute hack.

[Blinky the Shark]

Post by Pseudo Silk Kimono

Post by Blinky the Shark

Post by Pseudo Silk Kimono
Greetings,
Not only do I read news from motzarella, I also frequent the grc news
server. Is there a way to configure slrn so that I can use multiple
.slrn files, one for each server? Or better yet, add something to
the .slrnrc file like a switch or flag that will tell slrn which
server to connect to.

You could do as Blinky suggests and run different instances of slrn
for different servers, or you could use slrnpull, a part of slrn, to
download messages from all mail servers and slrn reads from slrnpull
as a local spool.

And, Pseudo, there's another option, I believe from PJR, that uses IF
logic within .slnrrc to determine what server-specific settings are to
be used, based on fiddling around with the otherwise irrelevant
NNTPSERVER environment variable.

I got it working. It's kind of brute force.
I create a script called runslrn and make it executable.

Brute force from the kimono guy? I suspect samurai slang scripting! :)

Post by Pseudo Silk Kimono
server=$1
if [[ $server = "grc" ]]
then
export NNTPSERVER=news.grc.com
slrn -i ~/.slrnrc-grc
else
export NNTPSERVER=news.motzarella.org
slrn -i ~/.slrnrc
fi
.slrnrc-grc is basically a copy of .slrnrc except that I changed the
details for motzarella to grc.
Then I simply run ./runslrn grc or ./runslrn motza and I have both

Gotcha.

I just thought of something. You might want to incorporate my method of
making those server-specific files contain *only* the handful of
server-specific lines, and using includes to pull in the generic stuff
from a common large file of all the other stuff. That would give you
the simplicity of your few (expandable for more servers) lines of code
*and* my advantage of being able to make general configuration tweaks in
only one place -- that single copy of the general rc file.

[Pseudo Silk Kimono]

Post by Blinky the Shark
Brute force from the kimono guy? I suspect samurai slang scripting! :)

http://www.songlyrics.com/song-lyrics/Marillion/Misplaced_Childhood/Pseudo_Silk_Kimono/94829.html

Post by Blinky the Shark
I just thought of something. You might want to incorporate my method of
making those server-specific files contain *only* the handful of
server-specific lines, and using includes to pull in the generic stuff
from a common large file of all the other stuff. That would give you
the simplicity of your few (expandable for more servers) lines of code
*and* my advantage of being able to make general configuration tweaks in
only one place -- that single copy of the general rc file.

That will work. I just wanted a Q&D solution until I have a chance to
study your solution in depth. I agree that having to make changes in
multiple places is a no-no, so I will be eager to try out your solution.
It's almost like "Structured Programming: The Shell Scripting Methods"

[Blinky the Shark]

Post by Pseudo Silk Kimono

Post by Blinky the Shark
Brute force from the kimono guy? I suspect samurai slang scripting!
:)

http://www.songlyrics.com/song-lyrics/Marillion/Misplaced_Childhood/Pseudo_Silk_Kimono/94829.html

I did not know of the origin of your nym. I thought you were just
weird. Not that this new knowledge does anything to dispell that. ;)

Post by Pseudo Silk Kimono

Post by Blinky the Shark
I just thought of something. You might want to incorporate my method
of making those server-specific files contain *only* the handful of
server-specific lines, and using includes to pull in the generic
stuff from a common large file of all the other stuff. That would
give you the simplicity of your few (expandable for more servers)
lines of code *and* my advantage of being able to make general
configuration tweaks in only one place -- that single copy of the
general rc file.

That will work. I just wanted a Q&D solution until I have a chance to
study your solution in depth. I agree that having to make changes in

I know. And I never thought to combine the two methods before I read
your post. Synthesis. Neato.

Post by Pseudo Silk Kimono
multiple places is a no-no, so I will be eager to try out your
solution. It's almost like "Structured Programming: The Shell
Scripting Methods"

In school (and sharks school for life) my middle name is
"Object-Oriented".

[Pseudo Silk Kimono]

Post by Blinky the Shark
I did not know of the origin of your nym. I thought you were just
weird. Not that this new knowledge does anything to dispell that. ;)

I know I am but what are you? Seriously, Marillion has always been one
of my favorite bands. PSK, in combination with motzarella, is my way of
maintaining some degree of annonymity.

Post by Blinky the Shark
I know. And I never thought to combine the two methods before I read
your post. Synthesis. Neato.

I'm just suprised that what I did actually worked. The idea of
launching slrn in the background, however, does not work. I was hoping
that I could start the CLI and still have my terminal to work on, rather
than having to open a second terminal to do other stuff.

Post by Blinky the Shark
In school (and sharks school for life) my middle name is
"Object-Oriented".

I was ready to say Object Oriented, but I thought some of the purists
might tell me to move over to one of the Java groups. But I'm already
there so it wouldn't matter.

[Blinky the Shark]

Post by Pseudo Silk Kimono

Post by Blinky the Shark
I did not know of the origin of your nym. I thought you were just
weird. Not that this new knowledge does anything to dispell that. ;)

I know I am but what are you? Seriously, Marillion has always been one
of my favorite bands. PSK, in combination with motzarella, is my way of
maintaining some degree of annonymity.

It's not like I use my real name. ;)

As for the band, I confess to never having heard of them. For the
record I just turned 60.

Post by Pseudo Silk Kimono

Post by Blinky the Shark
I know. And I never thought to combine the two methods before I read
your post. Synthesis. Neato.

I'm just suprised that what I did actually worked. The idea of
launching slrn in the background, however, does not work. I was hoping
that I could start the CLI and still have my terminal to work on, rather
than having to open a second terminal to do other stuff.

Do you run slrn in a separate login, as versus a terminal emulator?

Post by Pseudo Silk Kimono

Post by Blinky the Shark
In school (and sharks school for life) my middle name is
"Object-Oriented".

I was ready to say Object Oriented, but I thought some of the purists
might tell me to move over to one of the Java groups. But I'm already
there so it wouldn't matter.

:)