Apache::NNTPGateway

Apache::NNTPGateway is a freely available Perl program that provides a web-based interface for reading newsgroups.

Installing Apache::NNTPGateway

• Using the CPAN shell

  Perform the installation as the same user that the web server was installed as. (Be sure to set the environment variable ZEUSHOME to the location where Zeus is installed).

  # $ZEUSHOME/zperl/bin/perl -MCPAN -e shell
  cpan> install Apache::NNTPGateway

  The CPAN shell will prompt to install all the necessary dependencies for you.

• Manually

  Download the Apache::NNTPGateway package and untar it. Run the following commands in the directory that is created.

  $ $ZEUSHOME/zperl/bin/perl Makefile.PL
  $ make
   
  $ make test

  Now, install Apache::NNTPGateway; run the following command as the same user that the web server was installed as:

  # make install

  The Apache::NNTPGateway documentation lists dependencies that must be installed prior to installing it - see the README file included in the distribution.

Configuring Apache::NNTPGateway

Create a virtual server, or edit an existing virtual server. Enable Perl Extensions (API Support: Perl). On the Perl configuration page, you must enter the location on the site that you would like the web-based newsgroup pages to be located. The path entered does not need to exist in the document root; NNTPGateway generates all its web page content by itself. Here, we'll use the path '/news'.

Enter this path in the section of the page entitled 'Add a new URL prefix' and apply changes. Now, you can specify additional configuration to tell Zeus to use Apache::NNTPGateway. In the 'handlers' section, select the stage 'Content generation' from the list, and type in 'Apache::NNTPGateway' into the box below.

Apache::NNTPGateway also must be given at least two further configuration options. These are stored as 'perl configuration variables'. In the 'Adding a Perl Configuration Variable' section of the Perl page, type in the variable name 'NNTPGatewayNewsServer' and in the value box, enter the hostname of your news server. Be sure to type the variable name exactly, as the names are case-sensitive.

After entering this first variable, you will need to click the 'apply changes' button. The page will be updated, showing the new content generator perl module, and the configuration key that you just added. Now, you must also add another configuration variable, this time called 'NNTPGatewayNewsGroup'. The value of this variable should be set to the default news group that a visitor to the site will see when they view the '/news' URL.

By default, NNTPGateway displays its pages in French. If you'd rather have English displayed, you must set the environment variable 'LANG' to 'en'. This is easily set in the GUI - there is a section just above the Perl configuration variables for adding new environment variables for the Perl code.

Finally, click on the 'save' button or apply changes to set this configuration. Then commit the changes to the virtual server by clicking on the link at the top of the page.

Now, Apache::NNTPGateway should be running. Visit your web site and go to the '/news/' URL (or whatever URL you configured). By default, NNTPGateway will show the latest message to the configured newsgroup. By following the links on thepage, you can browse through all the news groups and messages.

Apache::NNTPServer has many other configuration options. Please read the README file that comes with the software distribution for further documentation. Additional configuration parameters can be set in exactly the same way as described above.

Troubleshooting

Error messages are logged to the file $ZEUSHOME/web/log/errors. Review this file if you encounter any problems.

Content Manager [Administrator] 16 December 2005