hconv(8) CLIX hconv(8)
NAME
hconv - Reads Clearinghouse directories and rewrites host information
SYNOPSIS
hconv [-d delay]
hconv [-f output_file]
hconv [-l]
hconv [-D]
hconv [-E]
hconv [-H]
hconv [-P days]
hconv [-q]
hconv [-S]
hconv [-v]
FLAGS
No more than one flag can be specified on the command line with the hconv
command.
-d delay Specifies the amount of delay (in seconds) before processing
starts.
-f output_file
Specifies a file, output_file, in which to store output.
-l Links aliases together when processing.
-D Writes output in DNS format.
-E Writes output in the /etc/hosts file format.
-H Writes output in the /usr/lib/hosts.smtp file format.
-S Writes output in the /usr/lib/uucp/Systems file format.
-P days Purges all entries older than days from the Clearinghouse
directories. This flag does not create a database.
-q Sorts entries in the list before printing the list.
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hconv(8) CLIX hconv(8)
-v Turns on the verbose mode.
DESCRIPTION
The hconv command reads the information kept in the XNS Clearinghouse
database, gathers the appropriate information, and rewrites it in a format
usable by various other programs.
The hconv command also can act as a purge utility by removing all entries
older than a specified number of days.
The hconv command can produce output in a variety of formats. By default,
it writes a single file containing all the information in the
Clearinghouse. This file resembles all the entries in the Clearinghouse,
concatenated end-to-end (though the data is formatted).
When used with the -D flag, hconv attempts to create a database which can
be used as a hosts file for DNS. Note that it is not guaranteed to be
completely correct. Its intended use is to quickly generate a starting
point for completion. Specifically, there is no way for hconv to set up
MX records, although it can identify hosts which probably need such
records.
When used with the -E flag, hconv creates a file in the /etc/hosts file
format.
When used with the -H flag, hconv creates a file containing hosts which
are known to be running the sendmail program. This file is normally
placed in /usr/lib/hosts.smtp.
When used with the -S flag, hconv creates a Systems file which uucp uses
to determine what hosts it can and cannot reach directly.
The -l flag tells hconv to note any aliases which are found while
processing the database. This is relevant only when used with the -E and
-D flags (for which it is on by default).
The -q flag sorts the entries by name before creating the output file.
This flag is only on by default for the -E flag.
EXAMPLES
1. To update the /etc/hosts file after a delay of one minute, enter the
following:
hconv -E -d 60 -f /etc/hosts
2. To remove all entries in the /usr/lib/nodes/heard and
/usr/lib/nodes/local files that are more than 7 days old, enter the
following:
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hconv(8) CLIX hconv(8)
hconv -P 7
3. To create a /usr/lib/uucp/Systems file that is sorted alphabetically,
enter the following:
hconv -S -q
FILES
/usr/lib/hconv
The hconv utility.
/usr/lib/nodes/heard/*
/usr/lib/nodes/local/*
XNS Clearinghouse information.
/etc/hosts TCP addresses (with the -E flag).
/usr/lib/nodes/hconv.stamp
Lock file for hconv.
/usr/lib/uucp/Systems
Used by UUCP to determine what hosts it can and cannot reach
directly.
/usr/lib/hosts.smtp
File containing the names of hosts known to be running
sendmail.
NOTES
Read and write permissions are required to access many of the necessary
files. For this reason, hconv is normally run as root.
DIAGNOSTICS
The following lists show common diagnostic messages.
General Diagnostics
hconv: exit due to interrupt.
The program exited due to an interrupt.
hconv: cannot get write access to
/usr/lib/nodes/hconv.stamp
The program cannot get write access to the
/usr/lib/nodes/hconv.stamp file.
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hconv(8) CLIX hconv(8)
hconv: another hconv is already running.
Another instantiation of hconv is already running.
hconv: failed to lock /usr/lib/nodes/hconv.stamp
Could not lock the /usr/lib/nodes/hconv.stamp file.
hconv: Number of days must be >= 0
An improper argument was passed with the -P flag.
hconv: cannot change to directory dirname
Could not change to specified directory.
Attempt to open directory dirname failed with error
#" The attempt to open the specified directory failed with the
specified error number.
hconv: Could not open file "filename"
Could not open the specified file.
List appears corrupted in delete_node (Line #)
An internal error occurred in processing the list.
The -E flag
hconv: Cannot open hosts file
The /etc/hosts file does not exist or is not accessible.
Warning: Hosts file contains multiple entries for entry
This is a warning that the /etc/hosts file contains multiple
entries for the specified name.
hconv: Cannot create temp file.
Could not create temporary file.
hconv: Error writing temp file.
An error was encountered while attempting to write to the
temporary file.
name1 and name2 are in an alias loop
The two entries specified have alias information in which each
points (directly or indirectly) to the other one.
CLH entry name1 is aliased to name2, which does not exist.
The specified entry is aliased to a non-existent entry.
The -P flag
hconv: unable to access file filename
Could not get time information on the specified filename.
The -S flag
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hconv(8) CLIX hconv(8)
fopen(filename) failed: Error #
The fopen() function failed with specified error number.
Could not get a lock on the Systems file.
Could not get a lock on the /usr/lib/uucp/Systems file.
unlink(filename) failed: Error #
The unlink() function failed with specified error number.
link(file1, file2) failed: Error #
The link() function failed with specified error number.
chmod(filename) failed: Error #
The chmod() function failed with specified error number.
EXIT VALUES
The hconv command exits with a value of 0 if successful. If unsuccessful,
it exits with a nonzero value.
RELATED INFORMATION
Commands: uucp(1), sendmail(8)
Functions:
Files: hosts(4), clh(4)
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