Re: [leafnode-list] File locking

["Brent J. Nordquist" <brent-nordquist@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 7 Oct 1999, Cornelius Krasel wrote:

> Lockfiles are used in Leafnode to avoid race conditions with respect
> to the groupinfo file. That is, only one application that modifies
> the groupinfo file can run at a time (i.e. fetch, texpire and applyfilter
> are mutually exclusive).
> 
> However, if we want to implement local groups there will be a problem,
> because the nntpd itself will have to modify the groupinfo file. It would
> be quite stupid (IMO) if the nntpd would also use the current locking
> mechanism because this would make it impossible to run fetch (or any
> other program) in the background while reading news. Therefore, it would
> be important to come up with a different solution. I have thought quite
> hard about this, but have not come up with a good idea.
> 
> Any of the geeks out there who can help me?

Is there a compelling reason why groupinfo has to be a file?  Locking at
the whole-file level isn't very granular.  When I encounter situations
such as this I immediately start to think "database".

-- 
Brent J. Nordquist <brent-nordquist@xxxxxxxxxx>
W: +1 651 638-6136

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