DISTRIB.PATS(5)

NAME
       distrib.pats  -  default  values  for  Usenet Distribution
       header

DESCRIPTION
       The file /etc/news/distrib.pats is used to  determine  the
       default  value of the Distribution header.  It consists of
       a series of lines; blank lines and lines beginning with  a
       number  sign (``#'') are ignored.  All other lines consist
       of three fields separated by a colon:
              weight:pattern:value

       The first field is the weight to assign to this match.  If
       a  newsgroup  matches  multiple  lines,  the line with the
       heighest weight is used.  This should be an arbitrary num-
       ber  greater than zero.  Unlike other INN files, the order
       of lines in this file is not important.

       The second field is the name of the newsgroup or  a  wild-
       mat(3)-style pattern to specify a set of newsgroups.  Mul-
       tiple patterns are not allowed.

       The third field is the value that should be used  if  this
       line  is  picked  as  the  best match.  It can be an empty
       string.

       Programs such as inews(1) that process  a  user's  posting
       should  consult  this  file,  typically by using the DDxxx
       routines, documented in libinn(3).  The intent is that all
       newsgroups  to which an article is posted be used to index
       into this file, and the  value  with  the  highest  weight
       should be used as the value of the Distribution header, if
       none was specified.

HISTORY
       Written by Rich $alz  lt;rsalz@uunet.uu.net  for  InterNet-
       News.  This is revision 1.7, dated 1996/09/06.

SEE ALSO
       inews(1) libinn(3).