---
name: "checkactive"
section: "8cn"
platform: "linux"
package: "cnews"
version: "cr.g7-40.4"
release: "Debian 5.0 (Lenny)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/checkactive/8cn"
---

# checkactive(8cn)

check format of news active file

## NAME

checkactive - check format of news active file

## SYNOPSIS

**checkactive** \[ **-q** \] \[ **-n** \] \[ **-i** \] \[ file \]

## DESCRIPTION

*Checkactive* checks the format of news's *active* file (or the named *file*, if specified), and also checks the file for consistency with the *sys* file. Complaints, if any, are produced on standard output.

The **-n** (numeric fields okay) option suppresses checking of the relationship between the two middle (numeric) fields, for the case where they are about to be rebuilt.

The **-q** (quick) option suppresses one test, precise checking of the format of newsgroup names, which is relatively slow for a large *active* file.

The **-i** (incomplete) option indicates that the input is only part of an *active* file and might be incomplete, e.g. it might not have entries for the \`\`control'' and \`\`junk'' pseudo-newsgroups.

## SEE ALSO

[newsdb(5)](/newsdb/5.md)

## HISTORY

Written at U of Toronto by Henry Spencer.

## BUGS

There's no good reason why name-format checking *has* to be so slow.