---
name: "checkgroups"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "leafnode"
version: "1.12.0-4"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/checkgroups"
---

# checkgroups(8)

update group descriptions

## NAME

checkgroups - update group descriptions

## SYNOPSIS

**checkgroups** *checkgroupsfile*

## DESCRIPTION

**Leafnode** is a USENET package intended for small sites, where there are few users and little disk space, but where a large number of groups is desired.

**Checkgroups** is the program which parses checkgroup scripts to include new/updated group descriptions into the active file (which is usually **/var/spool/news/leaf.node/groupinfo**).

**Checkgroups** sets its real and effective uid to "news".

## OPTIONS

- *checkgroupsfile*

  is a file which contains the newsgroup name and the description on one line, separated by whitespace. Checkgroups scripts are sometimes sent out by news administrators (e.g., in the bionet.\* hierarchy).

## ENVIRONMENT

- **LN\_LOCK\_TIMEOUT**

  This variable is parsed as an unsigned integer value and determines how many seconds checkgroups will wait when trying to obtain the lock file from another leafnode program. 0 means to wait indefinitely. This variable takes precedence over the configuration file.

## AUTHOR

Written by Cornelius Krasel \<krasel@wpxx02.toxi.uni-wuerzburg.de\>. Copyright 1997 – 1999.

Modified by Matthias Andree \<matthias.andree@gmx.de\>. Copyright 2002 – 2004.

Leafnode was originally written by Arnt Gulbrandsen \<agulbra@troll.no\> and is copyright 1995 – 1996 Troll Tech AS, Postboks 6133 Etterstad, 0602 Oslo, Norway, fax +47 22646949.

## SEE ALSO

[**leafnode**(8)](/leafnode/8.md), [**texpire**(8)](/texpire/8.md), **RFC 977**.