---
name: "snexpire"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "sn"
version: "0.3.8-12"
release: "Debian 12 (Bookworm)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/snexpire"
---

# snexpire(8)

expire news under the sn system.

## NAME

snexpire - expire news under the **sn** system.

## SYNOPSIS

**snexpire** \[-*v*\] \[-*exp*\] *newsgroup* \[\[-*exp*\] *newsgroup*\]...\

## DESCRIPTION

**snexpire** expires news in the **sn** news system, one article file (=10 articles, compile time default) at a time. **snexpire** always leaves behind at least one article file, so that newly entered articles will have numbers not overlapping previously used numbers.  As an exception if the expiration age is set to 0, then even this last file will be expired and subsequent article numbers will start from the beginning. You will need to be root or own /var/spool/sn to run **snexpire**.

## OPTIONS

\-**v** Output a line for each article expired.  The format of this line is the same as for **snscan**.

## ARGUMENTS

**snexpire** expires all *newsgroup*s named on the command line.  Each newsgroup may be preceded by -*exp* to control the expiration age. *exp* is of the form *#*\[*hdwmy*\] where *#* is a number, followed by one of the characters *h*,*d*,*w*,*m*,*y* representing hours, days, weeks, months and years.  The default for -*exp* is a compile-time fixed.  Each \[-*exp*\] applies to the next newsgroup only, any newsgroups after that one get default treatment unless overridden by another \[-*exp*\].

## FILES MODIFIED

/var/spool/sn/*newsgroup*/.times, /var/spool/sn/*newsgroup*/\[0123456789\]\*, /var/spool/sn/{.chain,.table}.

## ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

- **SNROOT**

  If this is set and is not empty, the value is used in place of **/var/spool/sn**, the default news spool directory.

## FILES

- /var/spool/sn/*newsgroup*/*.expire*

  If this exists, its contents are taken to be *exp* if not overridden by  -*exp* on the command line.