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

# snscan(8)

display information on articles in the spool sncat - display articles in the spool sncancel - cancel articles in the spool

## NAME

snscan - display information on articles in the spool\
 sncat - display articles in the spool\
 sncancel - cancel articles in the spool

## SYNOPSIS

**snscan** \[*options*\] *articlespec*...\
 **sncat** \[*options*\] *articlespec*...\
 **sncancel** \[*options*\] *articlespec*...\
 *options*: \[-*n*\] \[-*s* *since*\] \[-*o* *outputfile*\]\

## DESCRIPTION

- **snscan**

  displays information on all articles specified by *articlespec*, in the form\
   *newsgroup serial id*\
   on a line, one line per article matched.  This output is suitable for feeding to **snprimedb**.

- **sncat**

  displays the articles specified by *articlespec*.

- **sncancel**

  marks articles specified by *articlespec* as canceled, so they become unavailable to **sn** programs.

## ARGUMENTS

*articlespec* defines a broad pattern for articles.  It takes two mutually exclusive forms.

- **Specify by newsgroup and serial number**

  Here *articlespec* is\
   *newsgroup*\[:*range*\[,*range*\]...\]\
   where each *range* is\
   *serial*\[-\[*toserial*\]\]\
   (where *toserial* is greater than *serial*). If *toserial* is omitted, then all articles after *serial* are matched.  If both *serial* and *toserial* are empty, then only the first and last articles are matched.

- **Specify by articles message ID**

  Here *articlespec is* -*i* *id*...\
   where each *id* is a message ID, angle brackets optional.

## OPTIONS

- \-**n**

  This option weeds out articles that are aliases. If an article is crossposted, there will be an original copy, the others will be aliases to it. This option prevents information being displayed if it is not from the original copy.

- *-***s***since*

  This option weeds out articles that were obtained before *since*. *since* is in the format *year*/*month*/*day*\[:*hour*:*minute*\] where each is a number. *year* may be 2 or 4 digits, and **/** and **:** can be any non-digit character.

- *-***o***outputfile*

  Write output to *outputfile* instead of descriptor 1.  Sometimes you just don't feel like using the shell.

## EXAMPLES

- sncancel linux.lemmings:12

  Cancel article 12 from linux.lemmings.

- snscan linux.lemmings:4,12-

  Display information on article 4, and also articles 12 to the most recent article, from linux.lemmings.

- sncat -n -s 1998/4/1 linux.lemmings

  Display all articles that are not aliases, and which were entered after April 1 1998, from linux.lemmings.

- snscan -i '123@myhost'

  Display information on the article whose ID is **\<123@myhost\>**, in whichever newsgroup it is found.

## FILES

Each *articlespec* or *id* on the command line refers to articles in the news spool located in **/var/spool/sn.**

## 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.

## EXIT CODES

**snscan** exits 0 on success, 1 on usage error, 2 on system error, and 3 on other errors. It is not an error to specify an article that does not exist, or which does not meet the *since* criterion.

## SEE ALSO

[snprimedb(8)](/snprimedb/8.md)