Spider allows the creation of local or remote databases. It supports -chained databases, allowing several different databases to be scanned -with one simple command. Importing of databases is limited at present -to the standard AK1A databases such as OBLAST and the DB0SDX QSL -database but will expand with time. -
-
Creating a database could not be more simple. All the commands are -sent from the cluster prompt as the sysop user. -
To create a database you use the command dbcreate. It can -be used in 3 different ways like so .. +
CVS stands for "Concurrent Versions System" and the CVS for DXSpider is held +at +Sourceforge. This means +that it is possible to update your DXSpider installation to the latest +sources by using a few simple commands. A graphical interface to CVS for +Windows is explained in the next section.
+ +Please be aware that if you update your system using CVS, it is possible that +you could be running code that is very beta and not fully tested. There is +a possibility that it could be unstable.
+ +I am of course assuming that you have a machine with both DXSpider and +Internet access running.
+ +BEFORE YOU EVEN CONSIDER STARTING WITH THIS MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR +ENTIRE SPIDER TREE!!
+ +Assuming you are connected to the Internet, you need to login to the +CVS repository and then update your Spider source. There are several +steps which are listed below ...
+ +First login as the user sysop. Next you need to connect to the CVS +repository. You do this with the command below ...
-
-dbcreate <name>
+cvs -d:pserver:anonymous@cvs.DXSpider.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/dxspider login
-To simply create a database locally, you just tell the command the -name of the database. This does not create the actual database, it -simply defines it to say that it exists. +
+You will get a password prompt. Simply hit return here and your machine should +return to a normal linux prompt.
+ +What happens next depends on whether you have an existing installation that +you want to update with the latest and greatest or whether you just want +to see what is there and/or run it on a new machine for testing.
+If you are installing Spider from CVS then change directory to /home/sysop
+If you are wanting to update Spider then cd to /tmp
+ +The next step will create a brand new 'spider' directory in your current +directory.
-
-dbcreate <name> chain <name> [<name>...]
+cvs -z3 -d:pserver:anonymous@cvs.DXSpider.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/dxspider co spider
-This creates a chained database entry. The first database will be -scanned, then the second, the third etc... +
+This command is all on one line.
+ +Hopefully your screen should show you downloading files. The -z3 simply compresses +the download to improve speed. +When this has finished, you will have exactly the same as if you had untarred a full +tarball PLUS some extra directories and files that CVS needs to do the magic that +it does.
+ +Now if you are doing a new installation, that's it. Carry on as if you have +just downloaded and untarred the lastest tarball.
+ +If you want to upgrade your current installation then do this ...
-dbcreate <name> remote <name>
+tar cvfz /tmp/s.tgz spider
+cd /
+tar xvfzp /tmp/s.tgz
This creates a remote entry. the first name field is the database -name at the remote node, then the remote switch, then the actual -node_call of the remote node, for example... +
+This is assuming you downloaded to the /tmp directory of course.
+ +NOTE: the 'p' on the end of the 'xvfz' is IMPORTANT! It keeps the permissions +correct. YOU WERE LOGGED IN AS THE USER SYSOP WEREN'T YOU?????
+Remember to recompile the C client (cd /spider/src; make)
+ +At this point the files have been upgraded. You can (usually) restart the cluster +in your own time. However, if you attempt to use any new commands or features +expect it to be fatal! At least your cluster will have been restarted then so it +will be too late to worry about it!
+ +Now the magic part! From now on when you want to update, simply connect to the +Internet and then, as the user sysop ...
-dbcreate buckmaster remote gb7dxc
+cd /spider
+cvs -z3 update -d
Remote databases cannot be chained, however, the last database in a -chain can be a remote database. -
-
and your files will be updated. As above, remember to recompile the "C" client +if it has been updated (CVS will tell you) and restart if any of the perl scripts +have been altered or added, again, CVS will tell you.
+ +You will find any changes documented in the /spider/Changes file.
+ +The only databases that Spider can currently import are the standard -AK1A databases such as OBLAST or the DB0SDX qsl and address database. -This will be added to with time. -
To import such a database, first put the file somewhere useful like /tmp -and then issue the following command ... +
After the initial setup, an update to your DXSpider software is no more than a couple +of clicks away. This section is intended to explain and illustrate the use of the +WinCVS application to update your DXSpider software. The current stable version of +WinCVS is Ver. 1.2. You can get this software at:
-
-
-dbimport oblast /tmp/OBLAST.FUL
-
-This will update the existing local oblast database or create it if -it does not exist. +http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/cvsgui/WinCvs120.zip
+Pick your download mirror and then install WinCVS after the download is complete.
+In this next section I have included a series of links to .jpg files to take advantage of the +picture and 1000 words equivalency. The .jpg files are in the C:\spider\html directory. If +someone using a Linux system is reading this section from boredom, the files are in +/home/sysop/spider/html. One aside, a Linux user can also get a copy of gcvs and do your updates +graphically as opposed to from the command line. The following descriptions are almost identical +between WinCvs and gcvs. The following screen shots have duplicate links, depending upon whether +you are viewing this information under the Windows or Linux operating system.
+When WinCVS is installed, running, and you are connected to the internet, the initial screen looks like:
-
Once a database is created, you will want to check that it has been -added. To do this use the dbavail command. This will -output the available databases. For example ... +initial.jpg
+If you want, you can also look at these .jpg files with another viewer that might provide some +better clarity to the image. On the left is the directory tree for your hard disk. Notice that +the spider directory has a gray highlight.
+To start configuring WinCVS, click on Admin at the top of the screen and then Preferences. This +should get you:
+In the top line for CVSROOT, enter:
-dbavail
-DB Name Location Chain
-qsl Local
-buck GB7ADX
-hftest GB7DXM
-G0VGS de GB7MBC 3-Feb-2001 1925Z >
+anonymous@cvs.DXSpider.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/dxspider login
-
To look for information in a defined database, simply use the dbshow -command, for example ... -
+
+and select
-dbshow buckmaster G0YLM
+"passwd" file on the cvs server
will show the information for the callsign G0YLM from the buckmaster -database if it exists. To make things more standard for the users -you can add an entry in the Aliases file so that it looks like a standard -show command like this ... +
+for Authentication on the General tab.
+Next, move to the right to the Ports tab.
+ +In here, check the box on the second line down for the "pserver" port. Enter a port number of 2401.
+Finally, go to the WinCvs tab all the way to the right.
+ +Enter Notepad as the viewer to open files. For the HOME folder, put "C:\spider" and click OK +because the configuration is now complete.
+You are now ready to upgrade your copy of DXSpider. Click on the greyed Spider folder +shown in the directory tree on the left of the WinCVS display. Two things should happen. The Spider +folder will be selected and the greyed-out arrow located just below the word Query in the top line will +turn to solid green.
+For anyone using gcvs under Linux, the green arrow is located on the extreme left of the display, +under the word File. A gcvs screen looks like:
+ +Click on the now green arrow to start the download process. An Update Settings box will be displayed +to which you can simply say OK.
+For future reference, the Update Settings box is the place where you can enter information to revert +to a prior version of DXSpider. Information on reverting to a Before Date is contained in the WinCVS +manual.
+After a short period of time, a series of file names will scroll by in the lower pane of the WinCVS +window. Eventually you should see
-'^sh\w*/buc', 'dbshow buckmaster', 'dbshow',
+*****CVS exited normally with code 0*****
Now you can simply use show/buckmaster or an abreviation. -
-
To delete an existing database you use the dbremove command. -For example ... +appear in the lower pane. You're done. The updated files are in place ready for you to stop and then +restart your DXSpider. After the restart, you're running with the latest version of DXSpider.
+To paraphrase from the CVS section... Now the magic part! From now on when you want to update, simply +connect to the Internet and start WinCVS.
-dbremove oblast
+Click on the greyed-out Spider directory in the left screen
+Click on the green down arrow
+Click OK on the Update Settings dialog box
+Restart your Spider software
would remove the oblast database and its associated datafile from the -system. There are no warnings or recovery possible from this command. -If you remove a database it ceases to exist and would have to be created -from scratch if you still required it. -
+
+