main(): Watch out for error 500 when using the group command on the

NNTP connection.  If the Mailman gateway is on the same machine as the
news server, you probably need to set the news server to reader mode
first.

Patch given by Thomas Wouters inspired by a patch from Jim Tittsler.

1 files changed, 10 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/cron/gate_news b/cron/gate_news
index c550af9c9..4263e37ab 100755
--- a/cron/gate_news
+++ b/cron/gate_news
@@ -125,7 +125,16 @@ def main():
             sys.stderr.write('connect to nntp_host failed\n')
             sys.stderr.write(`e`)
             break
-        r,c,f,l,n = conn.group(mlist.linked_newsgroup)
+        try:
+            r,c,f,l,n = conn.group(mlist.linked_newsgroup)
+        except nntplib.error_perm:
+            # We got an error 500, probably meaning that the 'group' command
+            # is not implemented.  A likely scenario causing this is when
+            # running the Mailman gateway on the same machine as the news
+            # server; the server defaults to news feed mode.  We need to set
+            # the connection to reader mode first.
+            conn.shortcmd('mode reader')
+            r,c,f,l,n = conn.group(mlist.linked_newsgroup)
         if not updatewatermarks:
             # just post the specified messages and be done with it
             poll_newsgroup(mlist, conn, first, last+1)