System Administration Guide, Volume 3

`UUCP` Database Files

A major part of UUCP setup is the configuration of the files making up the UUCP database. These files are in the /etc/uucp directory. You need to edit them to set up UUCP or PPP on your machine. The files include:

`Config`	Contains a list of variable parameters. You can manually set these parameters to configure the network.
`Devconfig`	Used to configure network communications.
`Devices`	Used to configure network communications.
`Dialcodes`	Contains dial-code abbreviations that can be used in the phone number field of `Systems` file entries. Though not required, it can be used by PPP as well as UUCP.
`Dialers`	Contains character strings required to negotiate with modems to establish connections with remote computers. It is used by PPP as well as UUCP.
`Grades`	Defines job grades, and the permissions associated with each job grade, that users can specify to queue jobs to a remote computer.
`Limits`	Defines the maximum number of simultaneous `uucico`s, `uuxqt`s, and `uusched`s permitted on your machine.
`Permissions`	Defines the level of access granted to remote hosts that attempt to transfer files or execute commands on your machine.
`Poll`	Defines machines that are to be polled by your system and when they are polled.
`Sysfiles`	Assigns different or multiple files to be used by `uucico` and `cu` as `Systems`, `Devices`, and `Dialers` files.
`Sysname`	Enables you to define a unique UUCP name for a machine in addition to its TCP/IP host name.
`Systems`	Contains information needed by the `uucico` daemon, `cu`, and PPP to establish a link to a remote computer. This information includes the name of the remote host, the name of the connecting device associated with the remote host, time when the host can be reached, telephone number, login ID, and password.

Several other files can be considered part of the supporting database but are not directly involved in establishing a link and transferring files.

Configuring UUCP Database Files

The UUCP database consists of the files shown in "UUCP Database Files". However, basic UUCP configuration involves only the following critical files:

/etc/uucp/Systems
/etc/uucp/Devices
/etc/uucp/Dialers

Because PPP uses some of the UUCP databases, you should understand at least these critical database files if you plan to configure PPP. After these databases are configured, UUCP administration is fairly straightforward. Typically, you edit the Systems file first, then edit the Devices file. You can usually use the default /etc/uucp/Dialers file, unless you plan to add dialers that aren't in the default file. In addition, you might also want to use the following files for basic UUCP and PPP configuration:

/etc/uucp/Sysfiles
/etc/uucp/Dialcodes
/etc/uucp/Sysname

Because these files work closely with one another, you should understand the contents of them all before you change any one of them. A change to an entry in one file might require a change to a related entry in another file. The remaining files listed in "UUCP Database Files" are not as critically intertwined.

Note -

PPP uses only the files described in this section. It does not use the other UUCP database files.