Creating a database isn't so easy.  The LISTSERV database functions require an
index for  every database,  as well as  a driver (to  reformat the  output for
document parts, etc). You can read LSVDBBN  to get an idea. You will also have
to decide what goes  into the index and what doesn't (the  parts which go into
the index can be searched much more efficiently, but, depending on the size of
the database, you can't put everything on the index). The driver should do all
access  control (e.g.  probably you  won't want  everybody on  the network  to
access your data,  but only some local peopla), check  when the master file(s)
have been changed and rebuild the index if needed, etc.
 
To  get started,  edit DATABASE  FILE (on  LISTSERV's A-disk)  and add  a line
containing the name  of your database and its associated  driver. Without that
LISTSERV  wouldn't  know about  the  database.  You  should also  create  (and
maintain thru  your driver)  a 'database_name DBNAMES'  file to  associate the
database with  the files (look  at the DBNAMES  files already present  on your
disk)  and build  a DBINDEX  file out  of the  master files  (look at  BITEARN
DBINDEX for example).
 
All of this is, of course, undocumented, so it may or may not work on the next
release...
 
  Jose Maria