[NTLUG:Discuss] problems getting some services to start at boot

[krannen@gte.net]

Raymond Norton wrote:

> I am trying to get mrtg and apache to start automatically. I have been
> through the docs, and feel I have done things right, but obviously something
> is wrong.
> 
> mrtg:
> 
> I created a script  called mrtg that launches 17 different configs. It is
> located in /ect/rc.d/init.d . I also created a symbolic link to the mrtg
> script in /etc/rc3.d named S65mrtg.
> 
> It is my understanding this should launch mrtg at boot, but it doesn't. If I
> do a "perl S65mrtg" it fires of.


Whoops!  init scripts are shell scripts, not perl scripts.

Take one of the smaller scripts in the dir, e.g. sshd.  Use that as a 
template, as in:
	cp sshd mrtg
Then rip out the sshd specific things, and fill in yours.  Or use this as a 
template:

----------------------cut--------------------
#!/bin/sh

# Source function library.
. /etc/rc.d/init.d/functions

RETVAL=0

# See how we were called.
case "$1" in
   start)
         # Start daemons.
         echo -n "Starting mrtg: "
         ...do start command...
         RETVAL=$?
         echo
         ;;
   stop)
         # Stop daemons.
         echo -n "Shutting down mrtg: "
         killproc ...program_name...
         RETVAL=$?
         echo
         ;;
   *)
         echo "Usage: mrtg {start|stop}"
         exit 1
esac

exit $RETVAL
-------------------cut-----------------

Fill in the stuff like ...stuff...
There's no other "magic".  If you need to start multiple daemons in the same 
script, just duplicate the "echo/process/RETVAL/echo" lines over and over for 
each one.  Same sort of thing for the stop action.

Also, be sure to put an "&" at the end of your start command if the process 
does not naturally go into background on its own.  Some processes do, some 
you; trial and error is one way to find out (or read the man page).


> 
> I also have about the same problem with apache.
> 
> Any advice would be appreciated.
> 
> This is running on RedHat 7.1 in case that matters.


It shouldn't matter, but like I said, use one of the other scripts as a 
template.  Also, when you can't figure out what's going on, you can test it like:
	sh -x /etc/rc.d/init.d/mrtg

and it will show you what it does as it's doing it, which is very helpful to

see what get's expanded when, catch typos, etc.


HTH,
Kevin