InitScriptStatusActions

Revision 7 as of 2008-07-16 14:09:19

Clear message

Overview

The LSB suggests that init scripts provide a status action:

status_of_proc() library function in lsb-base

DustinKirkland has worked with Debian to provide a status_of_proc() method in /lib/lsb/init-functions, which is provided by the lsb-base package. This function is fully integrated in Debian's lsb-3.2-14:

various init script callers

DustinKirkland has provided patches to the key service init scripts that are installable from the Ubuntu Server CD:

OnnoBenschop has provided a script to detect, and compiled a list of init scripts that are lacking status action here:

Countless other init scripts could/should be patched to provide this functionality.

Patch Checklist

When you encounter an init script that lacks a status action:

  1. Determine the source package
    • dpkg -S /etc/init.d/FOO
  2. Open a Bug in Launchpad against the package
  3. Grab the source
    • apt-get source FOO
    • sudo apt-get build-dep FOO
  4. Locate the init script in the source tree, often:
    • debian/*.init
    • debian/rc
  5. Patch the source to
    • have the init script call status_of_proc()
    • have the init script add "status" to the usage statement
    • add a dependency in debian/control for lsb-base >= 3.2-12ubuntu3

    • if you're sending to Ubuntu
      • add the changelog entry referencing your Launchpad bug
  6. Test your patched init script
    • sh debian/FOO.init status
    • echo $?
    • sudo sh debian/FOO.init stop
    • sh debian/FOO.init status
    • echo $?
    • sudo sh debian/FOO.init start
    • sh debian/FOO.init status
    • echo $?
  7. Build a source package
    • debuild -S
  8. Generate a patch
    • debdiff
  9. Compare your work to some of the other patches that did similar things.
  10. Add your patch to the Launchpad bug you filed