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From: John Hay <jhay@zibbi.mikom.csir.co.za>
Message-Id: <199704231905.VAA07853@zibbi.mikom.csir.co.za>
Subject: Re: /etc/netstart bogons..
In-Reply-To: <2911.861818756@time.cdrom.com> from "Jordan K. Hubbard" at "Apr 23, 97 11:05:56 am"
To: jkh@time.cdrom.com (Jordan K. Hubbard)
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 21:05:27 +0200 (SAT)
Cc: hackers@freebsd.org
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> In /etc/netstart (and elsewhere) we have constructs of the form:
> 
> if [ "x$gateway" != "xNO" ]; then
>         echo 'configuring host as a gateway.'
>         sysctl -w net.inet.ip.forwarding=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
> fi
> 
> if [ "x$router" != "xNO" ] ; then
>         echo -n starting routing daemon:
>         echo -n " ${router}";   ${router} ${routerflags}
>         echo '.'
> fi
> 
> if [ "x$ipxgateway" != "xNO" ]; then
> ...
> 
> And so on.  This is, needless to say, DEEPLY DEEPLY EVIL since it will
> cause these features to be turned on in the _absence_ of any such flag
> setting, say because you have an old /etc/sysconfig file.  You make
> the world and you copy your new /etc files over (or this is done by
> "upgrade") and having missed the new variables in sysconfig, you're
> now quite surprised to see that you're running IPX and your machine
> now considers itself a gateway. :-)
> 
> Any objection to reversing the polarity on these various ifs?  If
> there's no variable or it's not explicitly set to YES, the operation
> should fail.  Speak now or hold your peace, please..
> 

I don't mind if it is changed. I think the problem started from the
fact that some of the programs like IPXrouted can be run with no
arguments and it would be valid, so setting ipxrouted="" is a
valid option.

Maybe we should give all these variables a valid value in the beginning
of netstart before sysconfig is pulled in?

John
-- 
John Hay -- John.Hay@mikom.csir.co.za