Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 17:00:01 -0700 (PDT) From: Peter Jeremy <jeremyp@gsmx07.alcatel.com.au> To: freebsd-doc@freebsd.org Subject: Re: bin/12767: Expand /etc/ttys manpage Message-ID: <199909270000.RAA28076@freefall.freebsd.org>
next in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
The following reply was made to PR bin/12767; it has been noted by GNATS.
From: Peter Jeremy <jeremyp@gsmx07.alcatel.com.au>
To: sheldonh@FreeBSD.ORG
Cc: gnats@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject: Re: bin/12767: Expand /etc/ttys manpage
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 09:43:52 +1000
Hi Sheldon,
After contemplating both ttys(5) and init(8), my latest suggestion is
the following:
Index: src/libexec/getty/ttys.5
===================================================================
RCS file: /home/CVSROOT/src/libexec/getty/ttys.5,v
retrieving revision 1.10
diff -u -r1.10 ttys.5
--- ttys.5 1999/08/28 00:09:37 1.10
+++ ttys.5 1999/09/26 23:42:57
@@ -56,9 +56,11 @@
are delimited by hash marks (``#'') and new lines.
Any unspecified fields will default to null.
.Pp
-The first field is the
+The first field is normally the
name of the terminal special file as it is found in
.Pa /dev .
+It can be, however, any arbitrary string when the associated command is not
+related to a tty.
.Pp
The second field of the file is the command to execute for the line,
usually
@@ -125,6 +127,14 @@
"none".
For backwards compatibility, the ``group='' should appear last on the
line, immediately before the optional comment.
+.Pp
+Both the second field and any command specified with ``window=''
+will be split into words and executed using
+.Xr execve 2 .
+Words are separated by tabs and/or spaces.
+Arguments comprised of more than one word should be enclosed in single
+quotes ("'").
+Note that no shell-style globbing or other variable substitution occurs.
.Sh EXAMPLES
.Bd -literal
# root login on console at 1200 baud
Index: src/sbin/init/init.8
===================================================================
RCS file: /home/CVSROOT/src/sbin/init/init.8,v
retrieving revision 1.19
diff -u -r1.19 init.8
--- init.8 1999/09/06 08:41:32 1.19
+++ init.8 1999/09/26 23:42:57
@@ -152,7 +152,11 @@
processes for the terminal ports found in the file
.Xr ttys 5 .
.Nm Init
-reads this file, and executes the command found in the second field.
+reads this file, and executes the command found in the second field,
+unless the first field refers to a device in
+.Pa /dev
+which is not configured.
+The first field is supplied as the final argument to the command.
This command is usually
.Xr getty 8 ;
.Nm getty
@@ -182,6 +186,17 @@
.Nm getty
for the line.
.Pp
+.Nm Init
+can also be used to keep arbitrary daemons running - automatically
+restarting them if they die.
+In this case, the first field in the
+.Xr ttys 5
+file can specify any arbitrary string (though it will be passed to
+the daemon on its command line).
+This is similar to the facilities offered in the
+.At V
+.Pa /etc/inittab .
+.Pp
Line status (on, off, secure, getty, or window information)
may be changed in the
.Xr ttys 5
@@ -205,10 +220,8 @@
.Xr ttys 5
file and are now on,
.Nm
-executes a new
-.Nm getty
-to enable a new login.
-If the getty or window field for a line is changed,
+executes the command specified in the second field.
+If the command or window field for a line is changed,
the change takes effect at the end of the current
login session (e.g., the next time
.Nm
@@ -238,8 +251,7 @@
will time out after 30 seconds and print a warning message.
.Pp
.Nm Init
-will cease creating new
-.Nm getty Ns 's
+will cease creating new processes
and allow the system to slowly die away, if it is sent a terminal stop
.Pq Dv TSTP
signal, i.e.
Peter
To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
with "unsubscribe freebsd-doc" in the body of the message
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?199909270000.RAA28076>