On Friday 13 October 2006 00:00, Patrick Shanahan wrote:

* John [10-12-06 16:40]:

...

On SuSE 10.0 booting to level 3 command line only.

I'm looking to start a postgresql database on boot and have a command line ready to key in.

Into which file(s) should I put it to ensure that it executes on system reboot?

for system, put in /etc/init.d/boot.local for user, put in ~/.bash_login (assuming bash)

.bash_login is run at LOGIN time. He wants it run at BOOT time. Also, he wants it to run in runlevel 3. boot.local is run before runlevel 1 is entered: owl:/etc/init.d # cat boot.local #! /bin/sh <snip> # Here you should add things, that should happen directly after booting # before we're going to the first run level. So, the answer looks something like this: cd /etc/init.d take any of those scripts and modify it to start, stop, and restart postgress (at a minimum, start and stop). For example's sake, we'll call the script postgres. cd rc3.d ln -s /etc/init.d/postgres ./S99postgres ln -s /etc/init.d/postgres ./K01postgres That's all there is to it. The only tricky part is creating the stop/start script if you don't know how to write/edit shell scripts. In that case, you can get by with something simple like: cd /etc/init.d create a file called postgres.start and put these lines in it: #!/bin/sh ... actual command which starts postgres ... now create a file called postgres.stop, which should look like: #!/bin/sh .... command which stops postgres ... chmod 0755 postgres.* cd rc3.d ln -s /etc/init.d/postgres.start S99postgres ln -s /etc/init.d/postgres.stop K01postgres Done. i would be very surprised if Suse does not come with a postgres init script already (i don't have pg installed, so i don't have such a script). -- ----- stephan@s11n.net http://s11n.net "...pleasure is a grace and is not obedient to the commands of the will." -- Alan W. Watts

stephan beal wrote:

So, the answer looks something like this:

cd /etc/init.d

take any of those scripts and modify it

There is a skeleton script for just that purpose. /etc/init.d/skeleton

to start, stop, and restart postgress (at a minimum, start and stop). For example's sake, we'll call the script postgres.

cd rc3.d ln -s /etc/init.d/postgres ./S99postgres ln -s /etc/init.d/postgres ./K01postgres

No, better use "insserv" for that.

i would be very surprised if Suse does not come with a postgres init script already

Me too. /Per Jessen, Zürich

John wrote:

stephan beal wrote:

...

On Friday 13 October 2006 00:00, Patrick Shanahan wrote:

...

* John [10-12-06 16:40]:

...

On SuSE 10.0 booting to level 3 command line only.

I'm looking to start a postgresql database on boot and have a command line ready to key in.

Into which file(s) should I put it to ensure that it executes on system reboot?

for system, put in /etc/init.d/boot.local for user, put in ~/.bash_login (assuming bash)

.bash_login is run at LOGIN time. He wants it run at BOOT time. Also, he wants it to run in runlevel 3. boot.local is run before runlevel 1 is entered:

owl:/etc/init.d # cat boot.local #! /bin/sh <snip> # Here you should add things, that should happen directly after booting # before we're going to the first run level.

So, the answer looks something like this:

cd /etc/init.d

take any of those scripts and modify it to start, stop, and restart postgress (at a minimum, start and stop). For example's sake, we'll call the script postgres.

cd rc3.d ln -s /etc/init.d/postgres ./S99postgres ln -s /etc/init.d/postgres ./K01postgres

That's all there is to it. The only tricky part is creating the stop/start script if you don't know how to write/edit shell scripts. In that case, you can get by with something simple like:

cd /etc/init.d

create a file called postgres.start and put these lines in it:

#!/bin/sh ... actual command which starts postgres ...

now create a file called postgres.stop, which should look like:

#!/bin/sh .... command which stops postgres ...

chmod 0755 postgres.* cd rc3.d ln -s /etc/init.d/postgres.start S99postgres ln -s /etc/init.d/postgres.stop K01postgres

Done.

i would be very surprised if Suse does not come with a postgres init script already (i don't have pg installed, so i don't have such a script).

Now I'm getting confused (which, let's face it doesn't take much these days).

To recap, my SuSE 10 server boots to runlevel 3.

In event of power outage, for example, I need to issue a command line similar to:

su -c postmaster -D ... postgresql_user &

to get my database started.

If I put it into boot-local, it looks as if this command will run before postgres is loaded and will, therefore, fail.

I don't think I'm looking for the complexity of adapting the /etc/init.d/skeleton file but I'm willing to be proven wrong here since this is the first time I've looked seriously at a boot script.

To my simplistic, naive way of thinking, what I'd like to do is put this command line into a script file and get the boot process to fire it for me, regardless of the target run level, although I have restricted the server to 3.

TIA

John

Or do I just need to copy /etc/init.d/skeleton to, say, my_postgres_startup in the same directory and add my command line in the section case start)? J

Per Jessen wrote:

John wrote:

...

Or do I just need to copy /etc/init.d/skeleton to, say, my_postgres_startup in the same directory and add my command line in the section case start)?

Given that you don't appear too comfortable with editing these scripts and such, why don't you just install the SUSE postgresql package which has the init-script and everything else ready to go?

/Per Jessen, Zürich

Editing the scripts is no problem, I just want to be sure that I get it reasonably right first time without screwing up too much. Don't forget that this is my first venture in this direction; I'm just being cautious! I understand from the postgresql documentation that after I've run initdb to set up my data repository, I have to run postmaster (or psql) each time the server reboots so that that database repository is available for use and its connection port is specified. If that is incorrect, then I don't need a script but if it is correct, then this script comes into play. Thanks for your tolerance John

Dave Howorth wrote:

John wrote:

...

I understand from the postgresql documentation that after I've run initdb to set up my data repository, I have to run postmaster (or psql) each time the server reboots so that that database repository is available for use and its connection port is specified.

This is correct, but [I am 99.99% sure] it will be done for you by scripts that Suse supply. The postgresql documentation is generic, of necessity, so you also need to read the Suse docs.

I use mysql and that is how that works.

You may also find more info on the lists at http://www.postgresql.org/community/lists/

Cheers, Dave

Thanks for clarifying that, Dave. OK, if I take the defaults from SuSE's installation then I don't need a separate script for rebooting because it's already setup for me. However, if I wish to have a second repository (e.g. to keep work and home databases separate) then I need to setup a command line to invoke postmaster to open a database repository on a different port for that. I think the mud is starting to clear a bit. All I need now is to find the best place to put that command line and it seems that a new file in /etc/init.d (adhering to the init instructions) and containing suitable entries under start and stop should fit the bill. Thanks J

On Friday 13 October 2006 17:54, John wrote:

I think the mud is starting to clear a bit. All I need now is to find the best place to put that command line and it seems that a new file in /etc/init.d (adhering to the init instructions) and containing suitable entries under start and stop should fit the bill.

Right, but you can also put the command in the existing postgres startup script. Or copy the original, rename it to postgres.local (or similar), edit it to suit, and symlink that under /etc/rc3.d as described in earlier posts. -- ----- stephan@s11n.net http://s11n.net "...pleasure is a grace and is not obedient to the commands of the will." -- Alan W. Watts

John wrote:

Now I'm getting confused (which, let's face it doesn't take much these days).

To recap, my SuSE 10 server boots to runlevel 3.

In event of power outage, for example, I need to issue a command line similar to:

su -c postmaster -D ... postgresql_user &

to get my database started.

If I put it into boot-local, it looks as if this command will run before postgres is loaded and will, therefore, fail.

I think there may be some terminological differences that are causing confusion. postgresql is a database server. It contains data in one or more databases. Assuming you installed postgresql from Suse's packages, then all that is needed to start the database server, and all the databases in it at boot-time is to use the run-level editor in YaST. You don't need to write any scripts.

I don't think I'm looking for the complexity of adapting the /etc/init.d/skeleton file but I'm willing to be proven wrong here since this is the first time I've looked seriously at a boot script.

I think you're saying that you have a separate script - postgresql_user - that presumably uses one of the databases? And that you want to start as a server process at boot time? If so, then yes, you want to adapt the skeleton. If not, what's in your script? Read the section on adding init scripts in the admin guide.

To my simplistic, naive way of thinking, what I'd like to do is put this command line into a script file and get the boot process to fire it for me, regardless of the target run level, although I have restricted the server to 3.

Yup, that's what init.d is all about. Cheers, Dave PS

Or do I just need to copy /etc/init.d/skeleton to, say, my_postgres_startup in the same directory and add my command line in the section case start)?

Quite likely. You may also need to add something to close it down, and in an ideal world, something to get the operational status. Depends what your server is doing.