Debian bug report logs - #1079
Scripts in /etc/init.d cannot be called directly

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From cus.cam.ac.uk!iwj10 Fri Jul  7 12:41:50 1995
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From: iwj10@cus.cam.ac.uk (Ian Jackson)
To: debian-bugs@pixar.com
Subject: Re: Bug#1079: Scripts in /etc/init.d cannot be called directly

Swen Thuemmler writes ("Bug#1079: Scripts in /etc/init.d cannot be called directly"):
> [...]
> In some scripts in /etc/init.d there seems to be a bug. I think it is
> intented to be able to call the scripts directly by e.g.
> [...]
> The problem is the line
> . /etc/init.d/functions
> which changes the Parameter $1

There is little reason for files in /etc/init.d to use the `functions'
file.  The file `functions' on my system contains

* code to set PREVLEVEL and RUNLEVEL based on the output of the
`runlevel' command.  The only scripts in /etc/init.d that use it are
`rc' and `powerfail' - arguably this could be done by using `runlevel'
directly in those scripts.

* shell functions `daemon' and `stop' that do a half-baked version of
`start-stop-daemon'.  Scripts should use `start-stop-daemon' instead;
the `daemon' and `stop' functions are not reliable.  There are no
scripts in my /etc/init.d directory that use `daemon' or `stop'.

I suggest that the file `functions' be removed.

Ian.

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From uni-paderborn.de!swen Fri Jul  7 03:03:13 1995
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Date: Fri, 7 Jul 1995 12:01:41 +0200 (MET DST)
From: Swen Thuemmler <swen@uni-paderborn.de>
To: debian-bugs@pixar.com
Subject: Scripts in /etc/init.d cannot be called directly
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Package: sysvinit
Version: 2.56-5

In some scripts in /etc/init.d there seems to be a bug. I think it is 
intented to be able to call the scripts directly by e.g.

$ /etc/init.d/skeleton start
Usage: /etc/init.d/skeleton {start|stop}
$

The problem is the line

. /etc/init.d/functions

which changes the Parameter $1

Suggested fix:

Save the parameter before sourcing functions, e.g.:

...
SAVEARG=$1
. /etc/init.d/functions
case "$SAVEARG" in 
...

Greetings, Swen