Sys-V-Init scripts from upstart files

[Joachim Breitner]

Hi,

we am currently thinking of a way to create init scripts from some kind
of “meta-init-script-format” that can handle the most common cases of
daemons.

The motivation is that currently, init.d scripts are in 90% of the cases
very similar, but still they are shipped individually, bugs and new
features have to be done package per package, and starting to support a
new init system means re-writing a large amount of init scripts.

So our idea[1] is to provide infrastructure to generate any kind of init
script from a simple, general description of the daemon. Then, fixing
bugs, adding features or supporting a new init system just means to
write a new “translator”.

Of course I’m wondering what format that meta-init-script should have,
and I’m considering upstart’s, as it seems to be very minimal already.
It would not support the full range of features upstart provides, just
what the “usual” daemon needs.

Has anyone ever thought or tried to generate Sys-V init scripts from
upstart init scripts? Do you think such a think will be possible, or
useful?

Greetings,
Joachim

[1] http://wiki.debian.org/HackFests/Init

-- 
Joachim "nomeata" Breitner
Debian Developer
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