[pkg-firebird-general] Bug#448616: firebird2.0-classic: dependency on xinetd is completely unreasonable

[Damyan Ivanov]

tags 448616 confirmed
thanks

-=| Hamish Moffatt, Wed, Oct 31, 2007 at 08:06:20AM +1100 |=-
> Please, could we discuss the issue before you close it?

Sure. I closed it to not forget it later (in the case that you agree
there is no bug).

> > -=| Hamish Moffatt, Tue, Oct 30, 2007 at 11:54:47PM +1100 |=-
> > > firebird2.0-classic's dependency on xinetd forces this to be the
> > > superserver of choice on the server.
> > 
> > No, you can disable all xinetd-provided services and use inetd
> > implementation of your choice.
> 
> No you can't, because xinetd diverts openbsd-inetd's binary.

This seems like xinetd's flaw, but I see your point.

> Further, I think firebird has a duty to work with the standard inetd
> at least, and xinetd optionally.

You're right. I must have overlooked this or simply kept my impressions
from the 1.5 era.

> > There is: fb_inet_server needs that FIREBIRD environment variable is set
> > to /usr/lib/firebird/2.0. If you know how to achieve this with other
> > inetd implementations, please reopen the bug and I'll add support for
> > them.
> 
> How about a wrapper script? That will work for any inetd.
> 
> Can you show me how any environment is being created by
> /etc/xinetd.d/firebird20 anyway? I don't see any mention of
> environment variable.

My bad. I have the "env += FIREBIRD=/usr/lib/firebird/2.0" setting
locally and was fooled that this is what the package installs too. It
seems that the build sets the firebird root dir just fine and there is
no need of environment mangling. (and even if there was, a wrapper
script would help it, as you pointed out)


My last straw for using xinetd is that it is easier to maintain two
server installs via debconf (enabling 2.0, disabling 2.1 etc). As this
is rather uncommon, I think I'll remove this functionality (simplifying
postinsts, avoiding a debconf question) and make all firebird server
packages conflict with each other.

Having two servers installed at the same time is dangerous anyway, and
if one wants to migrate databases, she can backup with the old server,
install the new (removing the old) and restore. Not much of a hassle.

Does all this sound as a good plan to you?

Thanks for bringing this up (and for insisting there is a problem). BTW
dropping xinetd from the dependency would even allow for firebird to
move from extra to optional priority :)
-- 
dam            JabberID: dam at jabber.minus273.org
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