rc.conf questions

[starbuck]

I have a couple rc.conf questions, probably n00bish, but curious.

Can I use bash variables within rc.conf? Like:

IP="192.168.0.1"
ListenAddress $IP

Is there anyway to include another text file in rc.conf so that those commands get parsed? I'm thinking specifically jail config parameters. Or do I have to use something like "sed" to modify rc.conf directly?

Basically I want to write a bash script that will set up my jails for me (I may just end up using ezjail, but I want to try myself first).

[TerryP]

If you want to use shell script code, place them in /etc/rc.local and keep the code /bin/sh compliant.



A little poking around in the system will show you exactly what you can *legally* do in rc.conf -- what you should do is a bit of a different story. rc(8) and the files themselves are the best place to start in understanding the things you want to tinker with.


In regards to including other files:

Originally Posted by rc.conf(5)

The purpose of rc.conf is not to run commands or perform system startup
actions directly. Instead, it is included by the various generic startup
scripts in /etc which conditionalize their internal actions according to
the settings found there.

The /etc/rc.conf file is included from the file /etc/defaults/rc.conf,
which specifies the default settings for all the available options.
Options need only be specified in /etc/rc.conf when the system adminis-
trator wishes to override these defaults. The file /etc/rc.conf.local is
used to override settings in /etc/rc.conf for historical reasons. See
the rc_conf_files variable below.

Options are set with ``name=value'' assignments that use sh(1) syntax.
The following list provides a name and short description for each vari-
able that can be set in the rc.conf file:

[starbuck]

Originally Posted by TerryP

If you want to use shell script code, place them in /etc/rc.local and keep the code /bin/sh compliant.



A little poking around in the system will show you exactly what you can *legally* do in rc.conf -- what you should do is a bit of a different story. rc(8) and the files themselves are the best place to start in understanding the things you want to tinker with.


In regards to including other files:

Hey thanks for the start! I just got into work, so I'm going to do a bit of poking through the man page for rc(8). I'll let you know if I get it worked out.