Nicolas Williams' source environment variables

[Nicolas Williams]

On Wed, Feb 02, 2000 at 07:25:34AM -0800, Dan Kaminsky wrote:
> > Sure. I think Samba could easily be modified to support multiple config
> > language options, so long the global/share parameter paradigm is kept as
> > it is.
> 
> This is a good point--we should have ways of making explicit that an
> include either should or should not be able to escape the containing [*]
> construct...
> 
> Incidentally, I absolutely love having a global config that I use as a
> skeleton for shares that lie within.

You do this too?

We have a global config file that sets a handful of globals (many, such
as 'netbios name', 'interfaces' and such from environment variables).

For standard home directories we have a standard sub-config file that
defines the home share stuff.

For all shares we have template sub-config files to setup various
different kinds of shares (private, group shared private, group shared
public).

This approach is waht lead me to make that 'source environment' patch.

> > Samba config language modules would need to provide a simple entry point
> > to Samba so that it can be called when including config files of that
> > langugae. And Samba needs to provide a registration mechanism so that
> > these modules can inform Samba of their existence (even if this were a
> > static, compile-time mechanism).
> 
> Um, we don't need to be this complicated.  We just tell the OS to execute
> something.  If it's a compatible binary, it works.  If it's a #! style
> script, it works.  No need to bind the language to the platform.

Right. Doh. Well, we could change the include parameter to include from
a pipe if the value of the include parameter ends with a '|' character
(just like 'source environment' does).

BTW, 'source environment' is a global parameter and does not remember
files/pipes sourced whereas include does. I thought that feature could
be added later.

> > Hmmmm. I should buy an asbestos suit.
> 
> Why?  I'm not advocating anything particularly shocking.

No, but I thought I was. :)

> > You can do this today with preexec and include.
> 
> Preexec runs a command before a share is mounted...include will then
> operate upon the contents of a preexec modified file...um, this is kinda
> workable, but A) Doesn't work for globals, B) Seems vulnerable to a race
> condition somewhere, and C) Qualifies as a gross'n'disgusting hack(not
> that there's anything *wrong* with that.

Agreed.

> Nice trick to know about, I must say.
> 
> Yours Truly,
> 
> 	Dan Kaminsky
> 	DoxPara Research
> 	http://www.doxpara.com


Nico
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