Multiple config files

[Mike Fedyk]

Hi,

I've been wondering about the "config file" option in smb.conf.

       config file (G)

              This allows you to override the config file to use,
              instead of the default (usually smb.conf). There is
              a chicken and egg problem here as  this  option  is
              set in the config file!

              For this reason, if the name of the config file has
              changed when the parameters are loaded then it will
              reload them from the new config file.

              This  option  takes  the usual substitutions, which
              can be very useful.

              If the config file doesn't exist then it  won't  be
              loaded  (allowing  you  to  special case the config
              files of just a few clients).

              Example:              config         file         =
              /usr/local/samba/lib/smb.conf.%m

OK, so I can have settings for multiple names, in multiple files, etc.

Here's my question:
Can I have one file that contains all of my defaults and a few others that
contain additions, or do I need to copy all of my defaults into each possible
config file?

In other words:
When you load the new config file from the previous, are the options from the
previous config file still in effect when you load the new config file?

In other words: 
smb.conf sets shares x, y, and z. smb.conf.2 sets shares a, b, c, and d.  When
smb.conf loads smb.conf.2, will I get shares a, b, c, d, x, y, and z?


BTW, what happens if smb.conf references to smb.conf.2 and references to
smb.conf.3?  Is there a limit?  Not that I have a use for this, but it's
interesting to know.
-- 

Mike Fedyk                   "They that can give up essential liberty
Information Systems           to obtain a little temporary safety
Match Mail Productions Inc.   deserve neither liberty nor safety."
mfedyk at matchmail.com                                   Ben Franklin