nibindd question

[blakeSt]

I am trying to "Restart All NetInfo Domains on Local Host" under the option menu of NetInfo Manager. I get this error when I try: Can't find process ID for "nibindd"!

According to man nibindd there should be a PID written to a file /var/run/nibindd.pid. I don't have this file nor do I have /etc/netinfo which seems to be even more important. When I run which nibindd I get this /usr/sbin/nibindd.

I would really appreciate any help, my mind is sore from flailing about.

blake

Just for reference I'm following the directions to customize a user using NetInfo from Mac OS X UNLEASHED pages 931-936

[mervTormel]

in this thread...

http://forums.macosxhints.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1322

there is reference to how to startup nibindd

...startup will load nibindd if NETINFOSERVER=-YES-
in /etc/hostconfig

[blakeSt]

Thanks for the reply merv. I had a look and NETINFOSERVER is not listed in the hostconfig file. As I mentioned before /etc/netinfo is also nonexistent. Are these supposed to exist or are they able to be created? What does /etc/netinfo contain?

I might be better off performing a clean install as I can't be sure what was done before this beauty became mine (second hand PB).

Any suggestions?
Thanks again, blake

[mervTormel]

sounds like your install is compromised:

% cat /etc/hostconfig
##
# /etc/hostconfig
##
# This file is maintained by the system control panels
##

# Network configuration
# HOSTNAME=-AUTOMATIC-
HOSTNAME=gunther
ROUTER=-AUTOMATIC-

# Services
...
# bdd; 26feb02; set to yes to start nibindd at startup? # NETINFOSERVER=-AUTOMATIC-
NETINFOSERVER=-YES-
...

there is no /etc/netinfo

there is

% ll /var/db/netinfo/
total 0
drwx------ 19 root wheel 602 Mar 2 09:31 local.nibak/
drwx------ 17 root wheel 534 Mar 3 12:59 local.nidb/


i suggest a clean install

[blakeSt]

Okay I've decided to get it over with and do the right thing.

Sorry to drag this on but just out of curiosity have you been able to locate the .pid file as referenced in man nibindd? Also whats the deal with /etc/netinfo from the same man page?

blake

[mervTormel]

1. a command.pid file in /var/run/ can be created by a process as a sentinel. it is not a mandatory convention. it contains the pid of the intendant process and it is used as a way to send a signal to a daemon, like in a net restart script:

kill -HUP `cat /var/run/nibindd.pid`

echo " - Killed 'nibindd' with a HUP (hang up)."

if you get nibindd running, you will prolly see a .pid file for it


2. perhaps /etc/netinfo is created for more sophisticated netinfo domain management. it might not be necessary for single engine, or simple LANs.

there's a few threads that discuss netinfo and its ilk and there are links to interesting docs. search the forums.

[blakeSt]

Thanks merv I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

blake

[pmccann]

I have a strong recollection that "/etc/netinfo" is where things used to lie in the NeXT setup of netinfo, but it's not relevant to the macosx scheme. A lot of confusion was caused in the early days of osx by the fact that some of the man pages --in particular those related to netinfo and friends-- were not updated from the NeXT --umm, "PReViouS"(?)-- era (I can never remember how to capitalise that thing! It's probably correct, much to my chagrin).

More specifically, I'm pretty sure that /etc/netinfo is where the netinfo databases used to reside. They're now in /var/db/netinfo (and a quick skirt around a couple of man pages suggests that things have now been updated).

Cheers,
Paul