From: "Mike Barker" <mbarker@MIT.EDU>
Subject: rough doc for mkserv scripting
Date: Sun, 25 Aug 1996 00:06:03 EDT
Date: Wed Oct  2 13:52:33 EDT 1996

Basically, to add a mkserv service, you need to write at least two 
shell scripts (service.add and service.del).  You may need to 
write two others for some services (service.sync and service.dep).

In all cases, start by taking a "plain vanilla" installed system 
and doing a hand installation of your new service.  As you do 
this, write down each step.  That's the core of the service.add 
script.

Then do a hand removal of your new service.  Again, write down 
each step.  That's the core of the service.del script.

You can also attach mkserv and look at the existing scripts in 
/mit/mkserv/services.

I believe you can use $LOGFILE in your scripts as an externally 
defined logging file for messages.

-There are other variables you can use, as well as magic for editing
-many config files, including rc.conf, inetd.conf, and passwd.  Someone
-needs to figure out all of these and document them.

Service.add - this is the main file.  Basically, this file is
a shell script that does all the setup to make the service run on 
the system.  It will probably involve some of these:
	test for repeat installs
	begin service update log (if you keep a log of the actions involved
		in doing the service update/add)
	make any needed directories
	copy any needed files (executable, data, man, etc.)
	make links
	modify configuration files
	add startup/shutdown files/commands
	close service update log (if you keep a log of the actions involved
		in doing the service update/add)
	tell user about status of update
	may provide a "quickstart" description to user

(note that this may be run automatically too, so don't assume 
there is always a user hanging over the terminal!)

Service.del - this file is intended to reverse or undo the effects 
of the add.  In some cases this can be hard to do (e.g. removing 
startup commands from a file) but do the best you can.  Test what 
happens when you undo the add, and test what happens when you undo 
twice.

Service.sync - I think this is a list that can be added to 
/usr/athena/lib/update/services.sync when .private.sync forces 
mkserv to copy things local (as part of synctree processing).  
However, I have not used this, and am guessing from the contents 
of such in /mit/mkserv/services and the man page about mkserv.

-/usr/athena/lib/update/services.sync doesn't exist.  .private.sync is
-machine specific, not mkserv service related, and most people are not
-familar with it anyway.  We should make some attempt to document the
-syntax here.

Service.dep - this appears to be a description of dependencies.
I.e., if this service requires some other mkserv service be 
installed first, that dependency would be described in this file.

-Again syntax should be defined, and making sure the dependee service
-isn't already defined.