Linuxconf 1.9 Introduction 11.. WWhhaatt iiss LLiinnuuxxccoonnff Welcome to Linuxconf, an interactive configuration and activation utility. This utility allows you to configure the following topics +o Networking (client) +o Basic TCP/IP setup +o Routing +o DNS location +o NIS client +o IPX (novell) setup +o PPP and SLIP dialout +o Networking (server) +o Boot services: RARP and DHCP +o DNS +o IP Aliasing +o NFS +o Mail +o Uucp +o X11 +o User account +o File systems (partitions) +o Boot mode +o LILO +o Boot run-level One key difference between _L_i_n_u_x_c_o_n_f and other configuration utility is that _L_i_n_u_x_c_o_n_f take care of the activation. As an example, if you elect to make some portion of your hard drive available to other machine (export a file system or a portion of it) via _N_F_S (Network File System), _L_i_n_u_x_c_o_n_f will not only help you entering the configuration information but will start the _N_F_S server. If you change your mind later and delete the NFS configuration, _L_i_n_u_x_c_o_n_f will stop the _N_F_S server. 22.. CCoommmmaanndd lliinnee uussaaggee Linuxconf is an interactive utility. It may be used as a command line utility. It is useful to do script. Furthermore, Linuxconf has several alias allowing you to enter directly into one of its functionality. Here they are. +o _d_o_m_a_i_n_n_a_m_e Print and set the _N_I_S domainname. +o _d_n_s_c_o_n_f It gets you directly in the main menu of the DNS configurator. +o dnsconf --newdomain domain [ template-domain] Install a domain in the DNS. Use optionally another domain as a tem- plate to fill the various field of the domain definition. This includes the DNS advertising section, the email advertising and the various delays. +o dnsconf --set host ip ... Install a host definition in the DNS configuration. It will update the domain and the reverse mappings. +o dnsconf --set host --fromrange range-name Install a host definition, except that Linuxconf allocates the IP itself. It uses the given range to locate the first available IP. +o dnsconf --setcname host real-host Install a a nickname for a host in the DNS configuration. +o dnsconf --setfromip host ip Install a host definition in the DNS configuration. It will update the domain and the reverse mappings. Unlike the --set option, this will delete all other host entry which point to this IP number. This func- tionality is provided as a hook for automatic DNS update from a DHCP server. +o dnsconf --setmx host Install one or more MX record for a host or domain in the DNS con- figuration. The order is used to set the preference. +o dnsconf --setns host Install one or more NS record for a host or domain in the DNS con- figuration. +o dnsconf --unset host Remove all reference to a host (A record and PTR record) from the DNS configuration. +o _f_i_x_p_e_r_m _f_i_x_p_e_r_m make sure the vital files and directories have proper ownership and permissions. Without argument, it prints it command line option. +o _f_s_c_o_n_f It gets you directly in the file-systems configuration menu. +o fsconf --check Do some sanity check (and correction) in /etc/fstab. +o _h_o_s_t_n_a_m_e Print and set the host name. +o _l_i_n_u_x_c_o_n_f Without argument, it simply gets in linuxconf's main menu. +o linuxconf --archive [sub-system ...] Archive the configuration files of the current system profile version. Optionnaly, you can specify a list of sub-systems to archive. Without further argument, Linuxconf will archive all sub-systems. +o linuxconf --diff [sub-system ...] Compare the current configuration file with the last revision stored in the archive for the current system profile version. Optionnaly, you can specify a list of sub-systems to process. Without further argument, Linuxconf will process all sub-systems. +o linuxconf --extract [sub-system ...] Extract the last copy archived of the configuration files of the cur- rent system profile version. Optionnaly, you can specify a list of sub-systems to extract. Without further argument, Linuxconf will extract all sub-systems. This effectivly overwrite the configuration file with older copy from the profile archive: Use with care !!! +o linuxconf --history [sub-system ...] Show the archive log of the all configuration files of the current system profile version. Optionnaly, you can specify a list of sub- systems to process. Without further argument, Linuxconf will process all sub-systems. +o linuxconf --gui Linuxconf will operate in GUI mode even if it is configured differ- ently (see the features menu). +o linuxconf --guiproto This tells Linuxconf that it has been started from a GUI front-end, which expect GUI commands. Using this alone on the command line is useless. Here are some examples remadmin --exec linuxconf --guiproto remadmin --exec ssh one_server linuxconf --guiproto +o linuxconf --shutdown Jump straight in the shutdown dialog. Useful to setup a button in your X desktop. +o linuxconf --text Linuxconf will operate in text mode even under X11. This may be useful for under-power workstations, where the text mode is quicker. +o _p_a_s_s_w_d Allows you to change your password, or the password of other users if you are root or knows the root password. "passwd -h" shows the options +o _n_e_t_c_o_n_f Without argument, will get you into the networking sub-menu of _L_i_n_u_x_c_o_n_f. Here are the command line options. +o netconf --connect pppsetup [--fore] Establish a PPP connection using the _p_p_p_s_e_t_u_p specification. Option- nally stays in foreground (--fore option). netconf will terminate (when not using --fore) only when the link is up or the connection has failed. A useful code is return. This allows easy script like this #!/bin/sh if netconf --connect config then you can use the network right away else the connection has failed fi +o netconf --dialctl This presents the list of all PPP/Slip dialout configurations and show for each ones their status (connected or not). When selecting one, if it is currently not connected, Linuxconf asks if you wish to establish the connection. You need proper privilege or the root password to do that. If the connection is established, then it asks if you wish to discon- nect. Again proper privileges are needed. This command line option points to the same function as the "Acti- vate/terminate PPP links" menu entry of the control panel. This com- mand is suitage to include in users's desktop menu. +o netconf --disconnect pppsetup Terminate a PPP connection. +o netconf --resetfw Turn off packet filtering (Firewall) completely. This is normally used as an emergency trick to bring back a network to life after applying a "too" drastic fire-walling rule. netconf --update will reactivate theses rules. +o netconf --runlevel local | client | server Switch the workstation to a different operation mode. +o netconf --status Check what has to be done to bring the workstation in sync with its configuration. +o netconf --update Make the configuration file effective (make what netconf --status tells you that have to be done. +o _u_s_e_r_c_o_n_f It gets you directly in the user configuration menu. Here are the command line options: +o userconf --adduser userid group username shell This creates a user account and update (if available) the various disk quota records from defaults. There is no defaults. The HOME (using default base directory) directory is created with proper /etc/skel handling. You may use the passwd command with the -P to set the password for the new account. +o userconf --deluser userid This deletes an account 33.. TThhee WWWWWW iinntteerrffaaccee _L_i_n_u_x_c_o_n_f may be operated from an Web browser. To access Linuxconf on your machine, point your browser to http://your_machine:98/ From there, you will have access to the same menu like the normal user interface. You may even set book marks allowing you to get back quickly to one configuration screen later. 33..11.. SSppeecciiffiicc eennttrriieess ttoo tthhee WWWWWW iinntteerrffaaccee A special entry point has been created, allowing users to change their own password from a browser. To access this, you must use a _s_p_e_c_i_a_l _U_R_L. We suggest that you encode this URL in one of your corporate HTML page (change your own password, click here). The URL is http://your_machine:98/htmlmod:userpass: 44.. GGeenneerraall iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn _L_i_n_u_x_c_o_n_f has been written at _S_o_l_u_c_o_r_p by Jacques Gelinas (jacques@solucorp.qc.ca). Comments and bug reports are accepted via email. Most screens do have a help button. You can access this buttons using the TAB key or directly using the F1 function key. Some fields have a companion pop-up selection list. These fields are identified with a down pointing arrow at the right end. You can depress the cntl-X key (Control and X at the same time) to activate the pop-up. You can pick a choice and either confirm the selection with the ENTER key or TAB your way to the QUIT button. The function key F3 escape from any dialog. 55.. MMaaiilliinngg lliisstt There are two mailing lists for linuxconf. There are linuxconf@solucorp.qc.ca and linuxconf-announce@solucorp.qc.ca 55..11.. lliinnuuxxccoonnff@@ssoolluuccoorrpp..qqcc..ccaa linuxconf@solucorp.qc.ca is used to ask question and discuss various aspect of linuxconf. To subscribe to this list, send a message to linuxconf-request@solucorp.qc.ca Include the following line in the body of the message subscribe linuxconf Optionnally, you can specify another subscription email address by appending to the line like this subscribe linuxconf joe@super-domain.com You can send message to linuxconf@solucorp.qc.ca. It is possible to send messages without being subscribed 55..22.. lliinnuuxxccoonnff--aannnnoouunnccee@@ssoolluuccoorrpp..qqcc..ccaa linuxconf-announce is used to send various messages about new releases. This list is not moderated. This means that anyone who have an announce about linuxconf may use it. To subscribe to linuxconf-announce, send a message to linuxconf-announce-request@solucorp.qc.ca Include the following line in the body of the message subscribe linuxconf-announce Optionnally, you can specify another subscription email address by appending to the line like this subscribe linuxconf-announce joe@super-domain.com Then you can send your announce to linuxconf-announce@solucorp.qc.ca. Please restrict yourself to announce. Questions and comments are more appropriate in the linuxconf mailing list. 55..33.. UUnnssuubbssccrriibbiinngg Send a message to either linuxconf-request@solucorp.qc.ca or linuxconf-announce-request@solucorp.qc.ca with the word unsubscribe in the body.