NAME

	plan9rc, ramskel, initskel – rootless boot scripts

SYNOPSIS

	plan9rc [file] ramskel initskel

DESCRIPTION

After the kernel boots, it execs /boot (see boot(8)), which in turn execs plan9rc. plan9rc(8) reads file if given (usually it is not) to set up environment variables. It checks the $service environment variable cpu or terminal, to set defaults, then proceeds as an rc(1) script to bring the system up. It first uses paqfs(4) to mount /boot/bootpaq behind both /bin and /boot to access additional programs. plan9rc makes use of two additional scripts by default, ramskel and initskel. ramskel starts a ramfs(4) and loads in the skel.tar stored in the bootpaq, and optionally loads an additional user–specified .tgz from ramfs(4) also. A default tools.tgz is provided by the author and recommended as a good default set of additional programs to have available. Initskel is comparable to a cpurc(8) script which sets up services for the ramrooted environment. It also has interactive and non–interactive modes which follow the same environment variable. It's default actions are to bind standard devices, begin internet service if it was not already, and start hubfs(4) and rxexec(8) and cpu(1) and exportfs(4) listeners with listen1(8). The cpu and exportfs listener are started on non–standard ports to avoid conflicting with the main system's cpurc(8). The initskel also has non–default options for starting its own ndb(8) cs/dns and keyfs(4) and authsrv(6) if desired.

Startup Procedures

The script operates according to the variables found in the environment, usually those provided by plan9.ini(8) It executes fuctions in the order of dofactotum starts factotum(4) in either cpu or terminal mode according to the user's choice. dotryusb finds out if the system is booting to a usb volume and starts partfs(8) if so doramsetup is done from /boot/skel.tar and may also make use of /n/9fat/tools.tgz dochecksys is made to verify that a user/hostowner and system name are in place dostartventi will begin a venti(8) server if specified by the $venti environment variable. dogetrootfs will either begin a disk fileserver or dial a tcp root fileserver doinistscript runs the initskel script to create a self–sufficient environment to cpu(1) into for service and administrative access to the layer below the root filesystem. dorootstart will begin either the cpurc(8) or termrc(8) from the rootfs. These scripts are launched using newns(8) to create a normal user environment independent of the namespace of plan9rc. staylocal allows the user to retain access if desired to the programs in the bootpaq and/or tools.tgz, or choose no to drop down to kernel–device only namespace.

VARIABLES

The plan9rc script makes use of standard variables from plan9.ini(8) and also new variables. Both types of variables, and their default behaviors, are listed. interactive determines the mode of operation for plan9rc. By default, or if set to "traditional", it will behave towards the user almost identically to the original plan9 bootup, but will still set up the rootless environment. If set to "yes" then the user will be prompted interactively through the boot process and given the option to alter any and all plan9.ini(8) variable settings. If set to "no" the user will not be prompted at all and the boot process proceeds in automated fashion according to the environment variables. bootargs determines the method for connecting to a root fs. tcp [internet config parameters] or local![path to disk root fs] are the standard values here. The new option srv implies the user will arrange to have a file in /srv suitable for use as a root file system. ipparams optional parameter arguments to ipconfig(8). This is another way of setting these values directly rather than the somewhat convoluted methods (which are still supported) described in boot(8) factotum type of factotum(4) [cpu terminal debug] sysname standard $sysname definition fs     standard $fs address from plan9.ini(8) needed for tcp booting auth   standard $auth address for tcp booting ventistandard $venti address variable from plan9.ini(8) fossil location of fossil(4) partition on disk cfs    location of cfs(4) partition on disk ramsetup program to set up ramfs(4) for bootscripts, defaults to [ramskel] initscript miniature cpurc(8) equivalent script for the ramroot namespaces, defaults to [initskel] startventi set to "yes" to start the venti(8) server. This will be automatically set to yes if a $venti variable is found beginning with #S which implies venti(8) should be started from the local disk. bootsrv this is usually a derivative variable determined by the attachment to a root fileserver. If the user chooses "srv" as their boot method plan9rc will use an existing file in /srv for the root. This mode is used mostly if plan9rc is launching a new namespace subsequent to the initial boot up. namespace namespace for starting initscript, defaults to [namespace] rootstart whether or not to start cpurc(8) or termrc(8) scripts from mounted root [cpu terminal] staylocal whether to stay within the namespace of the plan9rc script on the console, set "no" to drop back to only kernel devices [yes] afterfact command to execute after starting factotum(8) (happens before everything else), not used by default afterroot command to execute after mounting rootfs but before initscript or cpurc(8) or termrc(8) not used by default Initskel and ramskel variables Variables for the other two scripts used by rootless bootup are also described here. Their meaning and default values are as follows. tgzfs name of optional .tgz to load into the ramdisk. I provide a recommended tools.tgz but this value is not set by default. This value is used by ramskel while the rest are all for initskel. binddevs by default initskel will bind(1) the devices ( f t m v L P u U '$' Σ κ ). Set this to no to disable this. hostfactotum by default the ramroot namespace makes use of the system wide factotum(8). Set this to no to enable running a private factotum(8) for this namespace. You will be prompted for the values to set for the key and authserver address. netsvc by default initskel will issue an ipconfig(8) command if internet service has not already been started. Set no to disable this. hostcsdns by default the factotum(4) in the ramroot environment will use the host system ndb(8) cs and dns for connection information. Set no to disable this and start a cs and dns server within the service namespace. cpusvc by default initskel will start a cpu(1) listener and an rexexec(8) listener. Set no to disable this. cpuport this sets the numeric port used for the cpu(1) listener. It is set to [17020] by default to avoid conflict with the host system cpu(1) listener. hubsvc by default a hubfs(4) server is started and an rc connected to it. Set no to disable this. unprivileged by default the ramroot environment does not provide auth services. Set no to start a keyfs(4) and authsrv(6) using /n/9fat/adm.

FILES

	/boot/plan9rc   bootup and namespace launching control script /boot/ramskel   sets up /boot/skel.tar as a ramfs skeleton along with an optional tools.tgz from /n/9fat /boot/initskelcpurc(8) analog script for access to the rootless environment

SOURCE

	/sys/src/ants/bootdir.extras/plan9rc

SEE ALSO

	srv(4), namespace(6), boot(8), listen(8)

BUGS

	The Plan 9 kernel handles variables in #ec and #e differently. This may cause unexpected results if variables set in plan9.ini are manipulated and control passes to subscripts.