No System sources? (update)

[Polytropon]

On Thu, 26 Dec 2013 13:42:57 -0000, g8kbvdave at googlemail.com wrote:
> > On Sun, 22 Dec 2013, g8kbvdave at googlemail.com wrote:
> > 
> > > Update:
> > >
> > > I've found (after a LOT of reading...) I can do what I need (enable pps support
> > > in the kernel) without recompiling, by creating:-
> > >
> > > /boot/loader.conf.local
> > >
> > > with an entry:-
> > >
> > > pps_load="YES"
> > >
> > > Then, kldstat shows that module (pps.ko) is loaded after boot.
> > 
> > That line can be added be added to /boot/loader.conf, no need for a 
> > separate .local file.
> 
> Hi Warren.
> 
> Only used /boot/loader.conf.local, as from what I read, it is more "machine 
> specific", so applies for all users regardless.   But otherwise OK.

The .local separation can be applied to certain files in the
FreeBSD system, however this is mostly for organisational
aspects of system administration, there is, as far as I know,
no functional aspect as those files are sourced the same
way as the "normal" ones. If you compare to OpenBSD, there
you'll find a comparable approach, even though there's a
stronger emphasize on keeping things separated (for example
system settings go to /etc/rc.conf and should probably not
be altered, local settings go to /etc/rc.conf.local). In
FreeBSD, there's also /etc/rc.local to "extend" /etc/rc,
as well as /etc/rc.shutdown.local respectively, even though
those can be considered "present for historical reasons"
(rc.conf.local content to rc.conf, rc.(shutdown.)local
content to rc.d-style scripts), but they still work.

>From "man loader.conf", the FILES section:

     /boot/defaults/loader.conf  default settings -- do not change this file.
     /boot/loader.4th            defines the commands used by loader to read
                                 and process loader.conf.
     /boot/loader.conf           user defined settings.
     /boot/loader.conf.local     machine-specific settings for sites with a
                                 common loader.conf.

In comparison, from "man rc.conf":

     The /etc/rc.conf file is included from the file /etc/defaults/rc.conf,
     which specifies the default settings for all the available options.
     Options need only be specified in /etc/rc.conf when the system adminis-
     trator wishes to override these defaults.  The file /etc/rc.conf.local is
     used to override settings in /etc/rc.conf for historical reasons.
     [...] Also see the rc_conf_files variable below.

Summary: There's nothing wrong in using the .local files, as
long as you remember what you've done. :-)


-- 
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...