[mythtv] [mythtv-commits] Ticket #4593: /.mythtv/ should *not* get created (blank homedir)

[Michael T. Dean]

On 02/06/2008 01:57 PM, MythTV wrote:
> #4593: /.mythtv/ should *not* get created (blank homedir)
>
> Comment(by taco_mel):
>
>  An additional comment - I run my mythbackend out of inittab, and since
>  HOME is not set there,

Which means yours is a broken configuration.

>  this change would have broken my ability to do this
>  without hacking around at the environment in a wrapper script.

I.e. without being forced to start a program using, i.e., an init 
script--the *nix standard approach for doing so.

>   I have
>  since commented out the new "return false" so that this works again, but I
>  would suggest that preventing startup might be harsh.

You need to fix your configuration.  If you /must/ run out of inittab 
(rather than using an init script, as is appropriate), fix your entry to 
use a login shell, as in Option 2 at:

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Frontend_Auto_Login

(I know you're talking about mythbackend, but the same applies--you just 
don't need the VT.)  Or, just set the environment variable before 
calling mythbackend.

The whole idea behind this change is to bail out when the user's 
configuration is broken rather than "appearing" to work even though 
things like automatically running mythfilldatabase, etc. may fail in the 
future.  Myth requires a home directory for its config, so failing 
rather than allowing a configuration that "assumes" a (broken) location 
for the HOME directory and which may mean that all the user's 
testing/configuration (which appears in a proper home directory since 
they're doing testing/configuration through a login shell) is not used 
when they reboot and automatically start mythbackend.  In other words, 
fail fast so the user can fix the configuration and doesn't get bitten 
in the future.

Just move /.mythtv to an appropriate location and fix the entry (or 
write a proper init script) to start mythbackend.

Mike