stderr redirects to connect-errors

[betulum]

From chat man page: "If chat is being run by pppd, and pppd is running as a daemon (detached from its controlling terminal), standard error will normally be redirected to the file /var/log/ppp/connect-errors"

Why actual log file path ( /var/log/ppp/connect-errors or /etc//ppp/connect-errors) is defined at compile time ? I want to reset this option via command-line parameters instead of recompiling PPP

[Neustradamus]

@paulusmack, @jkroonza, @enaess, @chipitsine: What do you think?

[jkroonza]

lrwx------ 1 root root 64 Nov 17 07:06 /proc/5026/fd/0 -> 'socket:[1741403202]'
lrwx------ 1 root root 64 Nov 17 07:06 /proc/5026/fd/1 -> /dev/null
lrwx------ 1 root root 64 Nov 17 07:06 /proc/5026/fd/2 -> /dev/null

Where pid 5026 is in fact a pppd instance.

I don't use the chat program. So everything here is speculation:

From pathnames.h:

110 #define PPP_PATH_CONNERRS       PPP_PATH_VARLOG  "/connect-errors"

The ONLY use of this is in device_script() in pppd/main.c where this bit of code sits:

1821     if (log_to_fd >= 0)
1822         errfd = log_to_fd;
1823     else
1824         errfd = open(PPP_PATH_CONNERRS, O_WRONLY | O_APPEND | O_CREAT, 0644);

So technically I think you can use the logfd option to achieve the desired.

Having said that, I'd be in support for a option such as "connecterrlog" specifically to redirect the connect and disconnect scripts to, which should supersede logfd in the case of those scripts. Will push a PR momentarily.

[chipitsine]

what is wrong with hard coding, i.e. defining in compile time

[jkroonza]

It's inflexible.

[chipitsine]

but it is simple. and predictable

[chipitsine]

flexibility itself is complication. there must be another reason, not just flexibility

[jkroonza]

flexibility itself is complication. there must be another reason, not just flexibility

Whilst I don't disagree with the premise of your statement, for me the fact that someone asked for it and it's a minor complication is good enough. The option does remain privileged such as to avoid a normal user being able to override say /etc/passwd.

[chipitsine]

yep, it even in theory opens a possibility to override some system file.

so, if there're reasons behind that, it worth implementing. if there're no reason, let's keep it as is

[jkroonza]

@betulum this is now up to you.

Yes, this option can benefit from work in another PR that's still WIP (I'm bogged down on time to loop back to that).

[paulusmack]

Since the connector script is passed to /bin/sh, you can redirect its stderr anywhere you like simply by putting e.g. "2>/path/to/file" at the end of the connector script.

[Neustradamus]

@betulum: Have you seen the @jkroonza PR and comments?

• https://github.com/ppp-project/ppp/pull/575