Troubles starting fetchmail from init scripts

[Steven Stern]

On 03/19/2010 02:52 PM, Jonathan Ryshpan wrote:
> I have a little script to start fetchmail, which is activated in
> rc.local.  It runs perfectly when started from a root login; but it
> fails when started from rc.local.
> 
> Here is the info:
> =========================== Scripts Start ===========================
>         $ more rc.local fetchmail-start 
>         ::::::::::::::
>         rc.local
>         ::::::::::::::
>         #!/bin/sh
>         #
>         # This script will be executed *after* all the other init scripts.
>         # You can put your own initialization stuff in here if you don't
>         # want to do the full Sys V style init stuff.
>         
>         # Fork a script that will start fetchmail for jonrysh in a few seconds
>         /etc/rc.d/fetchmail-start
>         
>         touch /var/lock/subsys/local
>         ::::::::::::::
>         fetchmail-start
>         ::::::::::::::
>         #!/bin/sh
>         #
>         # Start fetchmail for jonrysh
>         
>         su jonrysh -c 'sleep 5; fetchmail'
>         
> =========================== Messages Start ===========================
> Fetchmail emits the following error message and fails:
>         fetchmail: open: /home/jonrysh/.fetchmailrc: Permission denied
> 
> What's happening?  How can it be fixed?
> 
> Thanks - jon
> 
> 

The perms on /home/jonrysh/.fetchmailrc need to be 600, with ownership
given to johrysh:johnrysh

You could also start it without the su by adding it to your own crontab:

  @reboot sleep 30 & fetchmail

-- 
-- Steve