Topic: DMC software problems

[James Redfern]

¦ Author: Darrell May
¦ Contributor:  
¦ Release supported: e-smith 4.x, SME 5.x
¦ Last updated: February 15, 2002
¦
¦ Description: adds a Backup Now panel to the server-manager for launching an immediate backup
¦ Instructions: see 'install.sh' for details.
¦ Access via server-manager panel.

I used the 5.5.2's 'Update System' to install 'dmc-mitel-backupnow-0.0.1-4.noarch.rpm' but it never showed up on the panel.  Is there a trick to this DMC software I am not aware of?  Every single DMC RPM I have tried so far has had a problem, some more severe than others.

JR.

[Abe Loveless]

I haven't had any trouble with the contribs that I've used.  Although, I've never installed the update manager or the backupnow contrib.

I don't think Darrell monitors these forums very much.  If you have an issue with one of his contribs, (and want him to comment) he recommends posting in his discussion forum.

(Don't mean to put words in Darrell's mouth, but that's what I've gathered from other threads.)

http://myezserver.com/phpBB2/

Hope that helps.

[James Redfern]

Abe Loveless wrote:
>
> I haven't had any trouble with the contribs that I've used.
> Although, I've never installed the update manager or the
> backupnow contrib.

Aha.  Why not try them sometime you have a few hours to spare... 8^)
 
> I don't think Darrell monitors these forums very much.  If
> you have an issue with one of his contribs, (and want him to
> comment) he recommends posting in his discussion forum.

Not now he doesn't, apparently.  I wrote to him and asked one question... "I used the 5.5.2's 'Update System' to install 'dmc-mitel-backupnow-0.0.1-4.noarch.rpm' but it never showed up on the panel.  Is there a trick to this I am not aware of?" The answer I got back was... "Support costs are $95.00/hr CAD, one hour minimum charge. Payment via credit card. We accept VISA/MASTERCARD."  

Now I don't know about you, but as a home user, $95 to have someone tell me why their software doesn't work is a bit rich for me".  So if he doesn't monitor and answer questions here, then I think I have learned all I need to know about using his GPL software.

> (Don't mean to put words in Darrell's mouth, but that's what
> I've gathered from other threads.)

You don't need to.  I even got a couple of emails from some folks involved with the development of phpNuke, which were not exactly complementing Darrell on the 'good job' he did with 'dmc-mitel-backupnow-0.0.1-4.noarch.rpm, and offering all kinds of help to get me going.  As a result, I will use phpNuke, but certainly not DMC's RPM which was so brain-dead it couldn't even uninstall itself.  But, thanks to phpMyAdmin and MC it already hit the bit-bucket.
 
> Hope that helps.

Yes, I feel a lot better now... 8^)

JR.

[Dan Brown]

Darrell runs a business, a large part of which is focused on providing support.  If you send an e-mail to him directly, he figures you're asking for paid support.  If you want free help, post to the boards (here or there).  I'm not addressing the quality of his work, as I don't believe I've ever used any of it, but I don't think his position (as you've expressed it) is too unreasonable.

[James Redfern]

Dan Brown wrote:
>
> Darrell runs a business, a large part of which is focused on
> providing support.

No, if its a business, its focused on making money and keeping people employed.

>                                   I don't think his position (as you've
> expressed it) is too unreasonable.

No, its not too unreasonable.  Just doesn't win many new customers. So it kinda defeats the focus of the business. Whereas the approach of the phpNuke people, which was to get me started and THEN to provide 'support', if I need it (which in my opinion is what 'support' is, or at least should be, all about), is the better way to go.  And I do have some experience of that.  I just took early retirement and when I left had a staff of 234 in my NOC.

Just my 0.02c.  YMMV.

JR.

[Darrell May]

Thanks Abe/Dan.

James, FYI all GPL contribs.orges as-is with no warranty or support intended or to be expected.  My position on support is clear.  I do not accept direct e-mailed requests for support on GPL products for free.  My support is billable unless I choose to offer it on forums, at no charge.

http://myezserver.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=31

Having said that, the rpm in question is very basic.  It is in use by many worldwise.  The panel is called BackupNow and is found under the Administration heading:

pico /etc/e-smith/web/functions/BackupNow
#----------------------------------------------------------------------
# heading     : Administration
# description : Backup Now
# navigation  : 4000 4000
#----------------------------------------------------------------------

You can see below it installs and uninstalls without error:

# rpm -Uvh dmc-mitel-backupnow-0.0.1-4.noarch.rpm
Preparing...                ###################### [100%]
   1:dmc-mitel-backupnow   #################

# rpm -ql dmc-mitel-backupnow
/etc
/etc/e-smith
/etc/e-smith/events
/etc/e-smith/events/BackupNow
/etc/e-smith/events/BackupNow/S10BackupNow
/etc/e-smith/events/actions
/etc/e-smith/events/actions/BackupNow
/etc/e-smith/web
/etc/e-smith/web/functions
/etc/e-smith/web/functions/BackupNow
/etc/e-smith/web/panels
/etc/e-smith/web/panels/manager
/etc/e-smith/web/panels/manager/cgi-bin
/etc/e-smith/web/panels/manager/cgi-bin/BackupNow

# rpm -q dmc-mitel-backupnow
dmc-mitel-backupnow-0.0.1-4

# rpm -e dmc-mitel-backupnow

# rpm -q dmc-mitel-backupnow
package dmc-mitel-backupnow is not installed

Regards,

Darrell

[James Redfern]

Darrell May wrote:
>
> James, FYI all GPL contribs.orges as-is with no warranty or
> support intended or to be expected.  My position on support
> is clear.  

And you are as entitled to that opinion as I am to mine.

> Having said that, the rpm in question is very basic.  It is
> in use by many worldwise.  The panel is called BackupNow and
> is found under the Administration heading:

But not if they use the Update System!
 
> You can see below it installs and uninstalls without error:
>
> /etc/e-smith/events/BackupNow
> /etc/e-smith/events/BackupNow/S10BackupNow

That's my point.  If you use the 'Update System ', the '/etc/e-smith/events/BackupNow/' does not exist and, as I told you in my email, nothing shows up in the panel.

JR.

[James Redfern]

Oh, and I should have added... nothing shows up in the logs that it did not install correctly.

Sep 28 23:17:28 caliban e-smith[7814]: Running event handler: /etc/e-smith/events/update-rpm-system/S10update-rpm-system
Sep 28 23:17:30 caliban e-smith[7814]: dmc-mitel-backupnow         ##################################################
Sep 28 23:17:32 caliban e-smith[7814]: S10update-rpm-system=action|Event|update-rpm-system|Action|S10update-rpm-system|Start|1033251448 846698|End|1033251452 912866|Elapsed|4.066168

JR.

[Jeff C]

James,

Take a look in /etc/e-smith/web/functions for Backupnow and Restorenow.

That is where the server-manager gets it's panels from.  A question:

Have you by any chance installed the server manager navigation rpm (dmc-mitel-servermanager-navigation-???.noarch.rpm)?

If you have, then NOTHING you add to the server-manager panels will show until you have told it to do so with the navigation app.  This is trivial, but mandatory after each install.

If you have installed it, it is working perfectly.  If this is the case and you need help figuring it out, just ask and a number of us will be glad to help.

Cheers,

-jeff

[James Redfern]

Hi Jeff,

Kind of you to lend a hand.  Much appreciated.

Jeff C wrote:
> Take a look in /etc/e-smith/web/functions for Backupnow and
> Restorenow.

Nothing witth those names in that directory, Jeff.
 
> That is where the server-manager gets it's panels from.  

Which explains why it doesn't, I guess.
 
> A question:
> Have you by any chance installed the server manager
> navigation rpm
> (dmc-mitel-servermanager-navigation-???.noarch.rpm)?

No sir.  Never seen it and certainly never installed it.
 
> If you have installed it, it is working perfectly.  

Ooops.  Back to square one.

JR.

[James Redfern]

Darrell May wrote:
> You can see below it installs and uninstalls without error:
>
> # rpm -Uvh dmc-mitel-backupnow-0.0.1-4.noarch.rpm
> Preparing...                ###################### [100%]
>    1:dmc-mitel-backupnow   #################

I revisted this because I thought it might be that there was a difference between the command line RPM installation and the Update System installation.  

When I use command line, I also get the same 100% result and a "Backup Now" panel.  Hmmm... wierd.  Now is the failure in the RPM, the System Update or the pilot, I wonder?

Thanks Darrell.  It now works as intended.

JR.