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RCORDER(8) FreeBSD System Manager's Manual RCORDER(8)
NAME
rcorder - print a dependency ordering of interdependent files
SYNOPSIS
rcorder [-gp] [-k keep] [-s skip] file ...
DESCRIPTION
The rcorder utility is designed to print out a dependency ordering of a
set of interdependent files. Typically it is used to find an execution
sequence for a set of shell scripts in which certain files must be
executed before others.
Each file passed to rcorder must be annotated with special lines (which
look like comments to the shell) which indicate the dependencies the
files have upon certain points in the sequence, known as "conditions",
and which indicate, for each file, which "conditions" may be expected to
be filled by that file.
Within each file, a block containing a series of `REQUIRE', `PROVIDE',
`BEFORE' and `KEYWORD' lines must appear. The format of the lines is
rigid. Each line must begin with a single `#', followed by a single
space, followed by `PROVIDE:', `REQUIRE:', `BEFORE:', or `KEYWORD:'. No
deviation is permitted. Each dependency line is then followed by a
series of conditions, separated by whitespace. Multiple `PROVIDE',
`REQUIRE', `BEFORE' and `KEYWORD' lines may appear, but all such lines
must appear in a sequence without any intervening lines, as once a line
that does not follow the format is reached, parsing stops.
The options are as follows:
-g Produce a GraphViz (.dot) of the complete dependency graph
instead of plaintext calling order list.
-k keep Add the specified keyword to the "keep list". If any -k option
is given, only those files containing the matching keyword are
listed. This option can be specified multiple times.
-p Generate ordering suitable for parallel startup, placing files
that can be executed simultaneously on the same line.
-s skip Add the specified keyword to the "skip list". If any -s option
is given, files containing the matching keyword are not listed.
This option can be specified multiple times.
An example block follows:
# REQUIRE: networking syslog
# REQUIRE: usr
# PROVIDE: dns nscd
This block states that the file in which it appears depends upon the
`networking', `syslog', and `usr' conditions, and provides the `dns' and
`nscd' conditions.
A file may contain zero `PROVIDE' lines, in which case it provides no
conditions, and may contain zero `REQUIRE' lines, in which case it has no
dependencies. There must be at least one file with no dependencies in
Used by rc(8).
suspend, resume
Used by /etc/rc.suspend and /etc/rc.resume (see
acpiconf(8))
shutdown Used by rc.shutdown(8).
EXAMPLES
Print the dependency ordering of the services from the base system and
ports(7):
$ rcorder /etc/rc.d/* /usr/local/etc/rc.d/*
Count the number of services in the base system, which specify the
nostart keyword, while skipping those with firstboot and nojailvnet:
$ rcorder -k nostart -s firstboot -s nojailvnet /etc/rc.d/* | wc -l
3
DIAGNOSTICS
The rcorder utility may print one of the following error messages and
exit with a non-zero status if it encounters an error while processing
the file list.
Requirement %s in file %s has no providers. No file has a `PROVIDE' line
corresponding to a condition present in a `REQUIRE' line in another file.
Circular dependency on provision %s in file %s. A set of files has a
circular dependency which was detected while processing the stated
condition. Loop visualization follows this message.
Circular dependency on file %s. A set of files has a circular dependency
which was detected while processing the stated file.
%s was seen in circular dependencies for %d times. Each node that was a
part of circular dependency loops reports total number of such
encounters. Start with files having biggest counter when fighting with
broken dependencies.
DIAGNOSTICS WITH GRAPHVIZ
Direct dependency is drawn with solid line, `BEFORE' dependency is drawn
as a dashed line. Each node of a graph represents an item from `PROVIDE'
lines. In case there are more than one file providing an item, a list of
filenames shortened with basename(3) is shown. Shortened filenames are
also shown in case `PROVIDE' item does not match file name.
Edges and nodes where circular dependencies were detected are drawn bold
red. If a file has an item in `REQUIRE' or in `BEFORE' that could not be
provided, this missing provider and the requirement will be drawn bold
red as well.
SEE ALSO
acpiconf(8), rc(8), rc.shutdown(8), service(8)
HISTORY
The rcorder utility appeared in NetBSD 1.5. rcorder utility first
appeared in FreeBSD 5.0.
scripts must be placed before it in the dependency ordering. For
example, if your script has a `REQUIRE' on `sshd', it means the script
must be placed after the `sshd' script in the dependency ordering, not
necessarily that it requires sshd to be started or enabled.
FreeBSD 14.0-RELEASE-p11 June 10, 2023 FreeBSD 14.0-RELEASE-p11