Re: [PATCH 1/1] image.bbclass: add a method to add/delete/modify user/group settings

From: Martin Jansa <martin.jansa@gmail.com>
To: Mark Hatle <mark.hatle@windriver.com>
Cc: openembedded-core@lists.openembedded.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/1] image.bbclass: add a method to add/delete/modify user/group settings
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2013 19:27:15 +0200	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <20130708172715.GO3288@jama> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <51DAF3BC.60107@windriver.com>

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On Mon, Jul 08, 2013 at 12:15:40PM -0500, Mark Hatle wrote:
> On 7/5/13 3:39 AM, Martin Jansa wrote:
> > On Fri, Jul 05, 2013 at 02:07:28PM +0800, Qi.Chen@windriver.com wrote:
> >> From: Chen Qi <Qi.Chen@windriver.com>
> >>
> >> We may want to add a user or group which does not logically belong to
> >> any specific package. For example, we may want to add a user with the
> >> name 'tester' to our image. Besides, we may want to delete or modify
> >> user/group in our image.
> >>
> >> This patch adds a variable, USER_GROUP_SETTINGS, which is dedicated
> >> to these tasks. The configuration format is detailed in the local.conf.
> >> sample.extended file.
> >>
> >> This patch also adds a function, set_user_group, which happens at
> >> the end of the ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND. It handles the settings
> >> in the USER_GROUP_SETTINGS variable.
> >
> > Why not use extra package just with user?
> >
> > See "[PATCH v3 0/5] Allow xuser to shutdown (cover letter only)"
> 
> The issue is that the users don't want extra (empty) packages to just add 
> standard users/groups.  What they want is a post image-generation 
> "configuration" mechanism.
> 
> Adding users/groups is one of the basic items that they want/need.  This really 
> has to be considered to be an administrative activity vs a distribution 
> activity.  (I.e. difference between creating a package and performing some kind 
> of post-image action.)
> 
> The other issue with a package based approach is it then mandates changes occur 
> by having to rebuild/reinstall packages.  This is onerous in my experience, for 
> something basic like this.  It's really outside of the package manager's control.

We can have all users in one package
base-users (like we have base-files)

It can allow someone to just define DEFAULT_USERS = "a b c" in
local.conf and let base-users recipe to create all 3 automatically.

Post image-generation mechanism doesn't allow to add new required users
in "upgrade" or installing packages from binary feed with all required
users accounts.

-- 
Martin 'JaMa' Jansa     jabber: Martin.Jansa@gmail.com

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