Allow \ in .conf files to allow multiple lines for run/task/service

[hongkongkiwi]

I saw that there is an open task for a new .svc format #148 which breaks the service up into multiline syntax.

Before this new format is implemented, I was wondering if it's possible to just allow \ to breakup lines (like in shell scripts). This would mean we could have multiline service definitions with minimal work.... e.g.

service [2345] \
env:-/etc/conf.d/gpsd \
-N -s $GPSD_SERIAL_SPEED -S $GPSD_PORT \
 -F "$GPSD_SOCK" -D $GPSD_DEBUG_LEVEL \
$GPSD_OPTIONS "$GPSD_DEVICE" \
-- GPS Daemon

[troglobit]

No, I'd much rather we implement the new format instead. There's just too much that can go wrong with this proposal, because I've actually tried once before.

[troglobit]

Since yesterday I've looked into this again, in part due to your comment in #148, but also because I've been hit by the problem of long lines myself the last six months ... I admit I was wrong for closing this, sorry.

Looking into the matter a bit further, I realized one of the libraries we use carry fparseln(), from NetBSD, which sort of exist for this very use-case.

• https://man.netbsd.org/fparseln.3

Only downside is that it's a bit too competent, not only does it prune .conf lines starting with comment, it also drops comments trailing a line ... unless it's escaped. Nevertheless, I think fparseln() is the way forward here -- even though some uses may experience some regressions.

Our own test/initctl-status-subset.sh immediately caught the problem. It has the following services:

task manual:yes name:foo :1 serv -- Foo #1
task manual:yes name:foo :2 serv -- Foo #2
task manual:yes name:foo :3 serv -- Foo #3

The test fails since it cannot find any service with decription "Foo #1". However, escaping them works, so that needs to go into the documentation and ChangeLog for this upcoming release:

task manual:yes name:foo :1 serv -- Foo \#1
task manual:yes name:foo :2 serv -- Foo \#2
task manual:yes name:foo :3 serv -- Foo \#3

[troglobit]

There, fixed.

[hongkongkiwi]

This is really helpful! Thank you.

Hmm yes, apart from comments and \ what other characters need escaping here?

[troglobit]

None, only \ has special meaning. The thing with # is that trailing comments was not supported before, but with the new implementation it is. So you need to escape \ and # only.