rc.d script for tiddlywiki service not working

Question

I am trying to get Tiddlywiki working in a FreeBSD jail (based on a NAS4FEE host). The rc.d script below start_postcmd and PID file functions are not working.

Does anyone have any advice on why that might be the case?

#! /bin/sh
#
#
# PROVIDE: tiddliwiki
# REQUIRE: NETWORKING
# REQUIRE: DAEMON bgfsck
# KEYWORD: shutdown


. /etc/rc.subr

name="tiddlywiki"
rcvar="tiddlywiki_enable"

#start_cmd="tiddlywiki_start"
#stop_cmd="tiddlywiki_stop"

pidfile="/var/run/${name}.pid"


start_cmd="/usr/local/bin/node /usr/local/bin/tiddlywiki gosh --server 80 &"

# needed to set pid manualy as the rc.subr pid pid didn't work  
start_postcmd="sleep 5 ; ps aux | grep -i 'gosh --server 80' | awk 'NR<2 {print $2}' > /var/run/${name}.pid"

stop_cmd="cat /var/run/${name}.pid | xargs kill -9"

load_rc_config $name 
run_rc_command "$1"

Answer 1

A quick list of possible causes based on an extensive experience of having the same thing happen:

• Permissions. Does the node application have write permission to the file? Does the file already exist?

• Your start_postcmd may not be catching/grepping the PID because the process is fact not running. Is the port already occupied? Can you start tiddlywiki from the shell?

• Your start_postcmd may not be catching/grepping the PID correctly because the command line is long and has wrapped in the process list. Try adding w and testing it from the shell a few times: ps auxww | grep -i 'gosh --server 80' | awk 'NR<2 {print $2}'

You might have better luck using a node tool like forever. With a bit of work you could likely craft a start_cmd. There are several other similar tools that range from simple, to nearly nuclear power plant ready. A random selection from http://www.npmjs.org:

• nodemon
• bg
• pm2
• supervisor

Good luck.