Specify a different etc/config dir for dnclient?

[TyIsI]

Is it possible to specify a different (base) config dir for dnclient? Or specify where it should save the config?

Asking for a situation with non-traditionally layed out OSes.

[johnmaguire]

Hello @TyIsI -

❯ dnclient install -h
Usage of install:
  -config string
    	Directory to persist configuration. Defaults to /etc/defined. (default "/etc/defined")
  -name string
    	Optional service name used to run multiple dnclient instances. Specify the same name on all other cli sub-commands (start, uninstall, etc.) to refer to this installed instance.
  -server string
    	Server to use for API calls (default "https://api.defined.net")

For DNClient Server, you may pass the -config directory to override the config location, or -name to run multiple sites within that config directory.

The socket file location (/var/run/dnclient.sock) may be overridden using the DNCLIENT_SOCKET_DIR env var.

For future reference, we don't monitor the OSS issue board for DN issues and your fastest response is likely to come from support@defined.net.

[TyIsI]

Okay. Thanks! I'll email in the future!

I guess the other command options all derive their context from the respective systemd service definition if a name is specified?

[johnmaguire]

Yes, so basically if you do dnclient install -name foobar, you'll get a systemd service definition like dnclient.foobar which will reference /etc/defined/foobar as the config directory. :-)

Commands like dnclient info -name foobar should also work.

[TyIsI]

Thanks for confirming that! The two logical options were that or that they check the existence of a /etc/defined/<name> dir.

I'd look it up in the source, but... 🤷

Is there a specific reason why the dnclient isn't developed in the open btw? (Policy? Does the API change too often?)

[TyIsI]

I'll also send this to support, but (without having looked at what's happening under the hood, I'm guessing that the enroll code gets sent to dnclient through the socket?

[johnmaguire]

Hi @TyIsI - yes, just to clarify, install / start / stop install service scripts that invoke dnclient run -name <foobar> - you don't need to use the service scripts if you don't want to. The -name flag will just cuase DNClient to look in those directories as you noted.

The enroll code is indeed sent through the socket created by DNClient. Not 100% sure what you're doing here, but this is the script we use in the Dockerfile to issue the enrollment code:

#!/bin/sh
set -euo pipefail

HOST_CONFIG="/etc/defined/dnclient.yml"
CONTROL_SOCKET="/var/run/dnclient.sock"

# Create the tun device so it doesn't need to be mounted
mkdir -p /dev/net
if [ ! -c /dev/net/tun ]; then
    mknod /dev/net/tun c 10 200
    chmod 600 /dev/net/tun
fi

dnclient run -server "${DN_API_SERVER:-https://api.defined.net}" &

for i in $(seq 1 11); do
    if [ -S "$CONTROL_SOCKET" ]; then
        break
    fi

    if [ "$i" -eq 11 ]; then
        echo "Timed out."
        exit 1
    fi

    echo "Waiting for dnclient $CONTROL_SOCKET ($i/10)..."
    sleep 1
done

if [ ! -f "$HOST_CONFIG" ]; then
    if [ -z "${DN_ENROLLMENT_CODE+x}" ]; then
        echo "Please provide an enrollment code using the DN_ENROLLMENT_CODE environment variable."
        exit 1
    fi

    if ! dnclient enroll -code "$DN_ENROLLMENT_CODE"; then
        echo "Enrollment failed."
        exit 1
    else
        echo "Enrollment complete."
    fi
fi

wait

Note that the socket file location can be overriden via the DNCLIENT_SOCKET_DIR env var. /etc/defined can be overridden via -config