[rad] Re: SOLVED Re: pseudo-newbie exec scripts and session-time

[Arran Cudbard-Bell]

On 15/6/09 16:37, Charles Gregory wrote:
> On Mon, 15 Jun 2009, A.L.M.Buxey at lboro.ac.uk wrote:
>> one of the main issues is using a distro version of the code.
>
> (nod) Once John mentioned a folder I just didn't have, the light came on
> (so to speak).... :)
>
>> ...they might have been dumped into somewhere like /usr/share/doc/radiusd
>> or somesuch.
>
> (smile) Nope. But good thought.
> Strictly speaking, all the information I needed was in the various
> documentation files. I just made an error of presumption from the 'look'
> of the code and examples and comments in the 'radiusd.conf' file....
>
>> you can get v2.x for CentOS - read the WIKI - theres a repository for
>> it too so it will get updated with new versions.
>
> Well, if I had been unable to make the existing package work, it was
> certainly an option. But it's better the way I have it now. :)
>
>> as for 'marking you down as yet another stubborn user' - well I thought
>> by singularly attacking the project leaader/manager you were wanting to
>> be thought of like that ;-)
>
> I hope I don't set off another round of garbage with this comment, but
> quite honestly, he has an attitude I've never seen in a project leader.
> Usually they are the ones who have had years of experience dealing with
> newbies and *know* the stupid 2+2=3 mistakes that people like me can
> make, and would be the first one to say, "hey, dummy, that goes in the
> users file". But instead, I got..... what I got.....

See the thing is a lot of the documentation pitfalls aren't there in 2.*, a lot of the inconsistencys aren't there in 2.*. I know, because I regularly play the dumb user and pester Alan about niggly 
bits of syntax and documentation.

I've been following this thread (mostly for its Jerry Springer'esq qualities) and I saw where you stumbled. The documentation in v1 is far from perfect, but if you'd actually read around a bit more 
then you'd have figured out exactly what was going on. The *only* place in 1.* where the syntax used in the rlm_exec example exists is in the users file.

> I work in a similar capacity being both the developer/admin for our
> internet service *and* the helpdesk. And the one thing I've learned in
> dealing with people on the phone is how differently all sorts of people
> will think, and how difficult some concepts are to get across even when
> they seem 'simple' and 'obvious' to me.

But you're not a user, you're a sysadmin/developer. It's assumed that you'll have a modicum of initiative. I don't always agree with Alans way of dealing with users on the list, but I understand why 
he's the way he is.


>  It takes some time and patience,
> but I've learned to recognize the signs of the user who 'thinks
> differently' and know those special things I need to mention to get them
> back 'on track', and get them thinking the right way.
>
>> seriously though, most (if not all) support will be for 2.x now - as
>> thats what most of us run - due to wanting the features, stability and
>> speed (yes, lots of speed!) of the new version. we all used to run 1.x
>> and deal with common/similar issues....we now run 2.x and do the same.
>
> If I had 'issues' (aka problems) I would quite simply upgrade. It would
> not be worth my time or effort to try and fight with problematic old
> code. But FR is *not* problematic. It was just my understanding. I
> needed to know *how* to do what I wanted to do. It's always been my
> ignorance.
> And I've not asked anyone to 'hand hold'. I just figured there had to be
> some working examples out there from the 1.x days.
>
>> .... with EAP, 2.x is almost a must (unless you want your DB etc hit
>> far too many times).
>
> In all honesty, I don't even know what 'EAP' is.

Extensible Authentication Protocol, it's the Authentication protocol used in 802.1X (WPA-Enterprise etc...).

[snip]

>
> That's what I hope for. That people who mean to help really do help.
> I have my answer. My problem is solved. I can jsut walk away. But that
> doesn't help the next person who falls over the same shortfall in the
> old docs. If nothing else, I will be here to help them if I see their
> post. :)
>

If you genuinely want to help other FreeRADIUS v1 users, then you can contact me, or any other wiki admins for an account.

Arran

-- 
Arran Cudbard-Bell (A.Cudbard-Bell at sussex.ac.uk),
Authentication, Authorisation and Accounting Officer,
Infrastructure Services (IT Services),
E1-1-08, Engineering 1, University Of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QT
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