slattach and /etc/network/interfaces

[Pieter-Tjerk de Boer <ptdeboer@cs.utwente.nl>]

Hello,

I'm moving my network initialization scripts from /etc/init.d/networking
to the "new" "standard" place for such things on Debian, namely
/etc/network/interfaces .
However, I run into problems with the extra programs that need to be
started for some interfaces, like 'slattach' for slip interfaces.

The obvious way to deal with them, would be to use 'pre-up' and 'up' lines
in /etc/network/interfaces ; e.g.:
  pre-up /sbin/slattach -p slip /dev/ptyr0 &
This works fine if I start the interfaces by typing the appropriate ifup
command by hand.

However, it does not work properly for starting them during system boot.
Analysis with strace shows that about 7 seconds after being started, the
program is sent a SIGHUP, and it subsequently exits. I think these 7
seconds are the time that passes until the boot process completes and
the login prompt appears.

Does anyone know how to properly start slattach and similar programs
from /etc/network/interfaces?

Best regards,
  Pieter-Tjerk
-- 
[ e-mail:       pa3fwm@amsat.org / ptdeboer@cs.utwente.nl ]
[ packet-radio: pa3fwm@pi8daz.#twe.nld.eu                 ]