asterisk users - Jan 2006 - Changing Asterisk install location...

Has anyone tried to (recently) install asterisk in a location not relative to /,
as a non-root user? Ie editting the PREFIX directive in Makefile.
 
Why? Several quite obvious reasons:
 
a). Allows an asterisk user to be created, and operators to log into the box as
asterisk user, without having root access.
b). Much easier backups, because everything is beneath the same directory
structure.
c). Ability to either run multiple instances of asterisk, or in an emergency,
easily install a second copy of asterisk in another location and test it without
affecting the existing installation.
 
I did this without issue back in Asterisk 1.0.9/1.2.1. Well now.we have the
following issues on startup in 1.2.3.
 
a) db.c:67 dbinit: Unable to open Asterisk database
Looks like it's still looking for astdb in /var/lib/asterisk Why?
 
b) pbx_spool.c:401 scan_thread: Unable to open directory
/var/spool/asterisk/outgoing.
Well, duh it isn't there, because I quite clearly told you to install under
/home/asterisk!
 
c) It's also still writing log data to /var/log/asterisk
 
d) I think there where a few more errors as well...
 
I'm guessing no one in Digium's QA team has actually tested installing
Asterisk like this..... *sigh*
 
Doug.

Skip this post. My bad. I had an old asterisk in /usr/sbin and it was in the
path before $HOME:/usr/sbin. :) Still would like to know if anyone is running
asterisk as a non-root user unde /home/asterisk or similar. Thanks.

	-----Original Message----- 
	From: Douglas Garstang 
	Sent: Wed 1/25/2006 8:54 PM 
	To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion;
asterisk-users@lists.digium.com
	Cc: 
	Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Changing Asterisk install location...
	
	

	Has anyone tried to (recently) install asterisk in a location not relative to
/, as a non-root user? Ie editting the PREFIX directive in Makefile.
	
	Why? Several quite obvious reasons:
	
	a). Allows an asterisk user to be created, and operators to log into the box as
asterisk user, without having root access.
	b). Much easier backups, because everything is beneath the same directory
structure.
	c). Ability to either run multiple instances of asterisk, or in an emergency,
easily install a second copy of asterisk in another location and test it without
affecting the existing installation.
	
	I did this without issue back in Asterisk 1.0.9/1.2.1. Well now.we have the
following issues on startup in 1.2.3.
	
	a) db.c:67 dbinit: Unable to open Asterisk database
	Looks like it's still looking for astdb in /var/lib/asterisk Why?
	
	b) pbx_spool.c:401 scan_thread: Unable to open directory
/var/spool/asterisk/outgoing.
	Well, duh it isn't there, because I quite clearly told you to install under
/home/asterisk!
	
	c) It's also still writing log data to /var/log/asterisk
	
	d) I think there where a few more errors as well...
	
	I'm guessing no one in Digium's QA team has actually tested installing
Asterisk like this..... *sigh*
	
	Doug.

From: "Douglas Garstang" <dgarstang@oneeighty.com>
> Has anyone tried to (recently) install asterisk in a location not 
> relative
> to /, as a non-root user? Ie editting the PREFIX directive in Makefile.
>
> I did this without issue back in Asterisk 1.0.9/1.2.1. Well now.we have
> the following issues on startup in 1.2.3.
>
> a) db.c:67 dbinit: Unable to open Asterisk database
> Looks like it's still looking for astdb in /var/lib/asterisk Why?
>
> b) pbx_spool.c:401 scan_thread: Unable to open directory
> /var/spool/asterisk/outgoing. Well, duh it isn't there, because I quite
> clearly told you to install under /home/asterisk!
>
> c) It's also still writing log data to /var/log/asterisk
Did you look in your asterisk.conf at the paths that are defined there?
> I'm guessing no one in Digium's QA team has actually tested
installing
> Asterisk like this..... *sigh*
I think your attitude is weak.

David