Bug 113274

Summary: Handbook needs file execution troubleshooting section
Product: Documentation Reporter: Mark Stevans <mls>
Component: Books & ArticlesAssignee: freebsd-doc (Nobody) <doc>
Status: Closed FIXED    
Severity: Affects Only Me    
Priority: Normal    
Version: Latest   
Hardware: Any   
OS: Any   

Description Mark Stevans 2007-06-03 03:10:07 UTC 
One of the most frustrating experiences in the UNIX world is to have a file (often a script) that you just cannot get to execute, especially in a high-pressure scenario.  There is a long list of reasons why a FreeBSD file cannot be executed, e.g. no magic number, file system mounted NOEXEC, no execute permission, no read permission, interpreter cannot be found, etc., etc..  For the benefit of users everywhere, this list needs to be carefully constructed and included in a future FreeBSD Handbook "File Execution Troubleshooting" section.

Fix: 

Break down all the cases for failure to execute a program/script, and list them clearly and completely.
How-To-Repeat: Try to execute a file you have execute permission for, but no read permission on the associated script interpreter, for example, without being a FreeBSD/UNIX guru, and watch how long it takes you to stumble upon the solution, often hours or days.
Comment 1 Remko Lodder 2007-06-03 09:39:28 UTC 
Mark Stevans wrote:
> FreeBSD redpen.piqqem.lan 6.1-SECURITY FreeBSD 6.1-SECURITY #0: Thu Apr 26 14:39:24 UTC 2007     root@builder.daemonology.net:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/SMP  i386
>> Description:
> One of the most frustrating experiences in the UNIX world is to have a file (often a script) that you just cannot get to execute, especially in a high-pressure scenario.  There is a long list of reasons why a FreeBSD file cannot be executed, e.g. no magic number, file system mounted NOEXEC, no execute permission, no read permission, interpreter cannot be found, etc., etc..  For the benefit of users everywhere, this list needs to be carefully constructed and included in a future FreeBSD Handbook "File Exe cution Troubleshooting" section.
>> How-To-Repeat:
> Try to execute a file you have execute permission for, but no read permission on the associated script interpreter, for example, without being a FreeBSD/UNIX guru, and watch how long it takes you to stumble upon the solution, often hours or days.
>> Fix:
> Break down all the cases for failure to execute a program/script, and list them clearly and completely.
> 
Hello,

This -might- be an idea, but on the other end we cannot possibly
list ever reason for whatever stuff goes wrong within a FreeBSD
system.

That said; it would be more interesting if someone submits patches
for this, please feel free to do so.

(Also note that a serious severity and medium priority will not
make this PR get resolved quicker, IF we at all used these fields
it would be a minor severity and low priority (in my eyes))

Thanks for using FreeBSD And the willingness to improve FreeBSD!

Regards,
Remko

-- 
Kind regards,

     Remko Lodder               ** remko@elvandar.org
     FreeBSD                    ** remko@FreeBSD.org

     /* Quis custodiet ipsos custodes */
Comment 2 Remko Lodder freebsd_committer freebsd_triage 2007-07-02 19:37:36 UTC 
State Changed
From-To: open->closed

Since there is no patch yet I will close the PR. IF someone has a patch 
for this, poke me and I will add it to the ticket and reopen it. Till 
that time I will not pretend that wewill be fixing this.