Re: [LineControl-development] feature request

[S. F. <lin...@sr...>]

Hi,

please subscribe to the list before posting again something.

Usually postings from non-memebers are discarded to block
spam. Unfortunately this requires me to login on sf.net and
do it manually...

> I have noticed two features that are missing from current
> LineControl server and client software.
> 
> The current software does not terminate the dialup process when I
> terminate the client and I am the only user. That is, sometimes I
> start the client and I am the only user authenticated, so the server
> starts PPPD or any other dialup tool; during the connection process,
> I decide to terminate it, and I think that the server has terminated
> the running dialup program. But that's false. I have noticed it
> using lcc, because with xlc when the server is connecting, the
> disconnect option is not available. Looking at the sources,
> specifically in server/proc_lcp3.c and debugging, I saw that the
> client sends a offline command only when a connection has been
> instanciated. If I terminate the client during a connection, the
> client only gets a 'kick'.

That's correct. Linesrv shouldn't interrupt ongoing dial attempts
until the timeout (script_esc) occured or the line is established.
Dialing and then terminating the client doesn't make much sense anyway.

Taking a connection down which is currently dialing is a non-standard
behaviour which needs special treatment. One could either try it with
the script_esc or then introduce another script for that purpose.

I decided to disallow the abortion of dialing because I didn't want to
mess around with modems or other media which might not respond during
the dialing process even though pppd and similar programs should
handle this case. There wouldn't be any feedback that the line is down
and ready to get dialed again but linesrv would need that information.
Solve that problem... then come back with the solution ;).

> There is another feature that is missing, IMHO. I cannot specify in
> the configuration file whether or not retry the connection if it
> fails.

I think there are clients which are able to do that though I never
tested that feature. Indeed, one could do it on the server side also.
Is it worth the extra effort? If a dialup fails then usually the
provider has a problem or the peer configuration changed, no need
to silly dial again.
Do you really often need to dial twice? Why?

Greetings

S. Fuchs