Subject: Q: ftp-tree on CDROM (for multiple platforms) ??

From: Unix Adm <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 1997 14:24:55 +0200 (CES)

Hi !

   My basic problem: 
   -----------------
      How to make the contents of a mounted CDROM accessible in a ftp-server?
      The mountpoint of the CDROM is outside of the ftp-tree. Therefore
      a link from the CD-mountpoint into the ftp-dir will not do the job.
    
      I am using HPUX 9 ( with HP-ftpd; not wu_ftpd ). 
      The CDROMs are written with xcdroat0.96 on a Linux-box and mounted 
      via amd to the HP-boxes.
      I am looking for a solution which allows me to use the same CDROM on 
      different platforms as/inside a ftp-server.

   My Idea:
   --------
      Put the whole ftp-tree on the CDROM
        /CD_mount_point/fist_dir_on_CD/<ftptree>

      in /etc/passwd it would specify
       /CD_mount/point/fist_dir_on_CD 
       as 'homedirectory' of the ftp-tree
      ( If another CDROM is in the CD-drive ftpd will not find its
        'homedirectory' and refuse the access )

      But: In this case also the binaries needed by ftpd (ls , ... )
           would be on the CDROM. So I am fixed to one operating system.

  Questions:
  -----------
      1) Would my idea work at all ?

      2) Is there a possibility to specify different pathes for the
         binaries needed by ftpd in the ftpd sources or even on the
         ftpd commandline ?

         My Idea is to burn for each operating system ( HPUX, LINUX, AIX,... )
         a separate bin-directory on the CDROM and specify the path for
         the binaries on the commandline of ftpd.
         So I would be able to run this CDROM-ftpserver on different
         platforms.

      3) Are the other/simple possibilities to solve my basic problem
         which work also without wu-ftpd ( HPUX-ftpd ) ?

     All hints welcome

       yours  Tobias

----------------------------------------------------------
- Tobias Buchal        [email-masked]
- Inst. f. Hydromechnics, University of Karlsruhe, Germany
- Phone: +49/(0)721/608/3533        FAX: +49/(0)721/661686