Yaws does not start

[bfulgham@…]

The yaws server fails to start after installing because:

1. It expects the directory ${prefix}/tmp to exist, and the installation script does not create it.

Chaz:/opt/local/etc brent$ /opt/local/bin/yaws -i  
Erlang (BEAM) emulator version 5.5.3 [source] [async-threads:0] [hipe] [kernel-poll:false]

Eshell V5.5.3  (abort with ^G)
1> 
=INFO REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:33:43 ===
Yaws: Using config file ./yaws.conf

=ERROR REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:33:43 ===
FATAL {'EXIT',{{case_clause,["/opt/local/tmp"]},
               [{yaws_config,fload,7},
                {yaws_config,load,1},
                {yaws_server,init,1},
                {gen_server,init_it,6},
                {proc_lib,init_p,5}]}}

=INFO REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:33:43 ===
    application: yaws
    exited: {shutdown,{yaws_app,start,[normal,[]]}}
    type: permanent
{"Kernel pid terminated",application_controller,"{application_start_failure,yaws,{shutdown,{yaws_app,start,[normal,[]]}}}"}

Crash dump was written to: erl_crash.dump
Kernel pid terminated (application_controller) ({application_start_failure,yaws,{shutdown,{yaws_app,start,[normal,[]]}}})
Chaz:/opt/local/etc brent$ ls -l /opt/local/

2. It expects the user to have admin priviledges, and it does not create a user with sufficient rights to run the service:

Chaz:/opt/local/etc brent$ /opt/local/bin/yaws -i
Erlang (BEAM) emulator version 5.5.3 [source] [async-threads:0] [hipe] [kernel-poll:false]

Eshell V5.5.3  (abort with ^G)
1> 
=INFO REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:34:30 ===
Yaws: Using config file ./yaws.conf

=ERROR REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:34:31 ===
Cannot open "/opt/local/var/log/yaws/Chaz.local:8000.access"

=ERROR REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:34:31 ===
Cannot open "/opt/local/var/log/yaws/localhost:8000.access"

=ERROR REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:34:31 ===
Cannot open "/opt/local/var/log/yaws/Chaz.local.access"

=ERROR REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:34:31 ===
Cannot open /opt/local/var/log/yaws/auth.log
yaws:Add path "/opt/local/lib/yaws/ebin"
yaws:Add path "/opt/local/lib/yaws/examples/ebin"
yaws:Running with id=default
Running with debug checks turned on (slower server) 
Logging to directory "/opt/local/var/log/yaws"

=ERROR REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:34:31 ===
Failed to create/manipulate the ctlfile 
called /opt/local/var/run/yaws/ctl-default
Either problems with permissions or  earlier runs of yaws 
with the same id  <default> as this, check dir for perms
None of Yaws ctl functions will work

=INFO REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:34:31 ===
Yaws: Listening to 0.0.0.0:8000 for servers
 - http://Chaz.local:8000 under /opt/local/var/yaws/www
 - http://localhost:8000 under /opt/local/tmp

=ERROR REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:34:31 ===
Yaws: Failed to listen 0.0.0.0:443  : {error,eacces}

=ERROR REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:34:31 ===
Can't listen to socket: {error,eacces} 
=ERROR REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:34:31 ===
Top proc died, terminate gserv
=INFO REPORT==== 12-Mar-2007::23:34:31 ===
    application: yaws
    exited: {shutdown,{yaws_app,start,[normal,[]]}}
    type: permanent
{"Kernel pid terminated",application_controller,"{application_start_failure,yaws,{shutdown,{yaws_app,start,[normal,[]]}}}"}

Crash dump was written to: erl_crash.dump
Kernel pid terminated (application_controller) ({application_start_failure,yaws,{shutdown,{yaws_app,start,[normal,[]]}}})

Everything works properly once you attempt to run Yaws with sufficient priviledges.

[pguyot (Paul Guyot)]

You're supposed to copy and customize the configuration file, as mentioned during installation:

Copy and customize /opt/local/etc/yaws.conf.template to /opt/local/etc/yaws.conf

I believe it does not make sense to provide a working default configuration for a web server. The default configuration listens on default ports (80 and 443) and therefore require root privileges to run, which you will get if you start yaws with launchctl.

In a nutshell, I can't see how to alter the configuration or the port to provide a better user experience. This is a webserver, users installing it should know how to configure it to get it running.

[(none)]

Milestone Port Bugs deleted