The difference between service start and chkconfig

[kurtshi]

What is the difference between chkconfig --level 4 httpd on
and service httpd start, assuming my computer runs in runlevel 4.

I used chkconfig to start the service, but apache just seems not
running.

[Seve]

Hello:
If you look at the man pages for both
service
and
chkconfig

it explains the functions/options of each very well.

You may also want to have a look at the man page for runlevel as well.

Seve

[Gnafu the Great]

Are you sure you aren't running at runlevel 3 or 5? Those seem to be more standard than 4.

[scottro]

The chkconfig command doesn't specifically stop or start a service, it only adds or removes the service to those daemons that will be run at boot.

The service man page seems designed to make it far more complex than it is. It starts or stops a service. A service is something that's in /etc/init.d.

Seve, much as I respect you, I doubt the man page of either command is very clear to a newcomer.

[Seve]

Hello scottro:

You are probably correct

Sometimes the man pages seem to be somewhat cryptic.

Thanks for fleshing out the answer with a more real world response

Seve

[scottro]

I think that too many pages were probably written under protest. "I spent 6 months coding this, I have to document it too?????"

I suspect that to developers, writing documentation is the least enjoyable part of their projects. (Not always true of course--the fluxbox man page was apparently written by someone who really wants you to use it---it's full of enthusiasm with phrases like "See? Fluxbox makes it easy...".)

[Hlingler]

Hello:

To the best of my understanding, 'service foo start/stop' is like turning a light switch on/off. 'chkconfig --level XYZ foo on/off' is like setting an automatic timer to turn service foo on or off, in this case when the PC starts in runlevel XYZ.

V