Tomcat startup PATH problems

tomwilsonfl · 01-08-2010, 01:18 PM

We have a server that when restarted automatically starts Tomcat.

One of the Java Apps on the Tomcat svr uses ImageMagick which is installed to /usr/local/bin

After a reboot, the exec() calls from the Java app cannot run "convert" (or any other binary) which are in /usr/local/bin

In order to make it work, it simply must be shutdown and restarted (as root obviously) using the same scripts that were run during the system startup.

What gives here? How do I see what environment is being used to startup the server and why would /usr/local/bin not be in the PATH during startup?

Thanks and peace,
Tom

anomie · 01-08-2010, 01:34 PM

What OS / version? Can you post the startup script?

tomwilsonfl · 01-08-2010, 01:47 PM

RH 4 ES

Code:

#!/bin/sh
# chkconfig: 03456 99 01
# description: Tomcat startup/shutdown script

CATALINA_HOME=/usr/local/tomcat
export JAVA_HOME=/usr/java/latest

case $1 in
'start')
        # START TOMCAT
        echo "Starting Tomcat"
        $CATALINA_HOME/bin/startup.sh &
        ;;
'stop')
        # STOP TOMCAT
        echo "Stopping Tomcat"
        $CATALINA_HOME/bin/shutdown.sh &
        ;;
*)
        echo "usage: $0 {start|stop}"
        exit
        ;;
esac
exit

Thanks,
Tom

anomie · 01-08-2010, 01:54 PM

Try explicitly setting the PATH in the script.

Code:

export PATH=${PATH}:/usr/local/bin

Probably there is something extra in root's full PATH that is not in place at boot time (when the init script is run).

-------

BTW, you normally do not run Tomcat as root. You might want to look at your whole application design at some point and see if you can instead run as an unprivileged service account.

tomwilsonfl · 01-08-2010, 01:57 PM

An associate of mine just suggested that also. I will give it a try.

I've added some environment dumping to the startup script so I can compare ENVs.

Will report back.

Thanks,
Tom