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I am using upstart for services on my servers. Writing a conf file and placing it in /etc/init is easy enough, but that doesn't seem to completely install. For one, the service --status-all doesn't list my new service. I checked and if I make a link in /etc/init.d to /lib/init/ubstart-job it'll show up in the status. But doing this manually makes me think I'm not doing it right, and there may well be other configuration steps which aren't being done.

What is the correct way to install an upstart service such that it is properly registered in all tools dealing with services?

edA-qa mort-ora-y
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    This guy answered one of my questions using upstart service and gave a detailed explanation, it might point out a step that might have been missed http://askubuntu.com/a/278128/75967 – Meer Borg May 24 '13 at 06:53
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    Did you mean /lib/init/upstart-job? – dalore Jan 05 '17 at 10:35

5 Answers5

47

When you initially copy a new conf file into the /etc/init folder you need to call:

initctl reload-configuration

By this your upstart should be properly registered.

thomas
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    So this correctly sets up the job (ie, start and stop work) but it doesn't make the job show up in status all. I still had to manually add it to /etc/init.d/ for that to happen. – James McMahon May 08 '14 at 14:32
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    @JamesMcMahon You need to run initctl list command with sudo: sudo initctl list. That way you will see complete list of services. – Gelmir Dec 19 '14 at 14:39
  • Why the sudo, it doesn't appear to change the output of initctl list at all. – LovesTha May 22 '15 at 00:11
  • @JamesMcMahon, I still had to manually add it to /etc/init.d. You still had to add what? That means that, in addition to a X.conf file added to /etc/init, it's also necessary to add a file to /etc/init.d? – Kevin Meredith Jul 28 '16 at 15:56
  • @KevinMeredith, Sorry I wasn't more detailed. It's been 2 years and I can't remember the specifics. If you look at into some init.d documentation it should hopefully be clear. – James McMahon Jul 29 '16 at 06:02
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Checkout the service manual:

service --status-all runs all init scripts, in alphabetical order, with the status command. This option only calls status for sysvinit jobs, upstart jobs can be queried in a similar manner with initctl list.

(emphasis added)

That's why adding it to /etc/init.d (where the sysvinit jobs are located) made that work. So: try running initctl list instead :) .

Kyle
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    That's why adding it Adding what? In addition to the my_service.conf file in /etc/init, it's also necessary to have an /etc/init.d file? – Kevin Meredith Jul 28 '16 at 15:59
  • Not working with Ubuntu 16.04.4 LTS \ $ initctl list initctl: Name "com.ubuntu.Upstart" does not exist $ sudo initctl list initctl: Unable to connect to Upstart: Failed to connect to socket /com/ubuntu/upstart: Connection refused – Andrew Jul 06 '18 at 18:29
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For SysV Services

Make sure that you follow the following steps while adding/creating new service in Ubuntu.

  1. Create the service file in /etc/init.d/<service name>
  2. chmod 700 /etc/init.d/<service name>
  3. update-rc.d <service name> defaults
  4. update-rc.d <service name> enable

Now see you service in 

service --status-all
George Sovetov
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Suyash Jain
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2

I've found that an error in the .conf file can make the job not recognizable to initctl. for example, having a setuid line in Upstart version 1.3 or earlier.

jcomeau_ictx
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  • This. If there is an error it should show up in Upstart logs. Which could be any number of places depending on the version - for me on Ubuntu 10 (yes, really) they were in /var/log/syslog. – Resigned June 2023 Apr 11 '23 at 01:57
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While the current chosen answer is correct for getting the new service added to upstart, it's not particularly helpful for finding out WHY a config in /etc/init/ is failing to load -- the missing piece is using init-checkconf first to make sure your config is valid, and then using reload-configuration:

####Test the new config - resolving any issues before continuing:
ERROR: File /etc/init/test.conf: syntax invalid:
test.conf:35: Unterminated quoted string

####then fix and recheck:
# init-checkconf /etc/init/test.conf
File /etc/init/test.conf: syntax ok

####then reload:
# initctl reload-configuration

#### and start:
# start test
Jeff Parsons
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