Ubuntu Server auto start irssi in proxy mode

Question

On my home server I use irssi in proxy mode to keep track of irc. From any of my desktops I then just point xchat to my home server.

What I want to be able to do is have irssi start in my user session on the server and start in proxy mode. I've read everything I can find about this but had no joy running it, can anyone help please.

Answer 1

The first hit on google provides all information needed:

Add this line to /etc/rc.local (using administrator privileges):

sudo -H -u USER screen -d -m -S irssi-proxy irssi

Replace USER with your username. Explanation of the command:

sudo ; runs command as user
-H ; sets the home directory to the users
-u ; sets the command to act as USER
screen ; the command sudo is executing
-d -m ; starts screen detached. This solves a lot of issues later.
-S ; starts the screen session with the irssi-proxy ID.
irssi ; the command we're launching

You will have to install screen to make this work (screen is a very nice little tool to run command line applications in the background).

If you want to get your irssi in the foreground later you can do that by running screen -r irssi-proxy in a terminal.

Alternatively you can use crontab to have it run as boot (saves you from changing system files in /etc):

Run crontab -e as your User. Add this line:

@reboot screen -d -m -S irssi-proxy irssi

It will basically have the same affect as the entry in rc.local.

Answer 2

Finally found the answer.

vim .irssi/startup 

Then add the line

LOAD proxy

This now loads the proxy correctly \o/

Answer 3

from Irssi Documentation

Irssi proxy usage:

First you'll need to have the proxy module installed, either configure irssi with --with-proxy and do make install, or manually:

cd src/irc/proxy
  make
  mkdir ~/.irssi/modules
  cp .libs/libproxy.so ~/.irssi/modules/

In irssi, say:

 /LOAD proxy

You really should set some password for the proxy with:

/SET irssiproxy_password secret

Then you'll need to configure the ports/ircnets the proxy listens in, something like:

/SET irssiproxy_ports ircnet=2777 efnet=2778 freenode=2779

There we have 3 different irc networks answering in 3 ports. Note that you'll have to make the correct /IRCNET ADD and /SERVER ADD commands to make it work properly.

hope thats helps you.

Answer 4

Starting irssi in rc.local does not work. The Interface is not up. Starting in cron also does not work. The interface is not up. You have to start irssi in /etc/network/if-up.d/ with a little Script.