alternative epmd and start_clean

[RoadRunnr]

I have an alternative epmd module that needs a specific application to be started. That means that everything that uses the start_clean boot script can not use distribution without having to manually start that help application first.

Problem is, the release start script also uses the start_clean boot method to start the remote shell. Since the help app is not running, the alternative epmd is not working and hence the remote shell is not working.

Starting the application from the alternative epmd modules i start_link leads to a dead lock, so this also doesn't work.

What I would need is a way to add a specific application to the list of apps to be started in start_clean.

[tsloughter]

Couldn't the epmd module do an ensure_all_started on the application that it needs?

[RoadRunnr]

tried that, it dead looks when its done from the epmd main process and doing it form a spawned process also does not work. Still trying to find out why.

[tsloughter]

Ah... hm. I'd have to think about details more and probably know what your app is doing.

I wonder if the deadlock is simply because the distribution is still starting so the application controller won't move forward with starting an application.

@ferd might now. @garazdawi I'm sure you'd know the answer to that part?

[ferd]

I would imagine that currently epmd has to depend only on core apps, and that start_clean works as advertised.

I'm not sure fault lies with either rather than the way your epmd module has been designed, or alternatively in not being able to specify what constitutes a minimal release.