Re: how to make ssh-agent automatically

["Karl M" <karlm30 at hotmail dot com>]

Hi...

It is just a little program I wrote to send the message. It is attached.

The method I used works on XP and 2000. I have not tested on any other 
platforms.

HTH,

...Karl

> From: CyberZombie Subject: Re: how to make ssh-agent automatically
> Date: Thu, 01 Dec 2005 11:03:20 -0600
>
> I am unable to locate "sendchenv".  This tool looks like it solves a 
> frustrating problem I have been having (getting regtool changes to register 
> in any new Cygwin/Windows program).  Can you point out where to find it?
>
> Karl M wrote:
> > Hi H.S....
> >
> > Using keychain is only one way, it is not the only way. I no longer use 
> > keychain.
> >
> > I launch ssh-agent from a bash script that is run as a service from 
> > cygrunsrv; it is run as the user, not as SYSTEM. This makes the ssh-agent 
> > process survive Windows logout; I only have to enter a passphrase after 
> > reboot. The bash script edits the user registry to define the environment 
> > variable for the ssh-agent socket. It sends a message that the environment 
> > has been updated and then waits on a sleeping child to keep the service 
> > control manager happy.
> >
> > The script looks like
> >
> > $ cat /bin/secret-agent-service
> > #!/bin/bash
> > # Launch the ssh-agent from a service so it survives logoff.
> >
> > # When the service stops, kill the ssh-agent.
> > trap "ssh-agent -k;
> >  exit 0" TERM
> >
> > # Clean up old files that may be left behind after a crash.
> > #   The file permissions make this safe to do in a multi-user
> > #   environment, but "/tmp" must be local to this host.
> > rm -rf /tmp/ssh-*
> >
> > # Launch the ssh-agent.
> > eval $(ssh-agent)
> >
> > # Provide the ssh-agent socket ID via the registry and broadcast
> > #   the change in case the user is logged before we finish.
> > #   Do not provide the ssh-agent PID to minimize the risk of
> > #   killing the ssh-agent.
> > regtool -s set /HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Environment/SSH_AUTH_SOCK $SSH_AUTH_SOCK
> > sendchenv
> >
> > # Wait quietly until the service is stopped.
> > while true; do
> >  sleep 24h &
> >  wait
> > done
> >
> > In my .bash_profile I have
> >
> > ssh-add -l >/dev/null 2>&1
> > if [ $? -eq 1 ]; then
> >  ssh-add
> > fi
> >
> > which checks if the agent is there and needs a passphrase, and if so, 
> > invokes ssh-add and I enter my passphrase.
> >
> > I will look at the new cygrunsrv changes and see if I can simplify things 
> > and then propose a package.
> >
> > This saves almost one second of CPU time when I start a bash window, 
> > compared to using keychain (also launched as a service).
> >
> > HTH,
> >
> > ...Karl
> >
> > > From: "H.S." Subject: Re: how to make ssh-agent automatically
> > > Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2005 21:24:20 -0500
> > >
> > > Hi Karl,
> > >
> > > Karl M wrote:
> > > > Hi HS...
> > > >
> > > > You can use keychain (a package available from setup.exe).
> > > >
> > > > I do something like
> > > >
> > > > ssh-add -l >/dev/null 2>&1
> > > > if [ $? -eq 1 ]; then
> > > >  ssh-add
> > > > fi
> > > >
> > > > in my .bash_profile, because keychain is slow when I launch several
> > > > windows.
> > >
> > > Okay, I will try that. BTW, just out of curosity, is using keychain only
> > > one of the methods to achieve this or is it the only method? I mean, is
> > > it possible to do this without keychain or any other packages and just
> > > with ssh and rsync and login/logout files and environment variables?
> > >
> > >
> > > >
> > > > Why do you kill the agent when you log out? (Windows will kill it when
> > > > you log off from windows.)
> > >
> > > Currently I was starting ssh-agent in cygwin command prompt window. And
> > > if I did not kill ssh-agent the window would not close upon exit. By
> > > killing if from .bash_logout solved that problem.
> > >
> > > thanks,
> > > ->HS
> > >
> > > > If you want to keep the agent around from one login to the next, you 
> > > can
> > > > launch the agent as a service. I used to do that with keychain, but 
> > > for
> > > > performance reasons, I use ssh-agent and ssh-add directly. I plan on
> > > > proposing a package for doing this.
> > > >
> > > > HTH,
> > > >
> > > > ...Karl
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
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> >
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Attachment: sendchenv.c
Description: Text document

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