Run script with rc.local: script works, but not at boot

Question

I have a node.js script which need to start at boot and run under the www-data user. During development I always started the script with:

su www-dat         


        

Answer 1

In this example of a rc.local script I use io redirection at the very first line of execution to my own log file:

#!/bin/sh -e
#
# rc.local
#
# This script is executed at the end of each multiuser runlevel.
# Make sure that the script will "exit 0" on success or any other
# value on error.
#
# In order to enable or disable this script just change the execution
# bits.
#
# By default this script does nothing.

exec 2> /tmp/rc.local.log  # send stderr from rc.local to a log file
exec 1>&2                      # send stdout to the same log file
set -x                         # tell sh to display commands before execution

/opt/stuff/somefancy.error.script.sh

exit 0