"syntax error in nsswitch config near [ syntax error ]" ?

[Denys Vlasenko <vda.linux@googlemail.com>]

Hi Ian,

I tried to start automount with command line like this one:

automount -f -s -v --timeout 15 master.file

and it says:


Starting automounter version 5.0.0_beta1, master map master.file
syntax error in nsswitch config near [ syntax error ]

lookup_nss_read_master: can't to read name service switch config.
master_read_master: can't read master map master.file


Well, my mistake was that I should use fully-qualified filename ($PWD/master.file),
but error message is misleading. It says that my /etc/nsswitch.conf
is bad (well, it doesn't even mention "/etc/nsswitch.conf", I need to
infer that!).

But my /etc/nsswitch.conf has no syntax errors:

passwd:         compat
group:          compat
shadow:         compat
hosts:          files dns [!UNAVAIL=return]
networks:       files
ethers:         files
protocols:      files
rpc:            files
services:       files

it just doesn't have automounter maps. This is not a crime.

Message is also complains about /etc/nsswitch.conf FIRST,
and THEN complains "can't read master map master.file",
but actual order of these events is different - if master
file is found, /etc/nsswitch.conf is not consulted.

Can this be improved?
--
vda