Startup Scripts

Launchd plist File

This file is for Mac OS X 10.4 and later. For 10.3 and earlier StartupItems must be used.

Save it under /Library/LaunchDaemons/ with .plist extension (e.g. org.dovecot.dovecot.plist, following naming conventions of Apple and other vendors).

Ownership should be root:wheel.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>Label</key>
    <string>org.dovecot</string>
    <key>OnDemand</key>
    <false/>
    <key>ProgramArguments</key>
    <array>
        <string>/usr/local/sbin/dovecot</string>
        <string>-F</string>
    </array>
    <key>RunAtLoad</key>
    <true/>
    <key>ServiceDescription</key>
    <string>Dovecot mail server</string>
</dict>
</plist>

If Dovecot is not started as a foreground process, launchd will keep restarting it until the "No authentication sockets found" error message shows up in the logs and further logins are denied.

Sample Dovecot init.d Script

This is a basic init script that should work in all operating systems.

Place it in /etc/init.d/dovecot and change the DAEMON path if needed.

### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides:          dovecot
# Required-Start:    $local_fs $remote_fs $network $syslog $time
# Required-Stop:     $local_fs $remote_fs $network $syslog
# Should-Start:      postgresql mysql slapd winbind
# Should-Stop:       postgresql mysql slapd winbind
# Default-Start:     2 3 4 5
# Default-Stop:      0 1 6
# Short-Description: Dovecot init script
# Description:       Init script for dovecot services
### END INIT INFO

# Example /etc/init.d/dovecot script. Change DAEMON if necessary.
# License is public domain.

DAEMON=/usr/local/sbin/dovecot

# Uncomment to allow Dovecot daemons to produce core dumps.
#ulimit -c unlimited

test -x $DAEMON || exit 1
set -e

base_dir=`$DAEMON config -h base_dir`
pidfile=$base_dir/master.pid

if test -f $pidfile; then
  running=yes
else
  running=no
fi

case "$1" in
start)
  echo -n "Starting Dovecot"
  $DAEMON
  echo "."
  ;;
stop)
  if test $running = yes; then
    echo "Stopping Dovecot"
    kill `cat $pidfile`
    echo "."
  else
    echo "Dovecot is already stopped."
  fi
  ;;
reload)
  if test $running = yes; then
    echo -n "Reloading Dovecot configuration"
    kill -HUP `cat $pidfile`
    echo "."
  else
    echo "Dovecot isn't running."
  fi
  ;;
restart|force-reload)
  echo -n "Restarting Dovecot"
  if test $running = yes; then
    kill `cat $pidfile`
    sleep 1
  fi
  $DAEMON
  echo "."
  ;;
*)
  echo "Usage: /etc/init.d/dovecot {start|stop|reload|restart|force-reload}" >&2
  exit 1
  ;;
esac

exit 0