dnsdomainname required so we can install other stuff

[blueINK]

Me and a friend are trying to set up a server for mysql , qmail and some other varous tasks.

the problem we are having is we can not install mysql or qmail (or at least get them working corectly) with out a dnsdomainname.
this dnsdomainname has been the thorn in our side for the past week and we are (not that i want to) consitering going back to windows for such tasks beacuase we have gotten it to work on windows before.

as for the dnsdomainname:
when we boot the computer the login screen sais " smith.unknown_domain" is our domain name. we have searched , configured, tinkered and about everything else and as far as i can tell its all configured corectly to display a diffrent domain name but yet it is still not working.

can the programs we want installed be installed and configured without a domiain name some how (seeing as it will be used only on a local network) or is there a fix to this delema

any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated
thanks
andy

[Hayl]

if you say what distribution you are running, then perhaps someone else who runs the same one will be able to tell you how to set it.

[blueINK]

:eek: oh dang, how could I forgot that IMPORTANT detail **kicks self**

im running gentoo 2005.0 with the latest baselayout (baselayout-1.11.12-r4).

[je_fro]

root@speedy jeff # cat /etc/conf.d/dnsdomainname
localdomain

It used to be in /etc/dnsdomainname but gentoo changed their layout recently.
I've always been able to use localdomain with no trouble...you may want to actually use the official dns name if this is like a production server or something....
Though in that case I doubt you'd be running gentoo...

[blueINK]

As a collective effort me and my friend kinda just thought of a solution at about the same time ( weird how stuff like that happens )

we didnt think to update the enviroment variables
after changing some of the files.
sure enough " env-update " did the trick.

i feel like kicking my self for not thinking of it :p

thanks anyway for all your help.

have a happy and safe 4th of july (for those of us in america)

andy