This seems to be working in 4.3.11 that is in xenial: root@xenial-samba-dynamic-include:~# testparm -s Load smb config files from /etc/samba/smb.conf rlimit_max: increasing rlimit_max (1024) to minimum Windows limit (16384) WARNING: The "syslog" option is deprecated Can't find include file /etc/samba/smb.conf. Loaded services file OK. WARNING: The 'netbios name' is too long (max. 15 chars).
Server role: ROLE_STANDALONE # Global parameters [global] server string = %h server (Samba, Ubuntu) server role = standalone server map to guest = Bad User obey pam restrictions = Yes pam password change = Yes passwd program = /usr/bin/passwd %u passwd chat = *Enter\snew\s*\spassword:* %n\n *Retype\snew\s*\spassword:* %n\n *password\supdated\ssuccessfully* . unix password sync = Yes syslog = 0 log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m max log size = 1000 dns proxy = No usershare allow guests = Yes panic action = /usr/share/samba/panic-action %d idmap config * : backend = tdb include = /etc/samba/smb.conf. root@xenial-samba-dynamic-include:~# echo $? 0 Notice how it didn't expand %U, and the include file was /etc/samba/smb.conf. (ending dot). Restart works: root@xenial-samba-dynamic-include:~# systemctl restart smbd nmbd root@xenial-samba-dynamic-include:~# systemctl status smbd nmbd ● smbd.service - LSB: start Samba SMB/CIFS daemon (smbd) Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/smbd; bad; vendor preset: enabled) Active: active (running) since Tue 2018-07-17 19:12:51 UTC; 3s ago Docs: man:systemd-sysv-generator(8) Process: 2983 ExecStop=/etc/init.d/smbd stop (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS) Process: 3012 ExecStart=/etc/init.d/smbd start (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS) Tasks: 3 Memory: 7.1M CPU: 127ms CGroup: /system.slice/smbd.service ├─3023 /usr/sbin/smbd -D ├─3024 /usr/sbin/smbd -D └─3026 /usr/sbin/smbd -D Jul 17 19:12:51 xenial-samba-dynamic-include systemd[1]: Starting LSB: start Samba SMB/CIFS daemon (smbd)... Jul 17 19:12:51 xenial-samba-dynamic-include smbd[3012]: * Starting SMB/CIFS daemon smbd Jul 17 19:12:51 xenial-samba-dynamic-include smbd[3012]: ...done. Jul 17 19:12:51 xenial-samba-dynamic-include systemd[1]: Started LSB: start Samba SMB/CIFS daemon (smbd). ● nmbd.service - LSB: start Samba NetBIOS nameserver (nmbd) Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/nmbd; bad; vendor preset: enabled) Active: active (running) since Tue 2018-07-17 19:12:51 UTC; 3s ago Docs: man:systemd-sysv-generator(8) Process: 2990 ExecStop=/etc/init.d/nmbd stop (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS) Process: 2998 ExecStart=/etc/init.d/nmbd start (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS) Tasks: 1 Memory: 3.7M CPU: 127ms CGroup: /system.slice/nmbd.service └─3011 /usr/sbin/nmbd -D Jul 17 19:12:51 xenial-samba-dynamic-include systemd[1]: Starting LSB: start Samba NetBIOS nameserver (nmbd)... Jul 17 19:12:51 xenial-samba-dynamic-include nmbd[2998]: * Starting NetBIOS name server nmbd Jul 17 19:12:51 xenial-samba-dynamic-include nmbd[2998]: ...done. Jul 17 19:12:51 xenial-samba-dynamic-include systemd[1]: Started LSB: start Samba NetBIOS nameserver (nmbd). Are you also seeing this behavior now? ** Changed in: samba (Ubuntu) Status: New => Incomplete -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1583324 Title: Samba won't start when an include statement in smb.conf has a variable substitution To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/samba/+bug/1583324/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs