Sounds like you (and probally others) could use a lesson in the INIT system.  I don't have much time , so hopefully someone else will expand on this.

Sys V type *nix uses the init system to start different applications.  If you look in /etc/rc.d/init.d (the .d meaning directory) you will see several scripts for things like apache, ssh, mail (all of the deamons of programs that usually end with a "d" httpd, smtpd, sshd).  If you look at /etc/rc.d you will see rc0.d, rc1.d, rc2.d, etc.  Each of these directories represent a RUNLEVEL or INIT Level.  There are softlinks from the files in each rc#.d back to the actual scripts in /etc/rc.d/init.d.  In the file /etc/inittab (in linux) you define what run level you want your computers to start.  Redhat defines RUNLEVEL 3 as the default command line run level and 5 as the default gui run level.  You can change that as you want. As you look in the rc#.d directories you will notice the files are names things like K99sendmail or S99sendmail.  The K means kill and the S means start.  The number is the order in which the system should start or stop the deamons.  In linux only file in your current run level are executed.  On Solaris the system steps through the run levels.  Those scripts in /etc/rc.d/init.d are the ones that run like "apache stop|start".

Gotta run

Dusty

--------------------------------------------------
> Do these same commands work on any program?  For example could you open
> a terminal and type "./opera stop" ?
> 
> Deven Phillips wrote:
> > 
> > To shutdown Apache type "/etc/rc.d/init.d/httpd stop"
> > To restart it type "/etc/rc.d/init.d/httpd restart"
> > To start the server while it is stopped "/etc/rc.d/init.d/httpd start"
> >
> 
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to luau as: dusty@sandust.com
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to $subst('Email.Unsub')