/etc/init.d/minecraft script to handle minecraft auto-start and backups...

crontab

5 */6 * * * /etc/init.d/minecraft backup #backup four times a day, meaning every 6 hours
15 */2 * * * /etc/init.d/minecraft map #generate map every two hours
10 1 * * * /etc/init.d/minecraft clean #clean old files daily

minecraft

#!/bin/bash
# /etc/init.d/minecraft
# version 0.4.0.1 2012-03-03 (YYYY-MM-DD)
# Modified by Hauke Schade
# Modified by Mark Holmquist

### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides:   minecraft
# Required-Start: $local_fs $remote_fs
# Required-Stop:  $local_fs $remote_fs
# Should-Start:   $network
# Should-Stop:    $network
# Default-Start:  2 3 4 5
# Default-Stop:   0 1 6
# Short-Description:    Minecraft server
# Description:    Starts the minecraft server
### END INIT INFO

#Settings
SERVICE='craftbukkit.jar'
OPTIONS='nogui'
USERNAME='minecraft'
WORLD='world'
WORLD_NETHER='world_nether'
WORLD_END='world_the_end'
MCPATH="/opt/minecraft"
MOPATH="/opt/minecraft/dev/Minecraft-Overviewer"
MOCONFIG="/opt/minecraft/dev/Minecraft-Overviewer/config.py"
BACKUPPATH="/media/backup/minecraft.backup"
CPU_COUNT=1
INVOCATION="java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -XX:+UseConcMarkSweepGC -XX:+CMSIncrementalPacing -XX:ParallelGCThreads=$CPU_COUNT -XX:+AggressiveOpts -jar $SERVICE $OPTIONS"

ME=`whoami`
as_user() {
  if [ $ME == $USERNAME ] ; then
    bash -c "$1"
  else
    su - $USERNAME -c "$1"
  fi
}

mc_start() {
  if ps ax | grep -v grep | grep -v -i SCREEN | grep $SERVICE > /dev/null
  then
    echo "$SERVICE is already running!"
  else
    echo "Starting $SERVICE..."
    cd $MCPATH
    as_user "screen -dmS minecraft $INVOCATION"
    x=1
    while [ $x -le 7 ]
    do
      if ps ax | grep -v grep | grep -v -i SCREEN | grep $SERVICE > /dev/null
      then
        echo "$SERVICE is now running."
        break
      fi
      x=$(( $x + 1 ))
      sleep 1
    done
    if [ "$x" -ge 8 ]
    then
      echo "Error! Could not start $SERVICE!"
    fi
  fi
}

mc_saveoff() {
  if ps ax | grep -v grep | grep -v -i SCREEN | grep $SERVICE > /dev/null
  then
    echo "$SERVICE is running... suspending saves"
    as_user "screen -p 0 -S minecraft -X eval 'stuff \"save-off\"\015'"
    as_user "screen -p 0 -S minecraft -X eval 'stuff \"save-all\"\015'"
    sync
    sleep 10
  fi
}

mc_saveon() {
  if ps ax | grep -v grep | grep -v -i SCREEN | grep $SERVICE > /dev/null
  then
    echo "$SERVICE is running... re-enabling saves"
    as_user "screen -p 0 -S minecraft -X eval 'stuff \"save-on\"\015'"
  fi
}

mc_stop() {
  if ps ax | grep -v grep | grep -v -i SCREEN | grep $SERVICE > /dev/null
  then
    echo "Stopping $SERVICE"
    as_user "screen -p 0 -S minecraft -X eval 'stuff \"say SERVER SHUTTING DOWN IN 10 SECONDS. Saving map...\"\015'"
    as_user "screen -p 0 -S minecraft -X eval 'stuff \"save-all\"\015'"
    sleep 10
    as_user "screen -p 0 -S minecraft -X eval 'stuff \"stop\"\015'"
  else
    echo "$SERVICE was not running."
  fi
  x=1
  while [ "$x" -le 7 ]
  do
    if ps ax | grep -v grep | grep -v -i SCREEN | grep $SERVICE > /dev/null
    then
      x=$(( $x + 1 ))
      sleep 1
    else
      echo "$SERVICE is stopped."
      break
    fi
  done
  if [ "$x" -ge 8 ]
  then
    echo "Error! $SERVICE could not be stopped."
  fi
}

mc_backup() {
  echo "Backing up minecraft"
  timestamp=`date +%Y%m%d-%H%M`
  if [ -f "$BACKUPPATH/minecraft_${timestamp}.tar.gz" ]
  then
    echo "blub, backup already existed"
  else
    cd $MCPATH
    as_user "tar -czhf $BACKUPPATH/minecraft_${timestamp}.tar.gz $SERVICE $WORLD $WORLD_NETHER $WORLD_END server.log"
  fi
  echo "Backup complete to $BACKUPPATH/minecraft_${timestamp}.tar.gz"
}

mc_map() {
  if ps ax | grep -v grep | grep -v -i SCREEN | grep "python overviewer.py" > /dev/null
  then
    echo "Already doing mapping process"
  else
    echo "beginning mapping for overviewer"
    DATE=`date +%Y%m%d%H%M`
    mc_saveoff
    as_user "cp -rp $MCPATH/$WORLD /tmp/$WORLD.$DATE"
    mc_saveon
    as_user "cd $MOPATH && nice python overviewer.py --config=$MOCONFIG"
    as_user "screen -p 0 -S minecraft -X eval 'stuff \"say we have a new map!\"\015'"
    as_user "rm -rf /tmp/$WORLD.$DATE"
    echo "done with mapping"
  fi
}

mc_cleanold() {
  echo "Cleaning Old Files"
  find $BACKUPPATH -type f -mtime +24 -exec rm -f -v {} \;
  echo "Done, cleaning up files"
}

mc_command() {
  if [ "$1" ]
  then
    command="$1";
    if ps ax | grep -v grep | grep -v -i SCREEN | grep $SERVICE > /dev/null
    then
      echo "$SERVICE is running... executing command"
      as_user "screen -p 0 -S minecraft -X eval 'stuff \"$command\"\015'"
    fi
    else
      echo "Must specify server command"
  fi
}

#Start-Stop here
case "$1" in
  start)
    mc_start
    ;;
  stop)
    mc_stop
    ;;
  restart)
    mc_stop
    mc_start
    ;;
  backup)
    mc_saveoff
    mc_backup
    mc_saveon
    ;;
  map)
    mc_map
  ;;
  clean)
    mc_cleanold
    ;;
  status)
    if ps ax | grep -v grep | grep -v -i SCREEN | grep $SERVICE > /dev/null
    then
      echo "$SERVICE is running."
    else
      echo "$SERVICE is not running."
    fi
    ;;
  command)
    mc_command "$2"
    ;;
  *)
  echo "Usage: /etc/init.d/minecraft {start|stop|backup|clean|status|restart|map|command \"server command\"}"
  exit 1
  ;;
esac

exit 0