lazy port forwarding

ssh-pf.sh

#!/bin/bash

echo "Hello, footpad!"

me=`basename "$0"`
socket_path=~/"${me}".socket

if [ -z "$1" ] || [ "$1" == "open" ]
then
    if [ -f "${socket_path}" ]
    then
        echo "Unlinking regular file ~/${me}.socket.."
        unlink ${socket_path}
    fi

    if [ -S "${socket_path}" ]
    then
        news=$(ssh -S ${socket_path} -O check ${me} 2>&1)
        good="Master running" 
        if [[ ! "$news" =~ ^${good}. ]]
        then
            echo "Removing dead ~/${me}.socket.."
            rm -f ${socket_path}
        fi
    fi

    if [ -S "${socket_path}" ]
    then
        echo "The ~/${me}.socket is already open."
    else
        echo "Opening ~/${me}.socket.."
        ssh -M -S ~/${me}.socket -fnNT ${me}
        echo "Done."
    fi
else
    if [ ! -S "${socket_path}" ]
    then
        echo "There is no ~/${me}.socket to ${1}."
    elif [ "$1" == "exit" ]
    then
        news=$(ssh -S ${socket_path} -O check ${me} 2>&1)
        good="Master running" 
        if [[ ! "$news" =~ ^${good}. ]]
        then
            echo "Removing dead ~/${me}.socket.."
            rm -f ${socket_path}
        else
            echo "Exiting ~/${me}.socket.."
            ssh -S ${socket_path} -O exit ${me}
        fi
    elif [ "$1" == "check" ]
    then
        echo "Checking ~/${me}.socket.."
        ssh -S ${socket_path} -O check ${me}
    else
        echo "I don't know how to ${1} a ~/${me}.socket."
    fi
fi

I keep a file around called ssh-fp.sh

I symlink to it in my path with an arbitrary name, like frobozz

The name of the symlink becomes the name of the socket (~/frobozz.socket) and is also the name of the host in ~/.ssh/config where the (actual) host name, user, and local forward(s) are configured:

Host frobozz
    HostName server
    User user
    LocalForward 33184 10.1.10.184:3389
    LocalForward 33121 10.1.10.121.121:3389
    LocalForward 33067 10.1.10.67:3389

In everyday life it looks like:

√ ~ $ frobozz boop
Hello, footpad!
There is no ~/frobozz.socket to boop.

√ ~ $ frobozz
Hello, footpad!
Opening ~/frobozz.socket..
Done.

√ ~ $ frobozz check
Hello, footpad!
Checking ~/frobozz.socket..
Master running (pid=14049)

√ ~ $ frobozz boop
Hello, footpad!
I don't know how to boop a ~/frobozz.socket.

√ ~ $ frobozz exit
Hello, footpad!
Exiting ~/frobozz.socket..
Exit request sent.

If I need to port forward using a different server I make a new symlink and corresponding ~/.ssh.config entry. Lazy.