RE: [cobalt-users] windows/apple file sharing

[<rpaiz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> > Is there a way this process can be changed.  I don't want
> > to to have to change permisions everytime some one has
> > copied alot of info to the qube.

Yes, this can be changed.

> I don't know if it is possible but I'd like personal quotas to be
> ONLY applicable to /home/users/username and group quotas applicable
> to /home/group/groupname.

No, this cannot be done (to the best of my ever-so-limited knowledge).

However, you *can* get exactly the results you want by using what is known
as a "setgid" bit in the file permissions. This translates to "Set Group ID"
and makes any file put into that directory instantly owned by the group.
"setuid" bit, which stands for "Set User ID," also exists.

Using this, any file moved, copied, of ftp'd into a directory would
automatically have its ownership changed to belong to the user and group
which owns the directory.

Here is my understanding of how these work. Now, it's been a while since I
did this, so let me make it painfully clear that YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY!!!
I've got the general idea, but I may be wrong on some specifics. Someone
else on the list will provide guidance, or you can "man chmod" and hopefully
find something more in there. Anyway, this is a normal feature of Linux (see
why we love this stuff?)

Permissions are generally noted as

r - read
w - write
x - execute if a program, or change to if a directory

then they're spelled out in three groups such as:

-rwxr-xr-x      rpaiz       users           format.drive.pl

This is a file (else the first dash would be a "d" for directory). Its owner
(rpaiz) can read, write, and execute it; his group (users) can only read and
execute it but not write to it (so no changes), and the rest of the world
(the third set or permissions) can also read and execute.

By using binary notation to avoid confusion, read is assigned a value of 4;
write a value of 2; and execute a value of 1. Thus there is only one
possible way to get 5 (r-x), or 2 (-w-) or 7 (rwx). So you type

# chmod 777 format.drive.pl

and give rpaiz, the users group, and the rest of the world full permissions
(rwx).

Clear? Now it changes, and now I'm no longer sure of what I'm saying.

You type

cd ..                      (to go to the parent directory)
chmod g+s rpaiz.scripts    (change the setgid bit on the rpaiz.scripts
folder)
chmod u+s rpaiz.scripts    (change the setuid bit on the rpaiz.scripts
folder)

Now, any file put in that folder will be owned by rpaiz in the users group.

I repeat, I'm probably wrong on the specifics. But this can be done and this
is roughly what you need to know to make it work. Now, off to your
reading... (while I go off to mine to figure out if I said the right
thing!).

--
Rodolfo J. Paiz
rpaiz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:rpaiz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>