chmod.....recursive help

stateq2 · 03-28-2004, 06:05 PM

Ok, I've searched here, but I haven't come up w/ any conclusive answers yet. Here's the situation....I want to recursively make some files non-executable. Everytime I attempt it, the directory's permissions get changed too....which makes the directory unaccessible. check it out.....

Code:

stateq2@courage digi_cam $ chmod -R u=rw vids/
chmod: `vids/': Permission denied

now, the directory has the correct permissions BEFORE i run this command....but as it's ran, the permissions get changed (hence the "permission denied" error). from the chmod man page, my understanding, is that the '-R' option is supposed to recursively change the permissions of files that are located in 'vids/". this might be a brainfart question, but i just want to know how to properly set permissions of files in folders, within folders (recursively)...thanks.

stateq2 · 03-28-2004, 06:50 PM

i found a way around the current problem...although i still beleive there is a better way(by using the '-R' option).

i just did

Code:

chmod 755 vids/

.....then

Code:

chmod a-x vids/*.avi

Tinkster · 03-28-2004, 06:58 PM

Again, find in combination with chmod would
be a good idea ... you can for instance do

find /<start dir> -type f -exec chmod a-x,u=rw,go+r {} \;

which will leave the permissions of subdirectories
unharmed....

If it's really only avi files you want to change,

find /<start dir> -iname "*.avi" -exec chmod a-x,u=rw,go+r {} \;

Cheers,
Tink

stateq2 · 03-28-2004, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tinkster
Again, find in combination with chmod would
be a good idea ... you can for instance do

find /<start dir> -type f -exec chmod a-x,u=rw,go+r {} \;

which will leave the permissions of subdirectories
unharmed....

If it's really only avi files you want to change,

find /<start dir> -iname "*.avi" -exec chmod a-x,u=rw,go+r {} \;

Cheers,
Tink

brilliant! works like a charm...thanks