[SOLVED] chown problem

Wim Sturkenboom · 02-06-2007, 12:20 AM

For some reason, I often run into the problem that I can not change the group for a directory. Can somebody explain why I (as owner and member of the group develop) can not change the group for a directory using chown or chgrp.

Code:

wim@btd-techweb01:~/tacinc/web$ ls -ld ~
drwx--x--x  20 wim users 1688 2007-02-05 16:32 /home/wim/
wim@btd-techweb01:~/tacinc/web$ ls -ld ~/tacinc
drwxr-xr-x  4 wim develop 96 2007-01-18 12:41 /home/wim/tacinc/
wim@btd-techweb01:~/tacinc/web$ ls -ld ~/tacinc/web
drwxr-xr-x  4 wim develop 1128 2007-02-06 07:04 /home/wim/tacinc/web/
wim@btd-techweb01:~/tacinc/web$ ls -ld ~/tacinc/web/files
drwxr-xr-x  2 wim develop 48 2007-02-06 07:04 /home/wim/tacinc/web/files/
wim@btd-techweb01:~/tacinc/web$ chgrp nobody files
chgrp: changing group of `files': Operation not permitted
wim@btd-techweb01:~/tacinc/web$

Both chgrp and chown result in 'operation not permitted'.

Above listing comes from a Slackware 10.1 box and the directory files is empty.

btmiller · 02-06-2007, 12:41 AM

You cannot change a file or directory's group ownership to a group you do not belong to. You are a member of the develop group but not the nobody group I assume.

Junior Hacker · 02-06-2007, 01:05 AM

You cannot use that command as a user.

btmiller · 02-06-2007, 01:30 AM

Actually chgrp works fine as a normal superuser, but you have to be a member of the target group. In addition chown will allow you ro change the group as a normal user, but not the file's owner (only root can do that on Linux -- some *nix systems do allow chowns by a normal user).

Wim Sturkenboom · 02-06-2007, 01:37 AM

@btmiller,
That makes sense. I changed it as root to group 'nobody' and next changed it back (as wim) to group 'develop'. As I'm indeed not a member of nobody, you are right

@Junior
I can run that command as user (see reply to btmiller)

Thanks both for the thoughts.

Junior Hacker · 02-06-2007, 01:38 AM

Thanks btmiller

Does the (~) before the prompt signify superuser?

Sorry, dumb question, probably still symbolizes home wether in /home or /root

I have little network/multi-user knowledge, hope it does'nt show

Wim Sturkenboom · 02-06-2007, 01:41 AM

No, it's a shortcut for the user's home directory.

timmeke · 02-06-2007, 03:18 AM

In normal situation:
~user/ = user's home directory (typically /home/user for regular users)
~/ = your home directory (whichever user you are) = $HOME