Hello everyone, i have changed permissions on files / folders even hardware in the past, but what i am looking for is some general info, maybe even a "guide" so that i don't have to ask questions every time i have a permissions issue. The thing is I have ubuntu, and i dont want to activate root, so in order to change permissions I must use the command line... so what command do i use to change the permissions on a folder so that it is usable for all users, and what is the "layout" or general format of the command.
Is it something like chmod 777 -directory of folder or device- ?

what are the different numbers 777 = all users right?

I think i have the idea, but i am looking for more info and confirmation. Thanks in advance...

I use " chmod " this way :

# chmod [options] [permission_code] <file/dir>

Options(that I use alot)

-R = Recursive
-f = force

I use these permission codes :

Thinking of it this way for me makes it easy :

You always have 0000 :

The first 0 is for special perms like setuid , stickybit and setgid
(you can always read up on those)

So here is the whole thing :
and then values are like this :

Read = 4

Write = 2

Execute = 1

So then you can add them up and put them in place in the command -

# Example

chmod 0755 (very typical one) file.txt

this would give the user "wrx" the group "rx" and the world "rx" on file.txt

I like it that way because you can do anything with it like all read for anybody but me # chmod 0744 file.txt


Well I hope thats what you needed

Hi.

I don't know of any guide other than using the man or info pages.
Type:
man chmod
or
info chmod

From my personal experience:

chmod u+w filename - will give a user write permission on the file.
chmod u+r filename - will give a user read permission on the file.
chmod u+x filename - will give a user execute permission on the file.


chmod g+w filename - will give the group write permission on the file.
chmod o+w filename - will give others write permission on the file.
chmod a+w filename - will give all (everybody) write permission on the file.

chmod a+w directory - will change directory permissions.

chmod -R a+w directory - will change directory permissions recursively.

If you use the format:

chmod 777 filename
The first number is the permission level given to the user, the second number is the permission level given to the group and the third number is the permission level given to others.

The levels are as follows:
0 - no permission
1 - execute only
2 - write only
3 - write and execute
4 - read only
5 - read and execute
6 - read and write
7 - read, write and execute

Note: be careful when using the recursive option as you don't want to suddenly change a system directories permissions recursively...

what exactly is recursively? repeatingly, but how, what or what exactly will happen if it is changed recursively?> And thanks for the explanations, both were very helpfull.

Recursively means that it performs the operation on the directory and its contents as well as every sub-directory and their contents.

Ok, thanks a lot,

Here is a decent guide:
http://www.comptechdoc.org/os/linux/..._ugfilesp.html