need multiple users to have read/write access to a Quickbooks file at the same time.
 

Hi,

I am new to linux. I am trying to set up a server using linux for my small business. I am using quickbooks for my book keeping and have multiple users using it at the same time.

I have set up a samba server. All windows machines/ user ids can access the file if no other machine / user id is accessing it.

Quickbooks appears to store all of the data in a single file: filename.qbw.

When a user opens the data file a second file is created: filename.qbl. (I am assuming this is a access control file.)

I have set the directory that the data files are in to drwxrwx---. The datafile.qbw access is set -rwxrwx---.

When the filename.qbl is created it has -rwxr--r-- access set automatically. In this state I get an error on the second attempt to open the file saying "quickbooks was unable to open the image file. you may not have sufficient rights to the data directory."

I played with access rights for a while and found that if after opening the datafile.qbw with the first user I manually edit the file permissions to datafile.qbl to be -rwxrwx--- the problem goes away.

My problem is that if Quickbooks is shutdown the datafile.qbl is deleted and all file permissions are reset the next time the file is created.

I am looking for a way to make sure the file permissions are set with sufficient permissions that all users can use the datafile.qbw without me having to go in and manually modify the datafile.qbl everytime.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

I found a fix in another thread: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...le+permissions

It makes me ask another question though. If I set up the following:

in smb.conf

[quickbooks]
path = /home/quickbooks
writeable = yes
inherit permissions = yes
directory mode = 0770
valid users = ...

and do the:

chmod -R 2770 /home/quickbooks

command. Why does the permissions on the filename.qbl end up being -rwxrw----. I would have expected -rwxrwx---.

Also I am curious about what the 2 in chmod -R 2770 means. my understanding is that it is the set group id by reading the man page for chmod. This does not make sence to me.

These questions are out of curiosity more than need. My actual problem has been resolved.

My actual problem has been resolved.
Thanks for cross-linking. I'm sure any future readers will appreciate it.

Also I am curious about what the 2 in chmod -R 2770 means. my understanding is that it is the set group id by reading the man page for chmod. This does not make sence to me.
AFAIK it's similar to "inherit permissions = yes" in that it preserves group ownership for files in that dir.


Why does the permissions on the filename.qbl end up being -rwxrw----. I would have expected -rwxrwx---.
Files are not created with the execute bit turned on.
It it's a tempfile or alike it shouldn't need execute rights anyway I think.