default size of a newly created folder

dinakumar12 · 12-05-2010, 12:10 AM

Hi all,

I just want to know how the default size of a newly created file or folder is 4.0 kb.

Does this value is mentioned in any configuration file,if that is the case can we edit that file and can we change this default value.

please post your suggestions.

Thanks in advance,
Dinesh.

David the H. · 12-05-2010, 12:53 AM

Why? What would be the purpose of doing such a thing?

I would assume that the size is due to there being a minimal amount of data necessary to define a directory node. At the very least each directory must contain . and .. links, for example.

My guess, if it's even possible, is that you'd have to look deep into the specifications and source code of the *nix file structure definitions in order to change anything about it.

dinakumar12 · 12-05-2010, 01:05 AM

Hi,

Thanks for your reply,my purpose is, i have to create a folder by mentioning its size for ex: 2gb or something instead of using disk quota for that.

Reuti · 12-06-2010, 05:25 AM

Hi,

David is right: the size you see is the space needed for the inode information (this can be adjusted when you format a partition with the option -i and -I to mke2fs, but this it not what you want at all). The used up space by a directory can be checked with du -sh the_directory.

Even quotas won't help, as they limit the space per user and mountpoint, not per directory.

What about creating a special partition for such purpose with LVM, which has just the intended size?

dinakumar12 · 12-06-2010, 07:31 AM

hi,

Actually my doubt is if we can create a file by specifying its size using this command.

dd if=/dev/zero of=filename bs=1024 count=10240

do we have any similar commands in linux for creating folder by specifying its size.

Reuti · 12-06-2010, 07:40 AM

No. Nevertheless, you can use such a created file, format it as ext2 (option -F necessary for mke2fs) or alike and mount it as loop (mount -o loop ...) device on any directory which would also give you the intended effect.

dinakumar12 · 12-06-2010, 08:28 AM

hi,

yes it works, we have an application hosted on our server through tomcat. our client use to upload pdf documents in server,which would be saved in the folder allotted to them.we need to allot 3gb for each client i.e for each folder.

Does this will work, do we have any risks in this.

Reuti · 12-06-2010, 08:39 AM

I see no risk in this. Just be sure that each directory can only be written to by the user you want to grant access to.