Hi all, I am kinda of newbie so if there is a simple answer I am sorry, just point me in the right direction...anyway..I have been using linux for a while but only as a samba file server...but I want to take the plunge just about full time now...But I have one brick wall (so far)

I use Evolution as my mail program...and it works fine, my problem is that my wife and I share the email account..but I want her on a differnet user account. So...I ran evolution and saw the hidden folder where it keeps the mail and settings...in her account I deleted her evolution folder and created a link to my folder...changed all the premmisions to the same group (we are in the same user group) read and write for group....

And Life was good...same mail and I could run it from her or mine account..and we would both see the mail......

Then....after a short time it started to create a temp subfolder and the user and group premmision set to just her...and not our common group..."could not get file lock errors started happening.......

I could change them back and they work...till an attactment comes...and then it writes a temp file with just owner read/write and the group is set to nothing........

SO...is there a way in the program to share the same file/storage I looked and did not see one...Is there a way to run the program as a different user..
so if runs it from her account it would run the program under my user..and therefor the file premmisons would be correct....

Could I write a script that would change the folder and sub folders premisions to something and then boot the program (I would need an example)....

Any Help.....

thanks All

Well, let me start with the problem I don't know evolution at all, but let me try to help you in other ways.

You can start the program as another user.

Lets say, I have a program /usr/bin/links. Links is a webbrowser, but can be used as a file browser also.

Root is owner of it (normally), and when as a normal user I type:
$ links /root (let links view the files in /root)
it won't allow me to view them, because I don't have the permissions.
When as root, I make a copy of /usr/bin/links to /home/foo/links, and then say:
# chmod u+s /home/foo/links
it has a suid-bit set, which means, you 'become' the owner of the file when you start it.
So, as a normal user, I now do /home/foo/links /root (as a normal user, view /root).
Normally, this isn't allowed. But because the suid-bit is set, I become the owner of the file, I become root (only in this program)! So this time, I, as a normal user, may view what's in /root.

So, maybe you could use SUID for /usr/bin/evolution (or where it is), if it's owned by root, but this is a great security risk I'm afraid, but if you're not too bothered, then, why not?

The script thing could be like this:
(after # are comments, don't type them)

$ touch my_evolution_startup #create a new file
$ chmod 555 my_evolution_startup # make the file executable
Now, edit my_evolution startup.
Insert in the emty file:

#!/bin/bash
chmod -R 777 <<subfolder>>
$(which evolution)

Save the file.
For subfolder, you should insert the subfolder yhou want to change permissions for.
chmod -R 777 means the folder and subfolders are readable by anyone (!).

These solutions aren't safe, but I hope they'll help you.

Thanks for the great reply.... I get it....what you say... I will play with it....The way it is now..I am getting all kinds of premmisions errors cause of the tempfiles.....But if I could run as the correct user that is perfect....


Thanks again

Spike