Files that you own can be shared with other users on your system and, if you choose, with other users on your local network. You can also set permissions to prevent other users from accessing your files.
You can also copy files to and from tapes and floppy disks or to and from other systems on the network. Creating extra copies of files you own and placing them on a tape or on another system is a good way to back up your system.
For details, click an item on the list below.
Every time you create a new file, the system automatically identifies you as the file's owner, and assumes that you don't want other users on your system to change the file but you do want others to be able to read its contents. In this way, the system sets ownership and permission settings for the file.
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Each file on the system is owned by one login name, and has a list of who can and cannot access the file in different ways. You can change permissions on files that you own (that is, those labelled with your login name) using the Permissions forms.
To open the Permissions forms, select the file or directory icon or icons whose permissions you want to change. Open the Selected menu, and choose one of the following from the Permissions rollover menu:
Select “Make Public...” if you want to give read, write, or execute ability to a group or others.
Select “Make Private...” if you want to take away read, write, or execute ability away from a group or others.
Select “Change Ownership...” if you want to change the owner of a file.
Select “Change Permissions...” to make any or all of the above changes to selected files and directories.
For a definition of read, write, and execute abilities, see “Permissions Settings: A Definition.” For a definition of owner, group, and others, see “Owner, Group, and Others: A Definition.”
When you set permission settings for a file or directory, you divide users on your system into three categories: you (the file's owner), your group, and everyone else.
The concept of a group is important in working environments that require an added level of privacy. For example, suppose you are part of a team that is working on a new product. You need to share files with others on the team, but you don't want people outside of the team to view or modify these files. You form a group. See “Creating a User Group” in the Personal System Administration Guide to learn how to establish and modify groups.
You can grant varying levels of permission settings for files and directories. The three levels for files are read, write, and execute.
Read allows other users on your system to view a file but does not allow them to edit it.
Write allows other users on your system to view and make changes to files.
Exec allows other users on your system to run applications and commands and open directories to view and search their contents.
The three levels for directories are read, write, and search.
Read allows other users on your system to view the files in a directory.
Write allows other users on your system to place files inside or delete files from the directory.
Search allows other users on your system to pass through a directory on their way to another directory.
The Permissions form lets you find out who owns a file or directory.
Select the file or directory icon.
Choose “Permissions” from the Selected menu.
The name of the file's owner appears next to the “Owner” label.
The system assumes the following about files that you own:
You want other users on your system to view the contents of these files.
You don't want other users on your system to change the files.
You can change this setting so that other users are unable to view the file. To do so, you need to use the Make Files Private guide.
To prevent others from viewing a file you own:
Select the file you want to make private.
Select “Make Private” from the Permissions rollover menu in the Selected menu.
The Make Files Private guide appears.
Follow the instructions in the guide.
You can prevent other users from viewing a directory you own by using the Make Files Private guide.
To make a directory private:
Select the file you want to make private.
Select “Make Private” from the Permissions rollover menu in the Selected menu.
The Make Files Private guide appears.
Follow the instructions in the guide.
If you want to view or edit another user's file, and you do not have permission to do so, you can change the permissions if:
The system has a root password and you know either the root password or the password for the user's account.
The system does not have a root password
To change the permissions on another user's file:
Select the file you want to change; then choose “Change Permissions” from the Permissions rollover menu in the Selected menu.
If a root password is required, a form appears asking you to enter the root password. Type in the password, then click the OK button.
The Modify File Permissions guide appears.
Follow the instructions in the guide to change the permissions on the file.
If you own a file, you can easily transfer ownership of the file to another user. To do so, use the Modify File Ownership guide.
To make another user the owner of a file:
Select the file you want to change, then choose “Change Ownership” from the Permissions rollover menu in the Selected menu.
The Modify File Ownership guide appears.
Follow the instructions in the guide to change the ownership of the file.
Use the Shared Resource Manager to share directories, media devices, and printers with other systems. For information, see:
When you share directories with other systems, users on those systems can open the directory on their own desktop and access it as if the directory resided on their own system.
To share a directory so users on other systems can view or change its contents, follow these steps:
Select the directory you want to share and choose “Share > Share with Network” from the Selected menu.
The Share a Directory guide appears.
Follow the instructions in the guide to share the directory.
After you complete the task, you can check to make sure the directory is shared by selecting “On This Workstation” from the Shared Resources menu in the System toolchest. This opens the Shared Resource Manager that displays all the shared resources on your system.
You can also share files and directories on the Web using OutBox by selecting “Share > Publish to Outbox” from the Selected menu. For information, see “About OutBox.”
When you share media devices or printers with other systems, users on those systems can open the device or printer icon on their own desktop and access it as if the device resided on their own system.
To share a device or printer so users on other systems can access it, follow these steps:
Select “On This Workstation” from the Shared Resources menu in the System toolchest.
The Shared Resource Manager appears.
Click on the Media or Printers button.
The Share Removable Media or Share Printers guide appears.
Follow the instructions in the guide to share the device or printer.
After you complete the task, you can check to make sure the directory is shared by selecting “On This Workstation” from the Shared Resources menu in the System toolchest. This opens the Shared Resource Manager that displays all the shared resources on your system.