User permissions

[chin808]

Hi Im really new to linux, running mandy 9.2 for about 5 days now. I want to be able to modify/create files and directories anywhere on my linux drive. Im using kde and I looked this up in kde help where it says there is an option to toggle between user and root in the "system" menu in kde... I have no such "system" menu. here is an exaple to clarify:

I got some skins for xmms and wanted to extract them to the skins folder. When I went to do this it said I dont have permission to do that, so I logged out and back in as root (the red screen) and did it from there no prob. I just dont want to have to log out everytime I want to move files or create folders ect... I know you can do these things in the konsole with su, but Im weak at best with the konsole and would like some easy, GUIfied way of managing my files on the fly.

Any input is MUCH appreiciated!

Thanx

-C

[james]

The GUI way in MDK 9.1 is to use the SuperUser Filemanager, unfortunately its not in the menu of 9.2. But there is a solution to this, please see - http://www.mandrakeusers.org/index.php?showtopic=8786 for details.

[mystified]

The best advice I can give you is to please not log in as root because you can easily hose your system that way. It's best to use a terminal and su to root. Learning command line may be a little challenging at first but it's the best way to go in the long run. For example to change ownership all you have to do is to open a terminal, su root, cd to the directory where the file is located and type chown <nick> <name of file> or directory for that matter. If you need help we have a FAQ http://www.mandrakeusers.org/index.php?showtopic=4463 and if you can't find what you need there we're always here to help! :)

[BobGuy©]

I got some skins for xmms and wanted to extract them to the skins folder.

 

If you are just grabbing a few xmms skins from the internet as a user, you don't have to extract them, just move them to your .xmms/Skins directory, and XMMS will use them.

 

$ cd .xmms

$ ls

Plugins/ Skins/

$ cd Skins

$ ls

Blizzard.wsz Kenwood_KDC-2019.wsz Panasonic_Old_Style.wsz

chaos_XMMS.zip Nucleo_Alien_Mind.wsz

Expensive_Hi-Fi_1.1.wsz Nucleo_N-Log1.wsz

 

Because the root user doesnt need to play music, there isn't much point in installing new skins global unless you have a bunch of trusted users that you want to have access to those skins.

 

There should be xmms skin rpms in the 'software package installer' that you can download that will install the skins global so every user has access to them. May even be on one of the cds.

[AussieJohn]

Bob Guy gives good advice.

 

It is NOT necessary to untar or unzip skins for XMMS. I have a mix of XMMS and WinAmp skins in the SKINS folder in XMMS (185 to be precise) . XMMS temporarily opens and reads each one as and when it needs it .

 

In my user account I have no problems copying skins into the /usr/share/xmms/skins folder and that is ALL that needs to be done.

 

Cheers. John (69yrs young)

[chris z]

chin808,

 

heed the warnings on logging in as root. if you want an easy way to manipulate files in a GUI mode, you can still use the KDE Superuser File Manager. just run it from terminal as such:

 

open terminal

su to root

type the following:

kdesu konqueror

hit enter

 

that will get you to it & give you the ability to alter/manipulate any file. just be careful out there!

 

Chris

[chin808]

Brilliant!!! I cant tell you all enough about how glad I am to know there are several ways to accomplish my goals. As for getting to know the command line, yes I do realise this is neccessary and Im working on it... I have only been a linux user for a week so far but I tell you... I will NEVER go back to microshaft! :D I love this stuff- there is so much to keep me busy, so much to learn and it is very gratifying when things WORK hahaha. Thanx also for the tip on skins

Peas

-C

[bvc]

it's chin808's machine to destroy, not yours! :P I'm root rt now and listening to music rt now :P .....I have the need. It's a desktop/gui for goodness sake not a network/console for a large corp :P relax, and lets have a root party!!!!

 

chown --help

man chown

chmod --help

man chmod

http://www.mkssoftware.com/docs/man1/chmod.1.asp

[root@ml root]# ls -l /usr/share/xmms
total 28
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root          928 Aug 20 15:10 infinite_states
drwxr-xr-x   18 root     root         4400 Oct 12 10:17 Skins/
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root         7972 Aug 30 03:32 wmxmms.xpm
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root         9001 Aug 30 03:32 xmms.xpm
[root@ml root]# chown -fR root:users /usr/share/xmms
[root@ml root]# ls -l /usr/share/xmms
total 28
-rw-r--r--    1 root     users         928 Aug 20 15:10 infinite_states
drwxr-xr-x   18 root     users        4400 Oct 12 10:17 Skins/
-rw-r--r--    1 root     users        7972 Aug 30 03:32 wmxmms.xpm
-rw-r--r--    1 root     users        9001 Aug 30 03:32 xmms.xpm

*[ADD YOUR USER TO THE GROUP USERS IN USERDRAKE]*

[root@ml root]# chmod -fR 0777 /usr/share/xmms/
[root@ml root]# ll /usr/share/xmms/
total 28
-rwxrwxrwx    1 root     users         928 Aug 20 15:10 infinite_states*
drwxrwxrwx   18 root     users        4400 Oct 12 10:17 Skins/
-rwxrwxrwx    1 root     users        7972 Aug 30 03:32 wmxmms.xpm*
-rwxrwxrwx    1 root     users        9001 Aug 30 03:32 xmms.xpm*
[root@ml root]# su bvc
[bvc@ml root]$ cd ~
[bvc@ml bvc]$ ls
Desktop/  Documents/  tmp/  Zero.zip
[bvc@ml bvc]$ cp Zero.zip /usr/share/xmms/Skins
[bvc@ml bvc]$ file /usr/share/xmms/Skins/Zero.zip
/usr/share/xmms/Skins/Zero.zip: Zip archive data, at least v2.0 to extract
[bvc@ml bvc]$ exit
exit
[root@ml root]

True that if you're the only user then the easiest and best way, for many reasons, is to keep as much as possible in your user home dir.

 

...and yes, I moved this to Software from Hardware.