Np permission to write to certain folders?

[klx300r]

guys, why can't I copy files to my plugins folder for IceWeasel ?? I'm using Debian (Lenny I think) for PPC & I'm getting I don't have permision to write to the directory when I'm logged in as admin?

any ideas for a total Linux noob

[reed9]

Where are you trying to write to? /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins?

Can you post the output of

ls -l /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins

or replace with the appropriate path if it is a different location.

[klx300r]

@ reed9

thanks for your quick reply..here's the output:

debian-linux:/home/gs# ls -l /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
total 8
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 34 2010-04-01 18:04 flash-mozilla.so -> /etc/alternatives/flash-mozilla.so
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 5908 2008-07-21 19:54 librhythmbox-itms-detection-plugin.so
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 44 2010-04-01 17:34 libtotem-basic-plugin.so -> ../../totem/default/libtotem-basic-plugin.so
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 45 2010-04-01 17:34 libtotem-basic-plugin.xpt -> ../../totem/default/libtotem-basic-plugin.xpt
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 46 2010-04-01 17:34 libtotem-complex-plugin.so -> ../../totem/default/libtotem-complex-plugin.so
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 47 2010-04-01 17:34 libtotem-complex-plugin.xpt -> ../../totem/default/libtotem-complex-plugin.xpt
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 42 2010-04-01 17:34 libtotem-gmp-plugin.so -> ../../totem/default/libtotem-gmp-plugin.so
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 43 2010-04-01 17:34 libtotem-gmp-plugin.xpt -> ../../totem/default/libtotem-gmp-plugin.xpt
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 44 2010-04-01 17:34 libtotem-mully-plugin.so -> ../../totem/default/libtotem-mully-plugin.so
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 45 2010-04-01 17:34 libtotem-mully-plugin.xpt -> ../../totem/default/libtotem-mully-plugin.xpt
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 50 2010-04-01 17:34 libtotem-narrowspace-plugin.so -> ../../totem/default/libtotem-narrowspace-plugin.so
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 51 2010-04-01 17:34 libtotem-narrowspace-plugin.xpt -> ../../totem/default/libtotem-narrowspace-plugin.xpt
debian-linux:/home/gs#

[Mudgen]

I think what we need to see is:
ls -ld <directoryname>
for the directory you're trying to write to and
whoami
for the login that can't write to it.

[Kloschüssel]

klx300r, basically you have to check if the file is a symbolic link. If so follow the symbolic link to it's target (and maybe redo this step if it is a link again).

Once at the real location of the target you do a 'ls -la' to see the permissions. There are 3 types of permissions:
* user (u)
* group (g)
* other (o)

for each of these you have:
* read (r)
* write (w)
* execute (x)

To have write access to a file/directory you have to ensure that:

* you are the owner of the file/directory and have the right of u+w
* you are in the group of the file/directory and g+w is set
* if you are someone else then o+w must be set

For example:
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 34 2010-04-01 18:04 flash-mozilla.so -> /etc/alternatives/flash-mozilla.so

Is a symbolic link targeting /etc/alternatives/flash-mozilla.so. So follow there and do a ls -la, this leads to something like:

rwxr-xr-- 1 root root 34 2010-04-01 18:04 /etc/alternatives/flash-mozilla.so

Which means that the owner (root) has the rights to read, write and execute it.
The group (root) has the right to read and execute it.
Others have the right to only read it.

To change permissions following commands can be used:

chmod permissions file*
chgrp group file
chown user file

Where group and user can be either string (user/group name) or numeric (uid, gid), permissions a set of for example u+w,o-x,+X and file ... well .. a file.

u+w would oviously add write permissions to the owner.
o-x would remove execute permissions for others.
g+r would add the read permission for the group.
+X would add the execute permission for directories only, but for all three types.

Hope this helps to clarify things up. Make yourself familiar with the unix permissions as it is REALLY important to know if you work with it and want to keep your system clean.

There are additionally situations where this permissions system is not enough and cannot handle the requirements. For more information about this take a look at ACL.

Hope this helps.

[klx300r]

@ Kloschüssel

thanks for the help