Permissions to write on a config file

[Lordshooter]

The issue here is about access permissions to write on a config file, respectively, to change settings in that config file:

I ma trying to give my scanner (hp scanjet 3970) access to user (alexander). I am alexander.

I have a scanner which is not listed (by default) in Udev, respectively in /udev/rules.d.

Respectively, my scanner is not listed in Udev.

(Excursion:
Udev sets up the scanner with correct permissions for regular users, using the config file
/etc/udev/rules.d/025_libsane-extras.rules.)

I am trying to add a two-line entry in amongst the others there (, and to
adjust idProduct to what lsusb output gave to me).

The properties-card says: „The file is a link and does not have permissions“.

How can I give permissions to that file, so that I am able to write?

Excursion:
(This is what I have to add to the udev rules file for scanners supported by libsane-extras.
(To add a USB scanner, add a rule to the list below between the SUBSYSTEM...
and LABEL... lines.):
# Hewlet-Packard ScanJet 3970
SYSFS{idVendor}=="03f0", SYSFS{idProduct}=="2305", MODE="664", GROUP="scanner", RUN+="/etc/hotplug.d/usb/libsane.hotplug".) - And I can't do it, because the file does not have permissions.

I need help, so that the file will have permissions, so that I can add a few lines to it.

I am using the Linux operation system „SimplyMEPIS 6.5“. Which is mainly based on Ubuntu, not on Debian. (The new updated version, version 0.7, is based on Debian again.)
For downloading software, I mostley get problems with Debian based software, and get problems with conficts. If I look for other versions for downloading, I am mostly fine. The Debian package manager, I also do not manage to install, but that is a other story.)

My frontend, repectively, my scan program that I am trying to use, is called „Kooka“ (default).
I hope that as soon as I will be able to give my scanner access to user, that the „Scanner Settings“-window will show up in the „KDE Scanning - Kooka“-window.

I do hope, that I will be able to proceed with this step.
It is actually a step, that is not often mentioned with troubleshooting with my scanner model, and I was lucky to find the hint and advice in a old thread in one of the Mepis forums, one of the forums of my distro.

Of course, I had to do a lot of other steps, as downloading the drivers, respectively, software packages, and decompressing them (well, I guess, that means, opening them), copying and applying patches, configuring things, etc., etc., and I do hope, I did it right.

Till I only once got to figure out and understand, what all „Sane“ is about, and what a frontend, and a backend is....: Took me a loot of time and researching, googling in the Internet, reading and posting in this forum, etc. - All this, just to get a scanner running on Linux, which I had running by „plug and play“/“working out of the box“ on Windows before. - I guess it is all worth the time and learning...: And I might be able to install other hardware within less time, in the future. I have a hp color laser printer waiting next on the list to be installed...: Nice chalenge.

Final words:

So, here again, my issue:
I need help, so that the file will have permissions, so that I can add a few lines to it.

And here again, is my question:
How can I give permissions to that file, so that I am able to write?

The problem is:
The properties-card says: „The file is a link and does not have permissions“.


Thank you, for your attention. - And have a nice day.

Best regards,
Alexander

[fingal]

I think that if you type file /etc/udev/rules.d/025_libsane-extras.rules then the 'file' command will tell you the location of the actual file you need to write to.

It sounds like your .rules file is a symbolic link to the real file. Then - once located - you could become root and try chmod +u file_name

I don't chmod much myself, so please type man chmod for a more complete explanation. Also learn about chown and chgrp .

[Lordshooter]

Hi, and thanks, fingal.

Looks great, what you posted:

My head is a bit... - maybe a little dizzy, I would say, because I have been sitting for a long time in front of my laptop, and working.

So I shall make a pot of tea, and be back to your post, very soon, as it looks like some interesting and helpful information, and because I will like to be finished with the scanner-access-job soon. Everything that is done: Is done indeed.

See you, and I will give you feedback and maybe questions.

Thank you again, just have to make a pause/have a break.

Kind regards,
Alexander

[Lordshooter]

Hello.

I tried, what you recommended, but did not get a feedback-window.

So I went back to that file, I need permissions to:
I did a test, by trying to press on the save button and save, but again (I forgot to mention it before...) I get the following „Error KWrite“-window that shows up after wanting to save:

„The document could not be saved, as it was not possible to write to file:///etc/udev/rules.d/025_libsane-extras.rules.
Check that you have write access to this file or that enough disk space is available.“

So, I am stuck again, as before, and need some more instruction.

In the meanwhile, I will look up a few of the expressions, etc, that you posted.

See you.

Alexander

[fingal]

Tea! Great idea (I love tea). It sounds like you're accessing the file using a GUI text editor, but you're not opening the file with root privileges. It might be worth taking a break and learning to use a text editor from a terminal: like VIM or Pico. I'm guessing a bit, but I think that might be your problem.

[Lordshooter]

Thank you, fingal, but I rememerd a hint from a old post from one of the Mepis forums. And had a closer look, to see, if I could find the File Manager...



Problem about permissions solved:

How I got permissions for the files in my root directory:

Solution:

1.)KDE Menu
2.)System
3.)File System
4.)File Manager – Super User Mode
5.)(„Run as root – KDE su“-window)
6.)Password: *****
7.)(„root – Konqueror“-window)
8.)you are now in the root folder: /root
9.)press „UP“-arrow in Menu-bar
10.) you are now in the root directory: /
11.) now you have permissions (!!)
12.) /etc
13.)/etc/udev
14.) /etc/udev/rules.d
15.) choose file, and add your scanner-information.
16.) save changes: "save as", and go out
17.) you get promted: then "overwrite file"/"ok", and get out
18.)„Kooka“ (your scan program) should be able to find your scanner, now.