Change file permissions recursively (but not affecting directories)

[mpblue]

Hi

Is it possible to change file permissions recursively (let's say to 600) without affecting permissions of the directories where the files are (so they stay 700)? How can it be done?

Thanks.

[bigtomrodney]

I've never worried about directories when doing this. Isn't the '7' to added execution rights over '6' which I believe is read write? Anyway to recursively set permissions throughout directories run

chmod -R 600 $filename

[mpblue]

Yes, but still, how to do it?

[yolabingo]

You want to use the -X option with chmod. The man page is a little obtuse:

+X make a directory or file searchable/executable by everyone
if it is already searchable/executable by anyone.

An example:

[foo foo]$ ls -l
d---------  3 foo users  4096 2005-10-19 10:57 foo_dir/
----------  1 foo users 10240 2005-10-11 10:06 foo_file

[foo foo]$ chmod og+X *

[foo foo]$ ls -l
d-----x--x  3 foo users  4096 2005-10-19 10:57 foo_dir/
----------  1 foo users 10240 2005-10-11 10:06 foo_file

Basically, -X will set 'rx' permissions on directories only. So use chmod -R to effect directories recursively, and use -X to give directories 'rw' permissions, but leave files secure.

[anomie]

Here is a single command to do what you want:

find . ! -type d -exec chmod 600 {} \;

Beginning in the current directory and searching recursively, it finds all files that are not directories and performs chmod 600 on them.

[raghaven.kumar]

You want to use the -X option with chmod. The man page is a little obtuse:

+X make a directory or file searchable/executable by everyone
if it is already searchable/executable by anyone.

Basically, -X will set 'rx' permissions on directories only. So use chmod -R to effect directories recursively, and use -X to give directories 'rw' permissions, but leave files secure.

Thanks yolabingo, after three years of exp in linux i knew that one can set permissions for folder using 'X'
Franly Speaking, you passed over a tiny bit of magic.