Technical Briefs

ROHAN help Files

chmod

The chmod command is used to change the permissions for a file. The permissions on a file control who can read, write to, or execute a particular file or directory of files. Any file or directory that you create or that is in your account is owned by you and you are the only one who can change the permissions.

The syntax to change the permissions on a file or directory is:

rohan% chmod  mode  filename

One of the most common reasons to make a mode change is if you want to make your files available for public use, such as in a World Wide Web page. For this purpose, the syntax for changing the permissions on a file is:

rohan% chmod  644  filename.html

The syntax for changing the permissions on a folder is:

rohan% chmod  711  directoryname

It is imperative that you NEVER make a directory 644. If you do, you will no longer have access to that directory, and, if it is your personal home directory, you will be unable to access your files until the permissions are re-set.

A good resource for information on setting file permissions when creating World Wide Web pages on ROHAN is the Permissions for ROHAN Files/Directories page in the Guide To Making A Home Page on ROHAN.