[pmwiki-users] problem creating uploads/Group directories

[Patrick R. Michaud]

On Mon, Jan 23, 2006 at 12:28:57AM +0000, Hans wrote:
> I got a problem with a new pmwiki installation on  a new shared
> server: pmwiki fails to create new uploads/Group directories.
> Instead I get an error page with instructions how to create a writable
> directory. But following the advise still leaves the same problem for
> new directories.
> 
> steps i took:
> 1. Create uploads/ manually.
> 2. set chmod to 2777.
> 3. run pmwiki
> 4. set chmod to 755.

Short answer:  If you create a directory manually, its permissions 
must be left at least at 777.  If you want to have permissions 
as anything else (i.e., without world-writable permissions), then you 
have to let the webserver create the directory (through PmWiki).

Longer answer:  If you create a directory manually, then you're the
owner of the directory.  This means that the only way that PmWiki
will be able to write files into that directory is if there are
world-write permissions (i.e., something like 777).

PmWiki offers another option by allowing the webserver to create
(and thus own) the directory.  Then it's possible to eliminate
the world write permissions from the directory -- but only if
the group permissions will allow the account holder to manipulate
files in the directory.  This is why 2777 permissions are preferred,
but they go on the pmwiki base directory *before* PmWiki creates
the needed directory.  After PmWiki has created its directory,
the account holder can then switch the base directory back to 755
or whatever is appropriate.

Hope this helps.

Pm