Permissions

Part of FTP is permissions or CHMOD or CHange MODe.

Some script instructions will talk about CHMOD. After the files are uploaded to your online area, highlight the specified file (on the online window), right click, and choose the CHMOD or PERMISSIONS option. Some FTP programs will have this option as a button to click instead of doing the right click thing.

Now that you have the option open, you change chage the permissions of the file. Permissions is a set of 3 numbers.

Each digit is a number value from 0 to 7. The value specifies what capabilities are available (or not). These numbers correspond to 3 command types. Read, write and execute.

Read (r) has a value of 4. It allows listing files in the directory. Write (w) has a value of 2. It allows the addition of new files to the directory. Execute (x) has a value of 1. It allows access to the files in the directory.

Here are the possible combinations available using these command types:

OK... so you know each digit will be a number from 0 to 7, but what does the 3 digits stand for?

The first number represents the host server. This will usually be set to 7 giving the host full permission on the files in the folder. The second number represents the group (YOU - the individual being hosted). And the third number represents the world (the visitors to the site). Normally, on free hosts, these two digits will be set to 4, allowing the reading (and displaying) of files. Thus, no executing capabilities.

Typical settings for files are 777, 755, 666 or 644. Typical settings for directories are 777 or 755. Cgi scripts 755, data files 666, and configuration files 644.