[CentOS] Using umask

Tue Jun 21 15:22:00 UTC 2011
Todd Cary <todd at aristesoftware.com>

Grasping a full understanding of setting default Users, Groups 
and Masks has alluded me over the years, but now I find myself in 
a situation where manually "setting" the file/directory 
attributes is becoming a pain.

I understand the fundamentals of the file attributes, though from 
time to time I have to review the "sticky bit"; what I do not 
understand is where/how the attributes are set when a user 
creates or modifies a file/directory.  Here is my situation:

My /var/www/html files have been manually set by me to 
apache/apache 774.  This allows my PHP applications to access the 
files, and I assume this is a "good" setting.

Now, my server is connected via Samba to my desktop.  If I create 
a file, it is todd/todd 744, so Apache cannot access them.

If PHP (Apache) creates or modifies a file, it is apache/apache 
755, so I cannot access them (Write/Delete).

Is there a way to resolve this?  When I FTP to a friend's 
rent-a-server, I can read/write/delete all of the files I have 
placed there *and* the same for files touched by PHP (Apache).

My Linux Admin books as well as my Linux books do not appear to 
cover this and/or my experience is lacking.

Todd

-- 
Ariste Software
Petaluma, CA 94952

http://www.aristesoftware.com