How to create a shared folder for multiple local users

[blur xc]

I think that you are confusing /home with /home/(your_name). In other words, you would have a /home/jack/ and a /home/jill/ and a /home/both/. Then make sure that both Jack and Jill are members of the group both.

If you want to make it even more seamless, make a symlink from /home/jack/Pictures to /home/both/Pictures and another symlink from /home/jill/Pictures to /home/both/Pictures. And do the same for Documents, Music, Videos, etc.

BAM! That's what I've done on my system... My umask values aren't right though so every once in a while I have to do a chown -R .shared /home/shared (I think that's right, it's been a while since I've done it) to fix the group ownership of all the files... Takes a couple of seconds... I should write a script though.

My music folder points directly to the /home/shared/Music directory. Very snazzy...

BM

[kichigai_dave]

I'm pretty new to ubuntu, but I noticed that if you right click the desktop there is a funtion to create a link/shortcut to a specified destination. I'm assuming that you can enter in a location in the file system for which that shortcut will open, giving you a quick link to the folder. (again I'm quite new to ubuntu, I am using ubuntu 9.10 as well, you may not be, and this is just something that came to mind when I read through your question)

lateralus-paradox

(I'm using 9.10) When you right click on the desktop it give you the option to:

1. Create folder
2. Create launcher
3. Create document

I haven't seen a way create a link from the destination. Usually I think you have to right click on the source and create a link. However, that option is not highlighted as an available task when I right click on my shared folder. I probably have to be signed in as root or open the terminal, then use super user and manually do it. Looking through the Linux-faq.pdf right now for the right commands on how to do that. Thanks.

[sisco311]

@OP

Use ACLs or bindfs.

/community/UbuntuLTSP/ACLSupport

http://code.google.com/p/bindfs/

[Morbius1]

sisco311's recommendation is probably the only way you're going to get 100% or your original requirement:

I would like a folder (containing sub-folders for organization) to store music, pictures, videos, etc... that any local user can access, add, delete, modify.

The chmod 777 method will get you to 75%

USER1 AND USER2 will be able to access and add files
USER1 will be able to delete USER2's files
USER1 will not be able to read, modify, and save USER2's files to the same file name
USER1 will be able to read, modify, and save USER2's file to another file name.

I guess it depends on how literal your requirement is for "modify".

EDIT: I think that was sikander3786's logic in recommending a FAT32 or NTFS partition as a common repository. Unlike linux, you set permissions of a windows partition ( and anything subsequently added to it ) at time of mount. Add a umask=000 to the fstab line for an ntfs partition and everyone will have read / write access to the partition and everything in it.

[sisco311]

OKAY, here is a mini HOWTO:

1. install bindfs:
   

   sudo apt-get install bindfs

2. create a hidden & a visible directory for the files:
   

   sudo mkdir /home/.media
   sudo mkdir /home/media

3. create a new group:
   

   sudo groupadd media

4. add the user(s) to the group:
   

   sudo gpasswd -a usrname media

   repeat this for all users. Log out and log back in your current user.
   
   
5. edit the fstab file:
   

   gksu gedit /etc/fstab

6. add a new entry at the end of the file:
   
   

   bindfs#/home/.media    /home/media    fuse    group=media,perms=g=rwx

7. mount the filesystems menitioned in fstab:
   

   sudo mount -a

8. move the files you want to share in the /home/media directory
   

[blur xc]

OKAY, here is a mini HOWTO:

1. install bindfs:
   

   sudo apt-get install bindfs

2. create a hidden & a visible directory for the files:
   

   sudo mkdir /home/.media
   sudo mkdir /home/media

3. create a new group:
   

   sudo groupadd media

4. add the user(s) to the group:
   

   sudo gpasswd -a usrname media

   repeat this for all users. Log out and log back in your current user.
5. edit the fstab file:
   

   gksu gedit /etc/fstab

6. add a new entry at the end of the file:
   
   

   /home/.media    /home/media    bindfs    group=media,perms=g=rwx

7. mount the filesystems menitioned in fstab:
   

   sudo mount -a

8. move the files you want to share in the /home/media directory

Do you not need to do a chmod g+s to the /home/media directory with this method?

BM

[sisco311]

Do you not need to do a chomod g+s to the /home/media directory with this method?

BM

No, bindfs allows you to mount part of the file hierarchy somewhere else (just like mount --bind), but it also allows you to change the permissions off the mirrored directory (just like you can set permissions at mount time for NTFS & FAT partitions for all the files and folders).

[Morbius1]

Followed your HowTo - verbatim

sudo mount -a

Results in

mount: unknown filesystem type 'bindfs'

Is there a step missing or is this a user error on my part.

[sisco311]

Followed your HowTo - verbatim

sudo mount -a

Results in
Is there a step missing or is this a user error on my part.

Sorry, I didn't read the man page carefully...

It should be:

bindfs#/home/.media    /home/media    fuse    group=media,perms=g=rwx

[Morbius1]

There you go. I'll have to admit though your original way makes more sense as it had a consistant syntax with other fstab entries

I just started exploring ACL's because of your posts and now I have this.

Thank you very much.