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From: warner@hydrovax.nmt.edu (M. Warner Losh)
Newsgroups: comp.emacs
Subject: Re: Problems with VMS 18.52
Message-ID: <1506@nmtsun.nmt.edu>
Date: 23 Nov 88 10:09:01 GMT
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Organization: New Mexico Tech Hydrology Program
Lines: 27

In article <784@hudson.acc.virginia.edu>, gsh7w@astsun1.acc.virginia.edu (Greg Hennessy) writes...
> 
>I have just installed GNU emacs 18.52 on a microvax running VMS. It
>seems to work except for a subtle problem that it thinks that all the
>files are read only even when they are not. A toggle-read-buffer
>clears the flag, and then things go normally, but it shouldn't happen.
>Does anyone have anyideas where I should look to fix the stuff?

I do.  After the latest worm scare, I went and made sure that my
SYS$SYSTEM:RIGHTSLIST.DAT file was not world readable (in a fit
of paranoia, I must admit).  Anyway, I started getting all kinds of
strange complaints from the uses wondering why EMACS didn't let them edit
their files anymore.  On close examination, I noticed the exact same 
problem that you described.  With the following command, I was able to fix 
the problem:
	$ SET FILE/PROT=W:RE SYS$SYSTEM:RIGHTSLIST.DAT

Some where in the release notes for EMACS on VMS, I seem to remember this 
requirement being spelled out.  I just spaced it when I did my paranoid 
"let's make our system more worm proof."

>-Greg Hennessy, University of Virginia

--
Warner Losh
warner@hydrovax.nmt.edu		...!unmvax!nmtsun!warner%hydrovax
My spelling and views are my own.  Only the letters have been changed...