Path: utzoo!hoptoad!pacbell!pyramid!oliveb!apple!vsi1!wyse!mips!rogerk
From: rogerk@mips.COM (Roger B.A. Klorese)
Newsgroups: alt.sources
Subject: Re: chmod args (was Re: Need a "watching" program)
Message-ID: <20911@servitude.mips.COM>
Date: 2 Jun 89 19:16:25 GMT
References: <8923@csli.Stanford.EDU> <11680@s.ms.uky.edu> <8928@csli.Stanford.EDU> <12743@ihlpy.ATT.COM> <1953@ur-cc.UUCP> <2126@amelia.nas.nasa.gov> <8605@chinet.chi.il.us>
Reply-To: rogerk@servitude.mips.COM (Roger B.A. Klorese)
Distribution: usa
Organization: MIPS Computer Systems, Sunnyvale, CA
Lines: 25
Summary:

In article <8605@chinet.chi.il.us> ignatz@chinet.chi.il.us (Dave Ihnat) writes:
>Actually, they still have two different and useful functions.  The mnemonic
>method is a mask, while using the octal is a total reset. 

Mnemonics may be used for total reset as well.

>On the other hand, if I'm installing a program and have definite ideas
>about the permissions I want to set, then the octal form is cleaner:
>
>Desired Permission	Octal arg.	Mnemonic arg.
>2710			2710		u+rwx,g+xs,g-rw,o-rwx

Proper mnemonic arg.: u=rwx,g=xs,o=


>At this point, the octal mask is cleaner, since you still have to do the mental
>dance to interpret the now rather long mnemonic string.

No, you don't.

-- 
ROGER B.A. KLORESE      MIPS Computer Systems, Inc.      phone: +1 408 720-2939
928 E. Arques Ave.  Sunnyvale, CA  94086             voicemail: +1 408 991-7802
{ames,decwrl,pyramid}!mips!rogerk                     rogerk@servitude.mips.COM
"I want to live where it's always Saturday."  -- Guadalcanal Diary