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How-to keep the same read and write rights for multiple users.

Hi,


I would like to use my 2020 Mac mini M1 as a fileserver with a Big6 storage for a group of 6 people. Creating users and groups is no problem, it works flawlessly fast. The problem lies in the access rights of folders and files.


One of the groups I have created is called "Studio" and this group has a number of users, 2 users will suffice for this example.


The main folder is called "Fileserver" and it contains 5 folders and in the main folder group "Studio" has only read rights. 1 of the folders is called "production jobs", in that folder group "Studio" has read and write access.

When I click on the folder and then CMD+i, I see the following:

- wheel, read only

- Studio, reading and writing

- Fileserver (my), read and write

- everyone, no access


If "user-1" opens the folder "production jobs" and creates a new folder in it, this user can read and write as well as rename or delete.

"User-2" can then read the folder that "user-1" created, rename the folder or write something in that folder, maybe strange, but "user-2" can delete the folder.

CMD+i shows the following:

- User-1, read and write

- wheel, read only

- everyone, read only


It is intended that as "user-1" create a folder or file that "user-2" can read and write and vice versa.


I can't get this done so far and with Google I haven't been able to find an answer so far.

Mac mini, macOS 11.0

Posted on Nov 30, 2020 2:16 PM

Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 30, 2020 6:18 PM

Is this "Big6" a NAS with its own management software, or is it just an external connected to a Mac?


If the latter, you need to create a "file server" as file sharing isn't the same thing.

You need to create a group for all the users you wish to allow access. Add each of the users to the group.

Then, you'll need to assign an Access Control List to the folders and contents to allow all the users in the group to edit any other files.

This is the command needed to add the ACL, but you'll need to edit it in a text editor to replace <groupName> and <sharedDirectory>.

chmod -R +a "group:<groupName> allow list,add_file,search,add_subdirectory,delete_child,readattr,writeattr,readextattr,writeextattr,readsecurity,file_inherit,directory_inherit" "<sharedDirectory>"

When you edit the command, make sure your text editor doesn't replace the double quotes with curly quotes.

You'll need to use the full path to the <sharedDirectory>.

Similar questions

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 30, 2020 6:18 PM in response to Community User

Is this "Big6" a NAS with its own management software, or is it just an external connected to a Mac?


If the latter, you need to create a "file server" as file sharing isn't the same thing.

You need to create a group for all the users you wish to allow access. Add each of the users to the group.

Then, you'll need to assign an Access Control List to the folders and contents to allow all the users in the group to edit any other files.

This is the command needed to add the ACL, but you'll need to edit it in a text editor to replace <groupName> and <sharedDirectory>.

chmod -R +a "group:<groupName> allow list,add_file,search,add_subdirectory,delete_child,readattr,writeattr,readextattr,writeextattr,readsecurity,file_inherit,directory_inherit" "<sharedDirectory>"

When you edit the command, make sure your text editor doesn't replace the double quotes with curly quotes.

You'll need to use the full path to the <sharedDirectory>.

Dec 1, 2020 12:46 AM in response to Barney-15E

Great, this was the solution to my problem, thank you. I have done some tests and now it works as it should, finally I can continue.


Sorry for my confusion, it is indeed file sharing and not a fileserver. We now have an Ubuntu fileserver running with AFP and it is old, has problems and so on. We automatically call the Mac mini fileserver ;-)


The Big-6 is an external disk array with Thunderbold 3 connection from the brand Lacie. I could have reported this better.

Dec 1, 2020 6:26 AM in response to Community User

The Big-6 is an external disk array with Thunderbold 3 connection from the brand Lacie. I could have reported this better.

That's what I thought, so just went ahead with the external drive directions.


Apple used to have a tool in the Server app that allowed you to set up shares with a GUI, but they dropped that part out of the app. They just expect you to learn to use the command line to configure any file server functionality.


I also think they limited the number of concurrent file sharing users to 10. So, if you have more than 10, and someone can't get connected, that may be the problem.

How-to keep the same read and write rights for multiple users.

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