@tech

So I had a permissions issue the other day.  It started because I was needing to do some file sharing between two Macs running Yosemite, and not matter what I tried I could not get file sharing to work.  Eventually stupidity set in….

Wondering if it could be a file permissions issue I decided to change them and add some user access.  Not only was that not the issue, but it suddenly prevented some of my apps from launching.  Oh boy.  It’s important to note that there is NO ‘undo’ command for this level of dumb.

Rather than diagnosing my network sharing issue I switched to researching what the ‘normal’ file permissions should be so I could reset things.  I discovered that info is not easily found.  I also discovered while it’s really easy to change your file permissions, it’s not so easy to revert back.  I first tried using Disk Utility to fix permissions.  That works okay, except it doesn’t touch User folders which is where my problems were.  I found an article suggesting User folder permissions can be reset by rebooting in to safe mode and launching the passwordreset utility in Terminal.  Once it launches there is an option to select a User folder and reset permissions.  Great!  But that didn’t work either.

Then I discovered a free app called BatChmod.  This is a brilliant app that does one thing only: simplifies managing UNIX file permissions on a Mac.  If you don’t understand any of this then don’t download the app and use it.  You can create havoc VERY quickly.  In my case, I do know enough about permissions to be dangerous, but also to realize they need to be reset entirely, which this app will do in a flash.  The GUI presents a very Mac-like file info appearance and allows you to reset permissions to just one user, include all subfolders and files, and remove any ACLs attached to anything.  I was able to use another Mac to quickly check what those permissions should be and within a few moments was back in business.

BatChmod saved my bacon.  Or at the very least, saved me a lot of Terminal time hashing through the issue.  My hat’s off to the creator.

As for the file sharing issue, it’s still not resolved.  I’ve yet to have enough time and materials to network our new abode and so I’m suffering with wi-fi which I’m beginning to suspect may be part of the problem.  Changing firewall settings and disabling IPv6 has not helped.  I’ve read where starting with Mavericks Apple has decided to stop using AFP and to adopt SMB for network file sharing.  Maybe somewhere in there lies the problem.  Yet I can share files using SMB with an older Mac server still running Snow Leopard.  Just not between two Yosemite Macs.  Hmph!