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File/Directory Permission Problems (wwwrun problem)
Written by Sigrid Suski   

If you run your CMS (Joomla!/Mambo) and SOBI2 on a Linux based web server with "apache2handler" or "apache" as PHP interface, you have to keep in mind the permission and owner system of Linux.

In general there are two "users". The first user is the Apache web server and the second user is the FTP user. All actions, performed by SOBI2 are done by the web server. Also in Joomla! 1.5 SOBI2 acts as the web server because SOBI2 does not support the Joomla! 1.5 FTP Layer!

What a user can do with the files or directories depends on the owner of them.
Who is the owner of a file or directory?
If you install SOBI2, or any other component, the component files and directories belong to the web server because the installation process is done by the web server.
If you copy a file/create a directory via FTP to your web space (server) the owner of this file/directory is the FTP user. Also if you install SOBI2 using the Joomla! 1.5 FTP Layer, all files and folders belong to the FTP user.

Permission and Owner Flags

There are three permission flags and three owner flags for each file or directory which control access rights.

  • Permission Flags: read, write, execute/search
  • Owner Flags: User (owner), Group, World

Now you have to determine for each file/directory which user may do what.

The web server needs read and write access, because it is responsible for presenting a site to the visitors (read access) and for installing new components and uploading files (images etc.) it needs write access.
The owner (user) of a file should have always write access.

What does 755 (directory) / 644 (file) mean:
  • User (Owner): may read and write
  • Group: may only read
  • World: may only read
What does 775 (directory) / 664 (file) mean:
  • User (Owner): may read and write
  • Group: may read and write
  • World: may only read
What does 777 (directory) / 666 (file) mean:
  • User (Owner): may read and write
  • Group: may read and write
  • World: may read and write

The most frequent problems which occur

  • You have copied a file via FTP to your web space, SOBI2 wants to write to this file but it has no rights.
  • You have created a directory via FTP, SOBI2 wants to create a subdirectory (during the installation process of plugins, etc.) and has no rights for that.

These problems often happen if you copy a complete local installation to your web server via FTP.

If you create a directory via FTP, the FTP user is the owner. The web server (and SOBI2) can only write to this directory if it has write access. Because the FTP user is the owner it cannot write to this directory if it is set to 755.

If your server is well configured, at least the group of both users (FTP and web server) should be the same. In this case you can set the permission flags to 775 and the web server (SOBI2) can write to a directory created via FTP.

If FTP user and web server are not within the same group you have to set the permission flags to 777/666 which is really not recommended.

We experienced as a good setting:
Owner of a directory/file can be the web server or FTP user, the directories and files should belong to the group of apache (web server) and the group has write access (775/664).

If your FTP user and web server are not within the same group and you are not able to set the owner and group rights, or if it is but you want to set the flags to 755/644 because of safety reasons, you should never copy files or create directories using FTP. In this cases use JoomlaXplorer for that because it acts (like every component) as the web server.

Another special case is, that other restrictions of your server, like the Safe Mode, limit write access to the owner of a directory/file only. In this cases, setting the permission flags to 777/666 don't help. Safe Mode and similar settings should be turned off if using Joomla!/Mambo

SOBI2 Troubleshooting

One of the common problems is, that the necessary directories could not be created during the installation process.
If the directories don't exist you will get errors like "Error moving file" when you try to upload files or you won't be able to install a SOBI2 plugin.

If a directory is missed, create it using JoomlaXplorer.

  • After installation of SOBI2 check if the image directory is created: /images/com_sobi2/clients
  • After installation of the Gallery plugin check if the image directory is created: /images/com_sobi2/gallery
  • After installation of the Media plugin check if the media directory is created: /images/com_sobi2/media

Additional Information

POSIX Access Control Lists on Linux
Linux Administration Handbook - Access Control Lists

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User Feedback

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This is by far the absolute best Joomla Component I have ever come across. Super flexible, easy to customize and the support is just as great as the product itself...if not better!
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A high quality component and excellent support! - Monday, 13 October 2008
The support is great, and the Sobi2 component is continuously developed, getting better every day. The forum is excellent. If you run into any kind of problem, just post it on the forum and the problem is often solved immediately, either by the developers or the forum members! The forum help is really outstanding, and far beyond that offered by most other Joomla forums!
 
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How can I say enough about SOBI2 You can do so much with it its amazing. Had a little hiccup on an upgrade and posted a topic on the forum answered and fixed in no time. My hats off to these guys they are the best. :-)
 
Simply the best directory solution for Joomla - Sunday, 12 October 2008
Support from the developer via the SOBI community forum is excellent and the SOBI component is continuously developed meaning that it just keeps on getting better!
 
Powerful, Flexible, and Customizable Component - Friday, 10 October 2008
SOBI2 is a potential solution for a wide range of applications.
Because the SOBI2 component is so flexible/customizable, and has a wide range plugins/modules/extensions, it is somewhat difficult to adequately describe the scope of SOBI2's capabilities and potential applications. The Developers describe it as a "directory component ... to show entries of companies, clubs, persons, shops, products". This description perhaps understates the component's capabilities and potential applications.
 
Best Directory and probably best component ever - Friday, 10 October 2008
This component is simply the best component around regarding ease of use, flexibility and potentials, support (even if it's free) and community help.
This component is an absolute must for everyone who needs a directory or listing site.
 
Excellent support - Wednesday, 08 October 2008
An essential extension for any Joomla website. But I have to mention how excellent the support is on the SOBI2 forums. Questions are answered very quickly and there are always examples available. Top product!!
 
Amazing product & 1st class support in the forums - Wednesday, 08 October 2008
This is the best experience I've had with OS software and my wife (who isn't into computers) can't believe there are people like this out there. Can't recommend this extension highly enough.
 
Truely a great product - Tuesday, 07 October 2008
I have been doing some research on directory software for sometime and I have to say this is the best product I have come across. SOBI2 is has loads of features, highly customisable and adaptable to any type of listing and directory needs. Without any prior experience in Joomla and PHP I was able to install and use easily. There is a great support forum as well.
 
Sobi-Most Flexible and Adaptable Directory Extension - Tuesday, 07 October 2008
I have used this now twice on production sites and it is not only an excellent directory extension,but ideal for any listing environment.
The support is outstanding both from the forum users and developers.Development is ongoing and there are a number of excellent add ons.
Fully customizable -try it first!!!!
 
Professional strength directory component - Sunday, 21 September 2008
SOBI2 has plenty of features - I just keep finding new ones every week! The clean code, flexibility and power in SOBI2 are the perfect ingredients for a real web portal. Thanks to all the developers at Sigsiu.NET - well done! For anybody looking for a superb industrial strength Joomla directory extension - you've just found it.
 
Very flexible and powerful - Sunday, 14 September 2008
This software ranks with the best there is for free (and commercial), easy-to-use directory component for Joomla. I would have paid lots of money just to own this, but its FREE! Also, the Admin console is beautiful in its look. I have no problem running it for a long time now. This is a really good software. The code is very nice and clean. It's very easy to customize, and has got some really great plugins! Try it!
 
Master of all directories - Thursday, 11 September 2008
SOBI2 is the best COM for directories which I tested, and I tested ALL mayor directories.
 
Very powerfull! - Tuesday, 19 August 2008
Let me just say, I have big plans for this component. We have several projects on the horizon SOBI2 will be perfect for. Everything from a small directory of equipment to a free flowing video gallery for a non-profit organization. Very solid install, setup and configuration. Very, very good component and set of plugins.
 
Well built component with excellent support - Monday, 28 July 2008
SOBI2 is a truly excellent joomla component. I'm no good at all at coding from the beginning, so when i was asked to create a business directory for the company i work for i was a little worried about delivering. Along comes Joomla and SOBI2 and all the hard work is gone.
 
Just the best - Saturday, 19 July 2008
Thanks for a wonderful ware, easy to instal and configure and think its going to get better with new versions!
 
Couldn't ask for anything better - Wednesday, 09 July 2008
Simple to use, massively flexible, very performant. The new version is so customizable, includes extras and a busy forum so that getting advice, hacks, and tips is a breeze, even for us technically-challenged folk.
SOBI2 offered everything that our site was looking for directory component.
 
Great for my inventory project - Tuesday, 08 July 2008
I work for a non-profit arts organization and this was perfect tool for an inventory project that catalogged buildings in the county. We added in a lightbox for photos and the geo mapping tool to create Google maps in each record.
 
Best Joomla component ever - Wednesday, 18 June 2008
Sobi2 is an excellent component with suburb support, often within 1 hour :)
Also the free plugins works out of the box.
There are also not free plugins/addons, you have to pay a small fee but it is really worth the money.
The community is very active and if you have a problem/question it is ussually solved on the fly.
 
what do you want more? - Saturday, 14 June 2008
absolutely great component that can be costumized to fit your needs.
i'm using this component instead of the standard weblink component from joomla.
congratulations for the developers!
use their forum if you need some tips & tricks for customization!
 
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Simply the best. Great product, great support!
 
Very flexible and powerful directory component - Wednesday, 21 May 2008
its the coolest the most costomizable and profitinal component.
Very modular piece of work. Simply incredible how easy it was to set up and get running.
Thank you!
 
Simply The Best!!! - Tuesday, 20 May 2008
If you need a sofisticated, but at the same time easy to set up and control open directory system, this component would be probably your best solution! There are addtional modules supported for the system, so it's customizable, there are labguage packs... is there anything else you can dream of? :) My advice is : just use it for your needs and say thanks a lot to its developers! Thank you!
 
Works just great... easy in use... :) Super - Tuesday, 20 May 2008
This component is amazing and very easy to setup and run out of the box! You can also heavily tweak it if you know even a little bit about PHP. It's fast, reliable and very good secured. I saw the code and I think that it will never possible to hack any site thru this component. If it was sold at $100, I would buy it with no hesitation!
 
Perfect application - Tuesday, 13 May 2008
This is a perfect application. It is clean programmed and has a nice layout. The code is very nice and clean. It's very easy to customize, and has got some really great modules! Try it, This package beats them all!
 
Wonderful Joomla directory extension - Monday, 05 May 2008
I spent some time researching the different components out there, and none looked as apealing, easy to install and use, yet be powerful and scalable, as SOBI2.
SOBI2 seemed to have all the features I was interested in, and many others. Good program and excellent support.
 
Easy To Install And Use SOBI2 - Wednesday, 30 April 2008
SOBI2 is the best directory manager for Joomla! that i have seen. With all the features and tools at first one would think this would be to complicated to use and manage, but that not the case. SOBI2 works and is very easy to use.
 
What more would you ask for a directory - Tuesday, 22 April 2008
SOBI2 is I can say the most adaptive, the fastest, the most usable and tweakable directory there is on the net Speed, adaptability, powerful, easy to understand and simple. Everything a webmaster would ever want to offer their clients, and everything a client would want on their site.
And to be honest, because of this directory extension I've started to use Joomla ... ;-)
 
Amazing - Monday, 14 April 2008
I've spent about 10 hours in the last few days trying to figure out the best solution for Directory/Review listings. This soars so high above every other option out there that they can't touch this component.
This is by far the best addition to Joomla I have seen.
 
Excellent component - Friday, 11 April 2008
I discovered SOBI2 only one week ago, but I can say that I am very pleased to work with it. You can modify it to develop your own custom theme, or if you are a beginner it has everything integrated to be able to use it in your way. Nice work and by deepest respect for the developers that made this (and made it free). Keep on going with this and I hope to see future developements.
 
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