Overwriting files on a shared folder (SAS grid env)

[LuAnnS]

My team shares a program that continually overwrites files on the grid in group folders.  We used to be able to overwrite each others files, but for the past couple months, we have been unable to.  Now we have to delete the other person's files before we run the program.  We played with the read/write/execute settings in the properites dialogue box in Ipswitch to no avail.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Doc_Duke]

LuAnn,

Check with your IT support.  Someone may have changed permissions at the system level for that directory.

[LuAnnS]

I was hoping that wasn't the answer but that's sort of what I thought. Thank you

[Tom]

Are you using Unix filesystem or WIndows?

On Unix if you are able to delete the files then it sounds like you have the group write bit set on the folders.

Perhaps the individual files are getting created without the group write bit being set?

Check if they have made changes to the UMASK setting that your processes use when creating files.

Personally I like to use umask setting of 0002.  That way when I create a file the group write bit is set in addition to the user write bit.

Also check whether the group sticky bit is set of the folder so that all files that are created in that folder are in the same group as the folder.

[JuanS_OCS]

Hello @LuAnnS,

indeed, this seems to me something changed by IT admins. To prevent IT admins changes to modify behaviour on your SAS programs, the best set up is as proposed by @Tom, the umask, although the general recommendation is a umask of 022, I understand well where it comes Tom's, to help you granting additional permissions.

You can find the implementation suggestions and background info at:

- http://support.sas.com/kb/38/040.html

- https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Enterprise-Guide/File-permissions-for-created-files/td-p/70263

I have a question, though: why did you mentioned IPswitch? Is this shared file location under an FTP server on linux, or someting similar?

[LuAnnS]

We are on a unix server.  We use Ipswitch WS_FTP Professional to move/delete output files/datasets.  So you're saying I need to go to IT and ask for umask settings to be changed or are you saying I can change umask settings? 

[JuanS_OCS]

Probably IT has to change the permissions of the current files, and then change the umask settings on the sas configuration files. I don't know if you can do this change or IT should. Probably it should be done by the team who has access to the password of sasinst user.