Files created with owner, 'nobody'. Cannot Edit.

[jfox]

I have installed the Joomla CMS. I installed it by hand, not with Fantastico, because that's the way I prefer to do it. When I uploaded a template I found the permissions for the template directory and all files and subdirectories set to nobody:nobody. This is caused because Apache is run under the 'nobody' account. For security reasons this is a good idea.

Unfortunately I cannot edit the template files locally on the server. I cannot copy them to my local machine, edit them, and then upload the updated files.
I cannot change the ownership or permissions on these files.
I cannot delete these files.
The only way to remove them is to uninstall the template.

I have traded quite a few emails with support and so far they have not been able to offer a solution.

I do quite a bit of custom development with Joomla templates and components. Not being able to fully control all of the files under my account is a major problem for me.

How have other HostNine customers dealt with this problem?

[Mediapixel]

have you tried logging into the file manager via cpanel and altering permissions instead of on the ftp client? you can also edit files that way too

[jfox]

Yes, I have tried via FTP, SSH, and the web-based file manager. A support tech suggested Joomla explorer. None of these methods allow me to change file ownership from 'nobody' to my account.

Unfortunately we do have to change that manually but there is one option. We have a cron job setup to run every hour on the servers that fixes the permissions on a list of domains for CMS software. If you want us to add your account to that list simply submit a support ticket and we'll get that completed for you.

[Nnyan]

Ran into this problem on my old host and one of the php experts came up with a fix. I won't post his script unless someone requests it.

PHP scripts here run as the apache user ("nobody" in this case) not as your user account. This is because PHP is run in mod_php mode. This means that when you upload a file through HTTP (ie through a web form), or your web program creates a file on the server that file will be owned by the user called "nobody". This can create problems when you want to delete, rename, copy, move or edit the file later through FTP, SSH or SFTP because you are not the user "nobody" and thus probably don't have the correct permissions.

Once reclaimed, you probably want to stop the problem happening again, to do that I recommend running PHP in CGI Mode. Simply select the Install CGI Mode PHP option from the menu after reclaiming the nobody files.

James Sleeman

[jfox]

Please post that script!

[colt45]

Originally Posted by Nnyan

Simply select the Install CGI Mode PHP option from the menu after reclaiming the nobody files.
James Sleeman

Just where exactly is this "option from the menu" located? I don't see it anywhere in cPanel or WHM.

[Jordan]

If you have a totally non-responsive ISP (like the one I have, called CertaHost; avoid at all costs) then you can still solve this problem, but it's cumbersome:

Even though you can't overwrite any of the files that 'nobody' owns, or change write permissions for the directory that 'nobody' owns, you CAN rename them (for example with Joomla Explorer). So:

First download them.

Then rename /dir-name/ on the host to /DELETE-THIS-IF-YOU-CAN-dir-name/.

Then make a new /dir-name/ that you ARE the owner of, and upload your files to it.

If you have many large directory structures to do, this can be cumbersome; and it does waste storage space on the server, since all the useless files remain; but it does work.

If you just have one file to replace, rename the one on the host, and then upload your own as the original name.

Good luck.

[Nnyan]

Sorry for the delay guys I've been really busy with the new house. Anyway here is the script.

http://www.mediafire.com/?6bc2yinnhfe

Make sure you review this script before you run it, I use it all the time with no problems but you should always review and understand any script you will run on your environment. Anyway use at your own risk.

You'll need to CHMOD the script to 755 in order for it to run properly. Props to Gogohost for this script.

[colt45]

Thanks for the script, Nnyan.

Could you explain to a noob how to use this script?

Where do I upload it to? How to I run it?