Custom access permissions

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Level 1

10 points

Custom access permissions

Something has fouled up permissions on files scattered throughout my Xcode project. Now Xcode mostly just fails to build with no message. In one scenario Xcode told me I didn't have permission to save a particular file, when I used Finder Info to examine the file, it showed the dreaded "You have custom access". Past experience tells me that custom access means even the owner or an admin (I'm both) cannot write to the file.

For now I just need to know how to clean up permissions in my project. I can fix one or two files, one at-a-time, but not hundreds of files/directories.

Mac Studio, macOS 12.3

Posted on Apr 12, 2022 5:51 PM

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Answer 1

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K1GQ Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 14, 2022 5:28 AM in response to Barney-15E

Barney-15E confirmed what I suspected had caused my problems, although I didn't understand the meaning and impact of Custom Access. Thank you! Havoc indeed.

To recover, I copied things I needed to save to an external drive, did a clean install, and used batchmod to remove ACLs from those saved files before bringing them back into my home directory.

Bill

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Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

113,272 points

Apr 13, 2022 6:13 PM in response to K1GQ

Past experience tells me that custom access means even the owner or an admin (I'm both) cannot write to the file.

It doesn't mean that at all, but what is causing Finder to show that message can certainly make it so. Custom access means there are ACLs on the item.

Almost all of the folders in your Home have the "group:everyone deny delete" ACL set on them, so they will all have "Custom" access.

Files generally will not have that (or any other ACL) set on them. A common way ACLs get set to file is if you "Apply to Enclosed" from the ellipsis menu in the Sharing & Permissions panel. If you Apply to Enclosed from one of the folders with that ACL, you would cause havoc trying to edit/save/delete files.

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Custom access permissions

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