Topic: Set partition ownership properties
Could this be integrated so you wouldn't have to run chown seperately after creating a partition using GParted as root?
Re: Set partition ownership properties
The access permissions are set on the mount point, not the partition.
See How To Set Write Permission On ext4 Partition In Ubuntu Linux.
Since GParted works on the partition via the device path entry (e.g., /dev/sda), this feature does not make sense for GParted.
3 2014-07-21 19:12:02 (edited by Steffen 2014-07-21 19:12:49)
Re: Set partition ownership properties
Hi,
in the last days, I ran into similar issues and I would very much appreciate, if this feature could be implemented. I also had a quick thinking about it and here is my idea:
Gparted respectively its GUI could implement some kind of interface to this chown and chmod commandline utility so that when a user formats for example an external USB-HDD with ext4 and uses the whole disk, a box pops up, asking the user:
"how do you want to handle permissions on this partition/ drive?"
below it, there could be 3 radiobuttons:
- leave the standard permissions (only root has access)
- the normal (first) user of this computer is permitted to create, change and write files and directories
- all users are permitted to create, change and write files and directories
Clicking one of these radiobuttons just calls the respective chown and or chmod command (or does nothing as with the first option) and thats it. For all these advanced options in changing permissions, owners... whatever, there could be an "Advanced" Button, which calls the manpage of chown and chmod.
So I understood, that Gparted only works with the partiton and not the device path, but it could easily call the chmod and chown commands for the mount point, as it runs with root permissions anyway. I know, it is something different, but... hey: it would be cool, if you're honest 
Unfortunately, I don't have any clue about programming. But if you would/ could integrate this feature, I could test it (if you tell me how) and I also could translate it from english into german if you want.
Advantages of this feature:
- beginners and not-so-advanced-and-professional users are being helped with users permissions and so on
- it is more safe than google-ing some chmod 777 command as the user doesn't know what he is doing and how and why this may have bad consequences
- the power users have an "advanced"-Button and get a hint on the manpage
- it makes an awesome product, Gparted, even more awesome
Thanks & best regards
Steffen
Re: Set partition ownership properties
Thank you Steffen for your interest in GParted.
In order to access all of the features of GParted, it is recommended to use GParted while booted from live media. This permits the most actions on file systems because the file systems are not mounted.
However in a live environment, none of the base installed operating system partitions would be mounted and hence are unavailable for GParted to modify.
Re: Set partition ownership properties
But GParted is also installed in a lot of distributions as a great tool for managing external devices as well as, so to say, additional drives inside the computer. Most users I know, use it in an installed system for tasks at their USB-Sticks, USB-drives and so on. Me too.
For these users, such a feature would be great. How about if it is switched off, if GParted is booted from live media, but switched on when GParted is running from an installed system... And in my dandy dreams it just sets the permissions for the partitions/ file systems, it just has created. Not more. Just after the completed formatting or partitioning job, a pop-up window, asking how and whether the user wants to set permissions or not. This would be great 
Re: Set partition ownership properties
We can certainly keep this as a new feature request. In the meantime there is a work-around posted in comment #2.