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Tutorial - Intro to PHP & Flash

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Step Three: CHMOD Settings

CHMOD stands for: Change Mode

By default files that you upload to your web server are set to read only. That means that someone viewing the page can read it (or more accurately the Browser reads it) but not change it. You can only change the files on your web server if you have an FTP program and you have the correct access rights such as the correct Password and User Name

For the PHP script has to be able to both open and save files on the server. If the PHP cannot do this there is not much point in having a server side scripting language. This is where the CHMOD settings come in. CHMOD setting enable you to set specific files as readable and writable. CHMOD setting are usually referred to by a code. The default setting for web pages is: 644

Default CHMOD Setting.

For a PHP script to be able to read and write (save) a file you will need to be able to change the CHMOD setting for specified files to: 666

CHMOD set to 666 so that the PHP script can save the file.

CHMOD and Web Providers
Some web providers may have an on-line FTP program that enables you to select a file and change its CHMOD settings. Most web providers will not offer this service!! But no harm in asking.

CHMOD and Web Editors
Some Web Editors will allow you to view your online files and change a specific files properties such as the CHMOD settings. Most web editors will not allow you to do this!! Even sophisticated top of the range web editors like Dreamweaver will not let you change the CHMOD settings. But there is no harm in looking. Open any web editors that you may have on your computer and look up CHMOD in the help menu.

Update: Dreamweaver 8 now enables you to change the CHMOD setting. Upload the file you want, view the file on remote view, right click (Mac Ctrl click) and select: Set Permissions

CHMOD and FTP Programs
You guessed it: Many FTP programs do not let you change the CHMOD settings but many do!! Again if you have any FTP programs installed on your computer open it and check the Help menu. If you don't have an appropriate FTP program you can download one from the Internet. Before downloading and installing an FTP program try and look at the program notes as many FTP programs do not allow you to set the CHOMOD properties.

The FTP program that I use to set the CHMOD file settings is: SmartFTP This program is free to educational and personal users and in my opinion is a very good program but a bit fiddly to set up and use the first couple of times.

As with all FTP programs they enable you to see your files on line like this:

Online files in Smart FTP.

To set the CHMOD I simply need select the file I want to change then right click and select CHMOD. A dialogue box appears similar to the one above. To see a Movie of how to change the CHMOD settings in Smart FTP: Demo (large file).

There are loads of other FTP programs and many are free but it is hard to find a freebie FTP program that allows you to change the CHMOD settings. If the program above is not suitable you may want to so a search Shareware.com as they have an excellent selection of freeware and shareware: Shareware.com

Setting Up your FTP Program
An FTP (File Transfer Protocol) program is a file management system and is not that different to something like My Computer or Windows Explorer. Except that it enables you to manage files which are stored on a Remote Server such as a Web Server. Some years ago you needed to have an FTP program to move (upload/download), delete and rename your web files to and from your local computer to your web site. This capability is now usually built into most web editors. So for example you can now do most remote file management tasks directly from a program like Dreamweaver.

Like web editors an FTP program not only needs to be installed but it has to be set up. After installation you will need to set up the FTP program to link to your web site. For this to happen you need three bits of information:

• Password
• User Name
• Host Address

If you do not know these three things ask your web provider as they will know.

Using an FTP Program to set the CHMOD
Once you have set up the FTP program correctly you will be able to upload files to your web space and view the files that have been uploaded. It does not matter if you continue to upload your files form your web editor or use the new FTP system. What is important is that once they are uploaded that you can see the files. Once you can see the files you can select the file/s that you want to change the CHMOD settings on and either right click and go to CHMOD or find CHMOD in the menu system. You will then find a dialog box that will enable you to change the read/write settings for the selected files:

CHMOD Dialog box.

That is all there is to it.