I am trying to install some software to /usr/local/bin. I have it
installed and working OK for root but the users can't execute the
programs (I can run it if I su to root and launch it via the command
line but this is too much work). The users can't even browse to
/usr/local/bin. Where is the proper place to install software for _all_
users so they can access it? I want to install software like Firefox
and Thunderbird, Flash Player, Acrobat Reader, etc. so that any user can
have access to it (even if I create a new user). Does anything extra
need to be done to allow users to execute these files once they are in
the proper place?

Trevor wrote:
> I am trying to install some software to /usr/local/bin. I have it
> installed and working OK for root but the users can't execute the
> programs (I can run it if I su to root and launch it via the command
> line but this is too much work). The users can't even browse to
> /usr/local/bin. Where is the proper place to install software for _all_
> users so they can access it? I want to install software like Firefox
> and Thunderbird, Flash Player, Acrobat Reader, etc. so that any user can
> have access to it (even if I create a new user). Does anything extra
> need to be done to allow users to execute these files once they are in
> the proper place?

Sounds very much like you do not have the correct permissions for
/usr/local/bin.

If you do 'ls -l /usr/local' you should see bin as:
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2004-07-30 12:34 bin/

(except your date may be different than mine.)

As you can see, the directory, /usr/local/bin, should be world readable
and world executable.

(my 2 cents, YMMV)

--

humjohn AT aerosurf DOT net

Trevor wrote:

> I am trying to install some software to /usr/local/bin.**I*have*it
> installed and working OK for root but the users can't execute the
> programs (I can run it if I su to root and launch it via the command
> line but this is too much work).**The*users*can't*even*browse*to
> /usr/local/bin.**Where*is*the*proper*place*to*install*softwar e*for*all
> users so they can access it?**I*want*to*install*software*like*Firefox
> and Thunderbird, Flash Player, Acrobat Reader, etc. so that any user can
> have access to it (even if I create a new user).**Does*anything*extra
> need to be done to allow users to execute these files once they are in
> the proper place?

Your choice of /usr/local/bin is a good place to put software. By default,
all users should be able to access this directory, and run programs within
it. It sounds like the permissions on your /usr/local/bin directory have
been changed though. If so, to restore them to their original settings, you
can run the command, as root:

chmod 755 /usr/local/bin

After that, try again to run your programs as a normal user. To understand
what the above command is doing and why, browse the results of a Google
search for linux file permissions.

Hope that helps,
Jeffrey

On Sun, 08 Aug 2004 11:14:24 -0700,
HJohnson <HuMJohn@AeroSurf.Net> wrote:
>
> If you do 'ls -l /usr/local' you should see bin as:
> drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2004-07-30 12:34 bin/

FWIW, a more direct way to find the permissons of /usr/local/bin is:
$ ls -ld /usr/local/bin
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2004-06-26 02:43 /usr/local/bin/


--
Mark Hill <mrhill@gmail.com>
Email: echo zbp.yvnzt.yyvuez | rot13 | rev | sed s/\\./@/

Trevor wrote:
>
> I am trying to install some software to /usr/local/bin. I have it
> installed and working OK for root but the users can't execute the
> programs (I can run it if I su to root and launch it via the command
> line but this is too much work). The users can't even browse to
> /usr/local/bin. Where is the proper place to install software for _all_
> users so they can access it? I want to install software like Firefox
> and Thunderbird, Flash Player, Acrobat Reader, etc. so that any user can
> have access to it (even if I create a new user). Does anything extra
> need to be done to allow users to execute these files once they are in
> the proper place?

You should get the program "checkinstall" and install your programs
using it. Believe me, it makes it much easier managing the installation
and uninstallation of software.

jamess

On Fri, 13 Aug 2004, James wrote:
> Trevor wrote:
>> I am trying to install some software to /usr/local/bin. I have it
>> installed and working OK for root but the users can't execute the
>> programs (I can run it if I su to root and launch it via the command
>> line but this is too much work). The users can't even browse to
>> /usr/local/bin. Where is the proper place to install software for _all_
>> users so they can access it? I want to install software like Firefox
>> and Thunderbird, Flash Player, Acrobat Reader, etc. so that any user can
>> have access to it (even if I create a new user). Does anything extra
>> need to be done to allow users to execute these files once they are in
>> the proper place?

wellll idunno how you are doing what you are doing, but in general,
it sounds like something you've done has screwed up permissions on
the /usr/local/bin folder and perhaps it's contents. i can imagine
this being caused by a poorly constructed packages or Makefile. if
you do something like 'ls -ld /usr/local/bin' you should see something
like:

drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 26 15:54 /usr/local/bin/

the 'permisions' are of course the first field in the line.
and i'd guess what you have goes like:
drwx------ 2 root root ....

if so, use chmod to correct this:

chmod 755 /usr/local/bin

same thing for the files in /usr/local/bin. you can do this in
one swell foop:

chmod +R 755 /usr/local/bin

but first, examine the permissions already in place and confirm
the diagnosis. man chmod for all the good details.







--
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