Users, groups, and permissions (Linux)

This section describes what you must do if you upload databases manually.

During installation, FileMaker Server creates the fmserver user and the fmsadmin group. The fmsadmin group must have read and write access to the hosted databases. You need to change the group permission to allow users of these groups to edit the databases.

By default, only the Linux user account that was used for installing FileMaker Server can:

  • manually operate FileMaker Server from the command line

  • add files to or remove files from the FileMaker Server folder

  • access any of the FileMaker Pro databases stored within the FileMaker Server default database and backup folders

Note  Any user with the correct sign-in, however, can access FileMaker Server Admin Console.

To allow other user accounts to work with FileMaker Server and database files, you can add them to the fmsadmin group using the Linux command line usermod command. You must be signed in with administrative privileges.

Important  The following procedures are recommended only for advanced users who are familiar with the Linux command line.

To add a user to the group using the Linux command-line:

  1. Start the Terminal application.

  2. Enter the following command:

    sudo usermod -a -G fmsadmin username

    where username is the name of the existing user you wish to add to the group.

To change group permissions for hosted databases:

  1. Place database files in the primary databases folder or the optional additional database folder.

  2. Start the Terminal application and use the cd command to set your path as needed.

  3. Enter the following command:

    sudo chmod g+rw filename

    where filename is the name of the database.

To use the server group for a file or folder:

  1. Start the Terminal application and use the cd command to set your path as needed.

  2. Enter the following command:

    chown username:fmsadmin filename

    where username is the name of the user to own the file, and filename is the name of the database.

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