OSX Terminal Command to add a user and change permissions to all files in all subfolders and folders

[Janjbrt]

Hi there everyone, I'd like to ask some clarifications please as I'm not getting very far with this.

So, ok, maybe it's best if I describe the problem.

I'm using Mac OS X. I re-formatted my hard drive and re-installed an older version of OSX that's more compatible with my hardware. Instead of using the Mac 'Migration Assistant' to restore my user and files from my Backup drive (created using 'TimeMachine'), I just copied things over (as I was copying to an older OSX than was used to create the backups).
I did that to create a clean start because I've had that backup drive for like 8 years and wanted to get reformat that drive too, getting rid of a heap of old, useless backups.

My issue is that all the files / folder and subfolders with files no longer have the correct User and correct permissions.
I can add a user with permissions to the files or a folder individually using OSX Finder, however doing that does not change permissions recursively in subfolders and files. So I have to do it all file by file. Which is pretty **** tedious.

So, I'm searching for a way to add a user to a bunch of files, folders, subfolders and their files and their subfolders and files, etc, with read/write permissions, in 'Terminal'. I also need to remove a user named 'Fetching...', ie an invalid user from my pervious installation of OSX.

I'm attaching an image of the issue from the file or folder information tab in OSX Finder, to make this clearer.

I would really, really appreciate help here. I no longer have the old backups at all, only one copy on my internal hard drive. So I can't just revert unfortunately. And unfortunately I only realized this problem after it was all done....

Ah well!!!

I've tried Sudo chmod 755 *.* but it's not quite doing the trick...

 

[BobZune]

What older OS X version are you running?

See if https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203538 works for you. It does require using the Finder, so it is not ALL terminal.


For the second issue, see http://www.grivet-tools.com/blog/2015/delete-local-account-in-os-x-using-the-command-line/

As with all command-line use, please be careful with typing he commands with the right syntax and spelling.

Hi there everyone, I'd like to ask some clarifications please as I'm not getting very far with this.

So, ok, maybe it's best if I describe the problem.

...

My issue is that all the files / folder and subfolders with files no longer have the correct User and correct permissions.
I can add a user with permissions to the files or a folder individually using OSX Finder, however doing that does not change permissions recursively in subfolders and files. So I have to do it all file by file. Which is pretty **** tedious.

So, I'm searching for a way to add a user to a bunch of files, folders, subfolders and their files and their subfolders and files, etc, with read/write permissions, in 'Terminal'. I also need to remove a user named 'Fetching...', ie an invalid user from my pervious installation of OSX.

I'm attaching an image of the issue from the file or folder information tab in OSX Finder, to make this clearer.

I would really, really appreciate help here. I no longer have the old backups at all, only one copy on my internal hard drive. So I can't just revert unfortunately. And unfortunately I only realized this problem after it was all done....

Ah well!!!

I've tried Sudo chmod 755 *.* but it's not quite doing the trick...

 

[ChrisA]

Your problem is that you don't add users to files. You add users to "groups" and then you make the file accessible to members of the group.

So first you create a group called maybe "mybuddies" and the put all the users you like in there. Then use the "chgrp" command to change the group associated with the file.

Note that users can be members of any number of groups.

This works with all UNIX-like systems.

 

[hobowankenobi]

There is an easier way: Rename your existing home directory, and create an account for it. The OS will reset the entire account contents to the default, correct permissions.

From another admin account:

1. rename the desired user home directory to the short user name you want to use for this account. This must be a unique account....it can not already exist. If it does, you can delete the existing account first.

Example
Long user name: John Smith
Short user name: johnsmith
User Home folder: johnsmith

2. Create the new user with the exact short name of the renamed home folder.

Example
new user short name: johnsmith

3. You will see a system dialog box telling you that a home folder already exists for this user. Select to use that folder (your renamed home folder).

If you don't see this dialog, then the name is not exactly the same. If this happens, a new, empty account/home directly is created. If so, simply delete the new account (and new home directory), correct the name, and go again.


All content of that folder will have the permission set correctly. Once done, simply log into that account.

That's it.