How to edit files assciated with an application in a CIFS/SMB share via windows explorer

    Hi there,


    To preface this, I am not a particularly tech literate person but have messed about with OMV for a couple of years. I did the initial set up following a Techno Dad Life video and have also set up subsequent services following his great step by step vids.


    I have a question about the best way of tidying up files and folders that are related to applications in dockers.


    So I use the NAS to store some files in shared network folders, where I can add / edit / delete files from my windows machine using file explorer, no problems there. But I have a couple of applications running in dockers where the associated files need occasional pruning, I'm thinking here predominantly of Transmissions completed downloads folder and SoulSeek.

    • For Transmission I get some folder detritus and files in the completed folder, that aren't picked up or properly imported by PVR services. I am unable to delete them from windows explorer, getting a "you need permission to perform this action" and " you require permission from servername\user1 to make changes to this folder"
    • For Soulseek, a new service I am running based on old technology, I need to be a little more hands on as files are not downloaded in as organised a way, when trying to edit or delete files from windows explorer, I get a message "You need permission to perform this action" and "you require permissions from Unix user\root to make changes to this file"

    What is the best way to go about managing files and folders in these cases?


    Ideally I would like to be able to do this stuff through windows explorer but I'm happy to try anything as long as it is straightforward for me to learn and repeat (and there is some form of step by step guide)!


    Thanks for you patience with help for what I am sure is a very basic question!

    Most likely, this is due to the download folders (or rather, their contents) for Transmission and Soulseek not being owned by you - more specifically, by the user whose credentials you are using in Windows Explorer to access your NAS shares.


    The easiest way would be to use ACL (Access Permission List) to add yourself with full read/write access to these folders. The ACL settings are editable per shared folder in the OMV GUI.

    Ok so in this instance would I need to create a new user in the user tab with the same user details as my windows computer, then give it access in the ACL menu (I have taken a screen shot below)?


    Edit: Ok I have changed I had a mess about, I created a new user that had the same details as my windows computer but that didn't do anything but I did notice that some of the folders created when downloading through transmission did not have read/write/execute so I set switched the recursive switch on at a higher level folder that did have read/write/execute and that seems to have let me edit the lower level folders, I'm not sure if this is bad practice or not but it seems to have done the job!

    Well, that works, too (but has the potential to open up unwanted read/write permissions to other users or system processes in OMV. I don't think you need to worry about that here, though).


    You got the concept of users a bit backward, though - OMV knows nothing about Windows users, and there is no need to create another user at all. Unless you enabled guest access permissions for your SMB shares (and Windows never prompted you for a username and password to access them), you're already using an OMV user (by supplying Windows with that user's name and password). It's that user whose permissions you want to edit through ACL to include read/write access to your download folders. I hope that makes sense...

    Ok I think I am beginning to understand, the video guide I followed on setting up OMV and shares did enable guest access permissions for SMB shares and windows never prompted me to provide details to access the folders in the first place, that's why it was a bit of an alien concept.


    Best practice would be to disable guest access, get a prompt to access the SMB share and login with my User1 OMV account?


    In my use case I am the only person who will access the shares and the data on them is not of particular value, do you think I'm ok leaving things as they are?


    Also many thanks for taking the time to help me, it's really appreciated!

    Generally yes, I would turn off guest access unless needed - it's just a basic security measure. You shouldn't have any issues going with User1, and if you do, now you know how to change permissions. 🙂

    Just be careful not to rely on ACL too much. If you can, work with user/group ownership settings first - you can also add User1 to the same group or groups that the Transmission and Soulseek "users" belong to, which will then extend the group's permissions to User1.


    It can get pretty complex, but it's all very logical and straightforward 🙂

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