image uploads and data folder permissions

greetings all!

my 1.8.8 installs are both showing the same fails here.. any image i upload using any method or plugin fails in some way. tidypics shows an empty image holder. videolist does the same (though the images are not uploaded by me).
the profile avatars do not function appropriately either. if i upload an image to the profile i see the 'ok' message appear, yet the image does not change. if i remove the image that is presently stored (from before i upgraded) then it is removed and the default image appears. if i then upload another image, the  previous image that i removed is re-displayed instead of being replaced by the one i am uploading.

i thought this probably means that the file permissions need changing, though the server is presenting me with challenges in changing the permissions.. 

the wiki notes for folder permissions are not 100% clear as to the optimal configuration, in that they do not mention individual files, only folders. 

what is the ideal permission structure for the data folder, subfolders and files?

thanks 

  • gd is enabled: (2.0.34 compatible)
    php is 5.2
    the data path has a slash on the end 

  • i changed the permissions to be more open and now the uploads work ok for all plugins..
    still exploring what is the most secure and functional setting for permissions of the folders and files 

  • If the owner and/or group set for the data directory do not match the user/group the webserver (Apache user) is operating on you need to set the permissions for the data directory less restrictive (777). If you are able to change the owner and/or group setting of the data directory to match with the webserver then you can set more restrictive access permissions.

  • i'm not sure i have comprehended what you have said here iionly - thanks for assisting all the same.
    i am not able to change the owner or group setting on my present server; i see that some have one owner and some have another - the folder from 2010 is different to the ones from 2011 and 2012.

    as if the permissions code changed between elgg 1.7.4 (the first one i installed) and 1.8.8.
    actually 2010 = 775, 2011 = 777 and 2012 = 700.
    i also notice that older tidypics image folders are set to 777 and newer ones to 755.. 

    have you noticed similar?

    i would address my other questions to the server host techs, but they haven't responded for weeeks now... hmm.

  • only your hosting technical support can explain -> '.. not able to change the owner or group setting on my present server; i see that some have one owner and some have another - the folder from 2010 is different to the ones from 2011 and 2012.'

    all of what you have just described - you never touch after the first time that you (correctly) create the data folder. if you have had to ' changed the permissions to be more open... ' -- if you have to Patch Fix it now.. you screwed up something much earlier or your hosting (unwittingly?!) screwed things up for you.

    ' haven't responded for weeeks now.. ' - change your hosting.

     

     

  • aye, i will look for other hosts.. i have been reluctant because imountain are one of the few hosts i found who actually have solar powered hosting; the other ones that advertise that they do, mostly do not.
    they also arranged half price hosting as the site is non-profit. actually less money than most of the non solar ones i have found..

    i'll phone them tomorrow. 

  • so... does a document exist that lists the optimal security structure for the data folder and files?