setting file permissions on a web server

[Edward Elliott]

John Salerno wrote:
> Thanks, but I'm still a little confused. Since I'm running Windows

You misplaced your period, it goes at the end of that line. ;)

> assume that I can't run the chmod line on my own computer. 

Sure you can, install cygwin.  chmod only affects files on your computer,
and won't alter the Windows permissions (which use a different scheme), but
you can do it.

> My web server 
> uses Unix, but is it possible for me to have access to a command line
> for the server? I didn't know that was possible for basic web hosting
> plans (I'm using 1and1 right now).

It is entirely possible (indeed, I don't know how most things would ever get
done without it).  Most basic hosting plans however don't provide shell
access.

> I suppose I could write a script that would set the permissions of all
> the files in a particular folder on my computer to 755, but is there a
> Windows equivalent command for chmod to do this? Or am I stuck having to
> do it on the server side?

1. Settings permissions on your computer won't do a thing.
2. There's probably a Windows-equiv of chmod for your own files, but it
won't affect files placed on another machine.
3. You're stuck having to do it on the server side.  Now a good ftp program
can automate this for you, but it's still your job, not the servers.

These sound like good questions for your hosting provider, or failing that,
google.