TITLE
    AppleShare: Backing Up The PDS File
Article ID:
Created:
Modified: 		16492
10/11/94
2/11/00
TOPIC

    Can you provide details about how AppleShare keeps track of access privileges (file permissions) and how to backup and troubleshoot problems with privileges?

DISCUSSION

    Retrospect by Dantz Development Corporation will maintain information about file access privileges when you perform a backup, provided the AppleShare file server software is running during the backup and during the restore. However, you cannot restore the file access privileges only. You must restore all the shared data to correctly restore the access privileges. This can be time-consuming and often causes loss of data that was created since the last backup. Here are some alternatives that may help you avoid loss of access privileges.

    There are two files to be aware of when dealing with AppleShare access privileges:

    * The AppleShare PDS file, which maintains access privileges to folders, is an invisible file located at the root level of the volume being shared.

    * The Users & Groups Data File, which maintains user specific information like User Names, Group Names, and Passwords, is visible and is located in the Preferences folder inside the System Folder of the server.

    It is possible that the AppleShare PDS file could be accidentally reset after a clean system install. This could happen if you don't restore the old Users & Groups Data File to the root level of the new System Folder before launching AppleShare Admin. The AppleShare PDS file might also be damaged (a sign of this is the AppleShare File Server never finishes "starting up"). You can make a backup of AppleShare PDS and keep it on a floppy. To do this:

    1) Using a disk utility such as ResEdit or Norton Disk Tools, locate the AppleShare PDS file at the root level of a shared volume (except for CD's).
    2) Make it visible.
    3) Drag copy the AppleShare PDS file to a floppy disk.

    Keep this backup in a safe place in the event you have to use it to recover from a problem. As a safety measure, don't forget to make the AppleShare PDS file on the hard disk invisible again after you make the backup copy.

    IMPORTANT: Whenever you make changes to your Users & Groups Data File (add or delete users), make a new backup of the AppleShare PDS file afterwards. This will keep these two files "in sync" with each other.

    In the event of a reset or damaged AppleShare PDS file, to restore the backup to the server:

    1) Quit the AppleShare Admin and File Server applications.
    2) Make the AppleShare PDS file visible by using a disk utility program.
    3) Drag the AppleShare PDS file at the root level of the volume to another folder or to the trash.
    4) Insert the floppy disk that contains the AppleShare PDS backup.
    5) Drag the backup AppleShare PDS file from the floppy disk to the root level of the shared volume.
    6) Launch the AppleShare Admin program.

    Any folders created on the shared volume since making the AppleShare PDS backup will inherit the privileges of their parent folder. Any new folders shared as separate volumes since the backup was made will need to be reshared.

    If your Users & Groups Data File and AppleShare PDS file have gotten out of sync (for example, you made changes to Users & Groups without making a new backup of the PDS file), you may get errors when trying to look at or change folder privileges with AppleShare Admin. For example, if the PDS file indicates that a certain user is the owner of a folder, and that user has since been deleted, you'll get errors. However, logging in to the file server from a workstation as Administrator appears to reset privileges to those folders. You can later change them from within the Admin program.

Document Information
Product Area: Apple Software; Communications-Networking
Category: AppleShare
Sub Category: AppleShare for Mac OS

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