UNIX in a Nutshell: System V Edition

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umask

umask [value]

Print the current value of the file creation mode mask, or set it to value, a three-digit octal code specifying the read-write-execute permissions to be turned off. This is the opposite of chmod. Usually used in .login or .profile. umask is available as a built-in command in the Bourne and C shells (see Sections 4 and 5).

umask Number

File Permission

Directory Permission

0rw-rwx
1rw-rw-
2r--r-x
3r--r--
4-w--wx
5-w--w-
6---x
7----

Examples

Turn off write permission for others:


umask 002	Produces file permission -rw-rw-r-

Turn off all permissions for group and others:


umask 077	Produces file permission -rw----

Note that you can omit leading zeroes.


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