Apache as file owner

[internet54]

Ok, I ran into another problem.

I developed the entire website on my localhost machine. Everything worked flawlessly.
Uploading the site has been interesting.

I now understand the system needs file permissions on /data/ and /backups/ AND their sub dirs as 777.
I also understand that the system creates its own .xml files with the permissions as 644, and the server STILL writes to them.

Here is my problem. I installed GS and then uploaded my data. The site visually runs great for the visitor and there are no problems on the front end. However, the backend is where the issue lies. My files were uploaded via FTP and the files were labeled with my login's user (typical of all servers). So my pages have the file owner as user:user. Then comes the problem...

Example:
mypage.xml (chown = user:user)

^ This is NOT editable by GS. When I login to the admin panel and edit the page it throws an error stating that I don't have permission. However, I can create as many new pages as I want.

Here's my research. The new pages that are created are like this...

Example:
mypage2.xml (chown = apache:apache)

^ This page is FULLY editable by GS. However, the owner is apache and I cannot do anything to the file outside of GS. I can't modify the file in FTP, or in my hosting control panel because the user is apache instead of user.

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I think this needs to be addressed as it gives people no option but to have SSH access to change the owner of the files to apache:apache when they upload a completed site to the web.

I hope this makes sense.

[Rich]

I have the same problem on my server.
I was going to add the file /data/other/debug.xml to enable full PHP errors to help debug, but I am not able to do so because the data folder is own by apache.
Also the other problem will be if you decide to delete GS from your server you will be unable to do so.

As for me i am not comfortable with SSH. AT ALL.

[internet54]

SSH is like breathing for me
But, yea, this needs to be addressed. I'm glad I wasn't the only one with this issue, so at least it confirms the problem.

[ccagle8]

I wonder how something like this can be avoided? Who GS runs as on the server cannot be set by GS. I guess we could chmod files to be group editable after creation. Does this sound like a solution?

[internet54]

I don't believe that will fix the issue as "user" cannot modify "user2" or even "apache" files.

This issue will require more thinking.

[internet54]

The only option I can think of is suphp.
But that is something that must be installed on the server, and many people don't have that ability.

Maybe using the website backup system is an option.
1. Develop the website locally.
2. Backup the website info when complete.
3. Install GS on the new server.
4. Import the backup to create the files with the correct permissions.

That is the only other option I can think of.