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(find.info)Numeric Modes

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Numeric Modes
=============

   File permissions are stored internally as 16 bit integers.  As an
alternative to giving a symbolic mode, you can give an octal (base 8)
number that corresponds to the internal representation of the new mode.
This number is always interpreted in octal; you do not have to add a
leading 0, as you do in C.  Mode 0055 is the same as mode 55.

   A numeric mode is usually shorter than the corresponding symbolic
mode, but it is limited in that it can not take into account a file's
previous permissions; it can only set them absolutely.

   The permissions granted to the user, to other users in the file's
group, and to other users not in the file's group are each stored as
three bits, which are represented as one octal digit.  The three special
permissions are also each stored as one bit, and they are as a group
represented as another octal digit.  Here is how the bits are arranged
in the 16 bit integer, starting with the lowest valued bit:

     Value in  Corresponding
     Mode      Permission
     
               Other users not in the file's group:
        1      Execute
        2      Write
        4      Read
     
               Other users in the file's group:
       10      Execute
       20      Write
       40      Read
     
               The file's owner:
      100      Execute
      200      Write
      400      Read
     
               Special permissions:
     1000      Save text image on swap device
     2000      Set group ID on execution
     4000      Set user ID on execution

   For example, numeric mode 4755 corresponds to symbolic mode
`u=rwxs,go=rx', and numeric mode 664 corresponds to symbolic mode
`ug=rw,o=r'.  Numeric mode 0 corresponds to symbolic mode `ugo='.