Issues seeing files on OSX server remotely

[Rob K]

This forum has been helpful since I started using a mac in May of last year. I have joined because of a issue that I cant get to work for someone and does not quite fit some of same issues I have seen here.

One of our employees is having issues with seeing the files in folders in the server remotely. I have not seen it personally, I just get the complaints from another person that works with her.

Connection to the server is over afp:// and some folders do not show contents when in finder, but using "get info" shows the file count and size. Even the files that get added to those folders are not visible but readding them ask if you want to replace. I read something about high file count and folders in finder, but cant find any more info searching here or around the net. Server is in St. Louis and she is connecting remotely in Oklahoma. Not sure if this is a issue with our end, her end or either of our isp. I can connect at home without issues but she is farther away.

 

[cpuin]

In order to get adequate answer you should provide us with more details about your topology and network:
- is your server connected directly to internet (has public ip on the ethernet port)
or the server is behind a router?
- do you use software firewall?
- what are the permission set in files sharing?
- how you access the files via afp:// directly (you open port in firewall) or you use VPN?

 

[Rob K]

In order to get adequate answer you should provide us with more details about your topology and network:
- is your server connected directly to internet (has public ip on the ethernet port)
or the server is behind a router?
- do you use software firewall?
- what are the permission set in files sharing?
- how you access the files via afp:// directly (you open port in firewall) or you use VPN?

The OS X server is a Mac Mini behind a router. It can be connect to it through afp:// either using the ip or the domain name. This has not been a issue until a few weeks ago, but nothing has been changed for file/ folder permissions for that user or the folder itself.

 

[AmestrisXServe]

This sounds to me as if there is an ownership problem for the directories in question.

Find the highest level directory for that user, use 'Get Info', set the permissions, and then use the gear button to propagate and apply those to descendants.

You should also check the permissions in Server Admin->Sharing to be sure to set in the ACL panel options for the sharepoint:

'This folder, Child Files, Child Folders, All Descendants'

Repairing disk permissions in Disk Utility would not repair this type of problem. That only repairs permissions for system files.

I've encountered some odd problems with directories vanishing using SMB with Windows systems connecting to an XServe. This can happen if a user connects to a sharepoint with more than one live connection, and I have no good reason as to why. Using an IP in one instance and the domain in another seems to help if two connections are simultaneously required.

I wouldn't mind knowing of a fix for this...or the true cause. With SMB, I was thinking it was an Optlock issue, but if it is happening with AFP, I don't know a probable cause.

I run OSX Server 10.5.8: What version are you using?

I partially fixed my own vanishig act with creative symlink usage,

 

[Rob K]

It is running OS X server 10.7.5 (1.5.0), Server Admin 10.7 (355)

As to what you where saying AmestrisXServe, could this also be part of the same reason why I have to do something similar to the whole shared folder to backup some of the broken permission files when using Synchronize Pro X? Out of the 500-1000 files a week generated I get around 10-50 that don't have the right permissions to allow the administrator to backup.

I use on the main folder Get info-> Sharing & Permissions -> unlock -> gear -> Apply to enclosed items, and it fixes the permissions to let the files backup.

Under file sharing->connected user I see the person that has been having issues twice from different IPs one is idle for a few days and the other has no idle. then again I see myself twice on different IPs with no idle. Im guessing if you are connected buy LAN or WLAN. I will switch to LAN when I do the screen share on the server.

 

[AmestrisXServe]

I've not used Sync Pro, but it may not properly handle both POSIX and ACL permissions. Try setting all of your share points with the options I defined above, and that may solve the problem, but I can't be sure on that.

It sounds to me as if the idle connection is a possible culprit here: If you can kill the connections, the next login may show all files. I've run into this with multiple systems accessing the same share with the same user login on SMB.

When you next encounter this, try viewing (and posting to the forum) your AFP and SMB logs.