How to Change File Permissions With Dreamweaver [CHMOD]

After using Dreamweaver for 6 or 7 years, I’ve always thought it was ludicrous that it didn’t include a function to change file permissions! Dreamweaver is a fairly powerful WYSIWYG editor with an equally powerful FTP client built in, how hard could it be to offer a simple context-menu option for changing the file permissions!? Previous web searches turned up forum after forum, page after page of people lamenting the same thing.

But, ALAS! LIGHT!

I finally stumbled upon a help page from hosting company that – in couple lines – solved the mystery.

Once connected via FTP, (pre MX I believe) open the FTP log from the Window menu of the Site Window. In newer versions this can be done with the site menu in the side bar or in “dual pane” mode by going to View then Site FTP Log.

In the command line, type:

chmod ### /path/to/filename

Where ### is the numerical equivalent of the permissions you wish to assign.

Where path/to/filename is the relative path to the filename.

For example, the change permissions of a file named readme.txt location in your root folder should be:

chmod ### ./readme.txt
-or-
chmod ### public/html/readme.txt

The path depends a lot on your server’s or hosting company’s setup.

Once your realize (as I did) that the FTP log allows you to send any FTP commands, you’ll be able to do anything your heart desires. Though, that still doesn’t explain why in heck Macromedia hasn’t provided some kind of GUI solution for file permissions.

Note: The methods described above apply to Linux / Unix server systems.

UPDATE: Thanks to an astute reader, Danny, it was brough to my attention that Dreamweaver 8 and above provides the ability to change file permissions with a GUI interface by right-clicking on the desired file and hitting “Set Permissions.” So, those of you with Dreamweaver version 8 and above (Dreamweaver CS versions) can ignore the instructions in the post unless, of course, you like doing things the hard way!

UPDATE, May 1, 2009: Head over here for an updated post with all the above and below tips for CHMODing the heck out of your files.