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Unix & LinuxWhat does chmod -N do?
[+2] [1] Nikolay D
[2020-04-15 20:42:23]
[ chmod macos ]
[ https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/580323/what-does-chmod-n-do ]

In the DropBox reinstall instructions [1] for Mac there was the line sudo chmod -N ~. I looked for the -N option but I didn't find anything about it.

Could someone explain what this option means precisely in this case?

[+5] [2020-04-15 20:50:00] Kusalananda [ACCEPTED]

From the macOS chmod(1) manual (man chmod):

ACL MANIPULATION OPTIONS

[...]

-N Removes the ACL from the named file(s).

That is, chmod -N ~ would clear the access control list (ACL) from the home directory.


Thank you very much! Is there a command I can use to revert to the previous permissions? Or I should use for instance the instructions here to and use repairHomePermissions. I'm not sure I want an empty ACL for my home directory. - Nikolay D
@NikolayD I'm sorry, but I can not answer that with any sort of authority. Reinstalling macOS as the last step in that chain of actions suggests, seems a bit strange, but appears to be official Apple recommendations. I will not say yay nor nay. - Kusalananda
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