[SOLVED] wrong behavior in "mkdir -p -m 550 /tmp/test1/test2"?

wrong behavior in "mkdir -p -m 550 /tmp/test1/test2"?

I have a question regarding mkdir -p with the -m option or with a change on umask to 227.

When I want to create multiple folders like /tmp/test1/test2 and want all the newly created folders to have 550, how do I do it?

Because, when I run mkdir -pm 550 /tmp/test1/test2 just the last created folder has 550 and all others are created with 750. Same is, when I change the umask to 227. Just the last created folder has the 550 I wanted all to have.

Could someone please explain it to me?

Many thanks in advance.

kind regards Joerg

Solution

mkdir manpage is clear on that:

-p, --parents
       no error if existing, make parent directories as needed, with
       their file modes unaffected by any -m option.

So -m doesn't affect parent directories. You have to create all parent directories manually although in your specific example setting mode on the parent directory will prevent creating a final directory because 550 doesn't grant write permission on the parent directory.