[ome-users] File ownership/access problem with VMware

[Graham Klyne]

I have found a workaround for the problem described below... I'm posting 
this message anyway, in case anyone else (a) would benefit from the 
workaround, or (b) has an easier way.

...

I've installed OME on a Linux guest operating system running in a VMware 
Windows 2000 host.  In such situations, VMware provides a special file 
system driver (hgfs) for accessing files on the host operating system.  Our 
research application uses microscope image capture software running on the 
Windows host.  My cunning plan is to use the hgfs file system to allow OME 
to import pictures that have been captured on the Windows host, and 
subsequently make them available via HTTP, and even via a shoola/web client 
running on the Windows host.

Most of this is working just fine, but there is a complication with the 
hgfs file system, caused (I think) by an inconsistency in its handling of 
file access w.r.t. its presentation of file ownership/access 
permissions.  Basically, all shared files are fully accessible to all users 
of the Linux guest system, but the file ownership is always presented as 
root, and permissions are presented as allowing owner-only access.  When I 
try to import files into OME (using the web interface), I get "Permission 
denied for '/mnt/hgfs/ome/test'" where the import directory listing should 
appear.

While I see this as primarily a VMware bug, I'm wondering if anyone knows 
of a workaround that will allow files to be imported even though the 
claimed permissions don't allow it.

(I do have a reserve strategy, which is to install Samba on the VMware host 
and have Windows system users save their images there, but this solution 
seems to me to be rather rather OTT.)

...

[Later]

I found a workaround that involves patching the VMware hgfs file system 
driver;  details are here: 
http://bioimage.ontonet.org/moin/OpenMicroscopyEnvironment (look for 
"Accessing images on the VMware host filesystem via HGFS").

....

By way of background, images are being captured from an Olympus microscope 
using a JVC KY-F75U 3-CCD firewire camera, PFW41 firewire interface and 
(JVC?) KY-Link software (cf. 
http://www.jvcpro.co.uk/solu/imaging/cg?page=software_html ).  I mention 
this in case there are any other options I might consider for the chosen 
hardware.

...

#g


---
Graham Klyne
Image Bioinformatics Research Group (http://www.bioimage.org/)
Department of Zoology, University of Oxford
South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
E-mail: <Graham.Klyne at zoo.ox.ac.uk>
Direct phone: +44-(0)1865-281991
Departmental fax: +44-(0)1865-310447