Is it possible to create a script to save and restore permissions?

Question

I am using a linux system and need to experiment with some permissions on a set of nested files and directories. I wonder if there is not some way to save the permissions for t

Answer 1

I found best way (for me) do it with python!

#!/usr/bin/env python3
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
import os
import json
import sys
import re
try:
    import posix1e
except ImportError:
    print("No module named 'posix1e'")
    print("You need do: apt install python3-pylibacl")
    sys.exit()

def dump_acl(dir):
    acl_dict = {}
    for root, dirs, files in os.walk(dir):
        try:
            path = root.split(os.sep)
            root_acl = str(posix1e.ACL(file=root))
            root_def_acl = str(posix1e.ACL(filedef=root))
            #print(root_acl)
            acl_dict[root] = root_acl
            acl_dict["default_" + root] = root_def_acl
            for file_name in files:
                try:
                    if 'acl.json' in file_name:
                        continue
                    file_path = root + "/" + file_name
                    file_acl = str(posix1e.ACL(file=file_path))
                    acl_dict[file_path] = file_acl
                    #print(file_path)
                except Exception as e:
                    print(e)
                    print(root, '/' + file_name)
                    continue
        except Exception as e:
            print(e)
            print(root, '/' + file_name)
            continue

    with open(dir + '/acl.json', 'bw') as f:
        f.write(json.dumps(acl_dict, ensure_ascii=False).encode('utf8'))
    return


def recovery_acl(dir):
    with open(dir + '/acl.json', 'r') as f:
        acl_dict = json.load(f)
    try:
        for file_path, file_acl in acl_dict.items():
            if file_path.startswith('default_'):
                file_path = file_path.replace('default_', '', 1)
                posix1e.ACL(text = file_acl).applyto(file_path, posix1e.ACL_TYPE_DEFAULT)
                continue
            if 'acl.json' in file_path:
                continue
            file_acl = file_acl.replace('\n', ',', file_acl.count('\n') -1)
            file_acl = file_acl.replace('\134', u'\ ' [:-1])
            file_acl = file_acl.replace('\040', u' ')
            if 'effective' in file_acl:
                file_acl = file_acl.replace('\t', '')
                f_acl = re.sub('#effective:[r,w,x,-]{3}', '', file_acl)
            posix1e.ACL(text = file_acl).applyto(file_path)
    except Exception as e:
        print(e, file_path, file_acl)
    return

def help_usage():
    print("Usage:")
    print("For dump acl:   ", sys.argv[0], "-d /path/to/dir")
    print("For restore acl:", sys.argv[0], "-r /path/to/dir")
    print("File with acls (acl.json) storing in the same dir")
    sys.exit()


if len(sys.argv) == 3 and os.path.isdir(sys.argv[2]):
    if sys.argv[1] == '-d':
        dump_acl(sys.argv[2])
    elif sys.argv[1] == '-r':
        if os.path.exists(sys.argv[2] + '/acl.json'):
            recovery_acl(sys.argv[2])
        else:
            print("File not found:", sys.argv[2] + '/acl.json')
else:
    help_usage()

backup acl: dump_acl.py -d /path/to/dir

recovery acl: dump_acl.py -r /path/to/dir

After execution, script create acl.json in the same dir(witch backup/restore acls)