AFP

this is the protocol used for network file sharing in Apple systems (at leas for the latest ones)

server settings

• afpd.conf is the server configuration file, a backup server might look like this:

 - -transall -ipaddr 192.168.0.10 -port 548  -noddp -uamlist uams_dhx.so,uams_dhx2.so -nozeroconf

user permissions

• in /etc/netatalk/AppleVolumes.default we can set the file permissions to use for each service.
  • example: we have a network with an all-users group and we want them to be able to overwrite each-other files. Others can read:
    • umask:002
    • dperm:0775
    • fperm:0664
  • default linux behaviour, with read only to group users.
    • umask:022
    • dperm:0755
    • fperm:0644

• the complete line:

/directory/shared/ "Awesome Share" options:usedots,upriv,noadouble,nohex cnidscheme:cdb umask:002 dperm:0775 fperm:0664

veto files

• this option hides the objects specified between slashes

veto: recycled/desktop.ini/Folder Settings/

Volumes

• defaults:

:DEFAULT: options:upriv,usedots,tm  umask:002 dperm:0775 fperm:0664

• only user home with defaults:

~

• a time machine volume (user based) :

/backup/timemachine/$u/                         "TimeMachine"  options:usedots,upriv,noadouble,nohex,tm

• a share allowed only to some users and group "video"

/export/ingestion  "Ingest" options:usedots,upriv,noadouble,nohex cnidscheme:cdb umask:002 dperm:0775 fperm:0664 allow:ale,jack,@video

a read only share

• we need to create an hidden folder for AppleDB files:

mkdir /share/hidden
chmod 700 /share/hidden
dbpath:/share/hidden/.AppleDB/

• a read only share

/export/mirror/share     "Share-snapshot"  options:usedots,noadouble,nohex,ro,nocnidcache

problem solving

Finder "stucks" on connect to share

• in the log you'll see the server stopping after a message like this:

afpd[]: Setting uid/gid to 100/100

• the solution in my case was:
  • stop the server
  • remove the Finder database file .AppleDB
  • restart server.

when having a mirror server

• DB becomes inconsistent due to path change (if different server) , the RSYNC command will need to exclude some files:

cat /mirror/excludes_afp
.AppleDB/
.DS_Store
.AppleDesktop/
.AppleDouble/
.TemporaryItems/
Temporary Items/
Network Trash Folder/

• example:

rsync -a --delete --delete-excluded --exclude-from=excludes_afp source_host:/dir/ /mirror/host/

• mediacluster excludes

.encoding.log
.encoding.log.post.txt
.encoding.log.p2.txt
.stats.mbtree
.stats
ingestion/done/
virtual/

variables

 rules:
     1) if you specify an unknown variable, it will not get converted. 
     2) if you specify a known variable, but that variable doesn't have
        a value, it will get ignored.

 the variables:
 $b   -> basename of path
 $c   -> client's ip or appletalk address
 $d   -> volume pathname on server    
 $f   -> full name (whatever's in the gecos field)
 $g   -> group
 $h   -> hostname 
 $i   -> client ip without tcp port or appletalk network   
 $s   -> server name (can be the hostname)
 $u   -> username (if guest, it's whatever user guest is running as)
 $v   -> volume name (either ADEID_NAME or basename of path)
 $z   -> zone (may not exist)
 $$   -> $

references

• http://netatalk.sourceforge.net/2.0/htmldocs/configuration.html