Other User's Directories Accessed as Read/Write

You can access another user's directory in read/write mode by using the FORCERW option on the ACCESS command. For directory control directories, DIRWRITE authority is needed for the access to succeed. So, if you access another user's directory in read/write mode, you can be sure that you can write to all the files in the directory, as well as create new ones. This is compatible with the way minidisks work.

For file control directories, however, only READ authority to the directory is needed for the ACCESS to succeed. WRITE authority is not required. While this lets you issue commands that require a read/write file mode, it also might cause compatibility problems with your programs. Your program might, for example, assume that is can create new files on a file mode if it can write to any file in that file mode. Because only READ authority to the directory is required for a read/write ACCESS, you program may fail when it tries to create a file.

Because the owner of the file control directory may write to files for which you have WRITE authority, your program may also encounter sharing conflicts. For information on the ACCESS command, see the z/VM: CMS Commands and Utilities Reference.