Configuring Default Job and Variable Modes for Users

Understanding Default Modes

When user creates job or variable, it inherits their default modes. Default modes determine initial permissions.

System defaults:

New users get system default modes. Each user can customize if they have Change default modes privilege.

Default Modes Components

For jobs:

• Read, Write, Reveal
• Display mode, Set mode
• Assume ownership, Assume group
• Give away owner, Give away group
• Delete, Kill

For variables:

Same modes except Kill (jobs only).

Each mode has three settings:

• User (owner)
• Group (owner's group)
• Other (everyone else)

Typical Default Modes

Standard user default:

              User    Group   Other
Read          Yes     Yes     No
Write         Yes     No      No
Reveal        Yes     Yes     Yes
Display mode  Yes     Yes     Yes
Set mode      Yes     No      No
Assume owner  No      No      No
Assume group  No      No      No
Give away owner Yes   No      No
Give away group Yes   Yes     No
Delete        Yes     No      No
Kill (jobs)   Yes     No      No

Meaning:

• Owner has full control
• Group can see and read
• Others can see it exists
• Only owner can modify or delete

Viewing Default Modes

Own default modes:

bash

btuser -d

Shows your default modes for jobs and variables.

All users' defaults (requires RA privilege):

bash

# In btuser
# View user list, press 'c' on user to see their defaults

Changing Own Default Modes

Requires: Change default modes privilege (default: enabled)

Command line:

bash

btuser -m

Enters mode editing screen.

In btuser:

1. Navigate to your user
2. Press c (change modes)
3. Navigate through permissions
4. Press s to set, u to unset, t to toggle
5. Press q when done

Setting System Default Modes

Requires: Write admin file privilege

Sets defaults for new users only.

In btuser:

1. Press C (capital - system defaults)
2. Edit modes as desired
3. When finished, prompted:

   Copy to everyone else (but you)?

1. Reply Y to copy to all existing users
2. Reply N to only affect new users

Common Default Mode Patterns

Private Jobs/Variables

              User    Group   Other
Read          Yes     No      No
Write         Yes     No      No
Reveal        No      No      No
Display mode  Yes     No      No
Set mode      Yes     No      No
Delete        Yes     No      No

Use case:

Security-sensitive environment, personal work.

Setup:

bash

btuser -m
# Set all Group and Other to No except Display mode

Shared Team Work

              User    Group   Other
Read          Yes     Yes     No
Write         Yes     Yes     No
Reveal        Yes     Yes     No
Display mode  Yes     Yes     No
Set mode      Yes     Yes     No
Delete        Yes     Yes     No

Use case:

Collaborative team, group manages jobs together.

Public Read

              User    Group   Other
Read          Yes     Yes     Yes
Write         Yes     No      No
Reveal        Yes     Yes     Yes
Display mode  Yes     Yes     Yes
Set mode      Yes     No      No
Delete        Yes     No      No

Use case:

Status monitoring, reference data everyone reads.

Restrictive Default with Manual Sharing

              User    Group   Other
Read          Yes     No      No
Write         Yes     No      No
Reveal        Yes     No      No  # Very restrictive
Display mode  Yes     No      No
Set mode      Yes     No      No
Delete        Yes     No      No

Use case:

High security, share explicitly when needed by changing individual job/variable modes.

Mode Inheritance

When user creates job:

bash

# User jsmith creates job
btr script.sh

# Job inherits jsmith's default modes
# Modes can be overridden at submission:
btr -M "rwu:rwg:ro" script.sh

When user creates variable:

bash

# User jsmith creates variable
btvar -c status "Ready"

# Variable inherits jsmith's default modes
# Cannot override at creation - must change after

Coupled Modes

Some modes automatically grant others:

Write grants Read:

Setting Write automatically sets Read (can't write without reading).

Read grants Reveal:

Setting Read automatically sets Reveal (can't read something invisible).

When editing modes:

These couplings enforced automatically.

Administrative Mode Management

Viewing all users' defaults:

bash

# Generate report
btulist -v > users-report.txt

Setting defaults for user group:

bash

# Example: Set collaborative defaults for team
for user in alice bob charlie; do
    btuser -m $user <<EOF
# Set Group permissions high
EOF
done

Note: Mode setting via command line limited. Better to use btuser interactively or write script using btuchange (though mode setting options limited).

Best Practices

Match defaults to environment:

• Security-focused: Restrictive (private pattern)
• Collaborative: Open to group
• Mixed: Standard defaults, users adjust as needed

Educate users on modes:

Explain what default modes mean and how to change individual job/variable modes.

Use Change default modes privilege:

Enable for standard users (default) so they can customize their defaults.

Review system defaults:

When onboarding new team, review if system defaults appropriate.

Test before wide deployment:

Create test user with new defaults, verify jobs/variables behave as expected.

Document mode policies:

Write down standard modes for different user types in your environment.

Avoid over-restriction:

Too restrictive makes collaboration difficult. Balance security with usability.