This chapter wraps up our coverage of the +smb.conf configuration file with some +miscellaneous options that can perform a variety of tasks. We talk +briefly about options for time synchronization, internationalization, +messages, and common Windows bugs. For the most part, you will use +these options only in isolated circumstances.

+ Option +	+ Parameters +	+ Function +	+ Default +	+ Scope +
+ `time server` +	+ Boolean +	+ If `yes`, announces nmbd as an +SMB time service to Windows clients +	+ `no` +	+ Global +
+ `time offset` +	+ numeric +	+ Adds a specified number of minutes to the reported time +	+ `0` +	+ Global +
+ `dos filetimes` +	+ Boolean +	+ Allows non-owners of a file to change its time if they can write to it +	+ `no` +	+ Share +
+ `dos filetime` + + `resolution` +	+ Boolean +	+ Causes file times to be rounded to the next even second +	+ `no` +	+ Share +
+ `fake directory` `create times` +	+ Boolean +	+ Sets directory times to avoid an MS nmake bug +	+ `no` +	+ Share +

Option

Parameters

Function

Default

Scope

time server

Boolean

If yes, announces nmbd as an +SMB time service to Windows clients

no

Global

time offset

numeric

Adds a specified number of minutes to the reported time

0

Global

dos filetimes

Boolean

Allows non-owners of a file to change its time if they can write to it

no

dos filetime

+ +

resolution

Boolean

Causes file times to be rounded to the next even second

no

fake directory create times

Boolean

Sets directory times to avoid an MS nmake bug

no

Magic Scripts

Magic scripts are a method of running programs +on Unix and redirecting the output back to the SMB client. These are +essentially an experimental hack. However, some users and their +programs still rely on these two options for their programs to +function correctly. Magic scripts are not widely trusted, and their +use is highly discouraged by the Samba Team.

+ Option +	+ Parameters +	+ Function +	+ Default +	+ Scope +
+ `magic` `script` +	+ string (filename) +	+ File to be executed by Samba, as the logged-on user, when closed +	+ None +	+ Share +
+ `magic` `output` +	+ string (filename) +	+ File to log output from the magic file +	+ scriptname.out +	+ Share +

Option

Parameters

Function

Default

Scope

magic script

string (filename)

File to be executed by Samba, as the logged-on user, when closed

None

magic output

string (filename)

File to log output from the magic file

scriptname.out

+ Option +	+ Parameters +	+ Function +	+ Default +	+ Scope +
+ `client code` `page` +	+ Described in this section +	+ Sets a code page to expect from clients +	+ 850 +	+ Global +
+ `character set` +	+ Described in this section +	+ Translates code pages into alternate Unix character sets +	+ None +	+ Global +
+ `coding system` +	+ Described in this section +	+ Translates code page 932 into an Asian character set +	+ None +	+ Global +
+ `valid chars` +	+ string (set of characters) +	+ Adds individual characters to a code page +	+ None +	+ Global +

Option

Parameters

Function

Default

Scope

client code page

Described in this section

Sets a code page to expect from clients

850

Global

character set

Described in this section

Translates code pages into alternate Unix character sets

None

Global

coding system

Described in this section

Translates code page 932 into an Asian character set

None

Global

valid chars

string (set of characters)

Adds individual characters to a code page

None

Global

+ Code page +	+ Definition +
+ `437` +	+ MS-DOS Latin (United States) +
+ `737` +	+ Windows 95 Greek +
+ `850` +	+ MS-DOS Latin 1 (Western European) +
+ `852` +	+ MS-DOS Latin 2 (Eastern European) +
+ `861` +	+ MS-DOS Icelandic +
+ `866` +	+ MS-DOS Cyrillic (Russian) +
+ `932` +	+ MS-DOS Japanese Shift-JIS +
+ `936` +	+ MS-DOS Simplified Chinese +
+ `949` +	+ MS-DOS Korean Hangul +
+ `950` +	+ MS-DOS Traditional Chinese +

Code page

Definition

437

MS-DOS Latin (United States)

737

Windows 95 Greek

850

MS-DOS Latin 1 (Western European)

852

MS-DOS Latin 2 (Eastern European)

861

MS-DOS Icelandic

866

MS-DOS Cyrillic (Russian)

932

MS-DOS Japanese Shift-JIS

936

MS-DOS Simplified Chinese

949

MS-DOS Korean Hangul

950

MS-DOS Traditional Chinese

+ Character set +	+ Matching code page +	+ Definition +
+ `ISO8859-1` +	+ `850` +	+ Western European Unix +
+ `ISO8859-2` +	+ `852` +	+ Eastern European Unix +
+ `ISO8859-5` +	+ `866` +	+ Russian Cyrillic Unix +
+ `ISO8859-7` +	+ 737 +	+ Greek Unix +
+ `KOI8-R` +	+ `866` +	+ Alternate Russian Cyrillic Unix +

Character set

Matching code page

Definition

ISO8859-1

850

Western European Unix

ISO8859-2

852

Eastern European Unix

ISO8859-5

866

Russian Cyrillic Unix

ISO8859-7

737

Greek Unix

KOI8-R

866

Alternate Russian Cyrillic Unix

+ Character set +	+ Definition +
+ `SJIS` +	+ Standard Shift JIS +
+ `JIS8` +	+ Eight-bit JIS codes +
+ `J8BB` +	+ Eight-bit JIS codes +
+ `J8BH` +	+ Eight-bit JIS codes +
+ `J8@B` +	+ Eight-bit JIS codes +
+ `J8@J` +	+ Eight-bit JIS codes +
+ `J8@H` +	+ Eight-bit JIS codes +
+ `JIS7` +	+ Seven-bit JIS codes +
+ `J7BB` +	+ Seven-bit JIS codes +
+ `J7BH` +	+ Seven-bit JIS codes +
+ `J7@B` +	+ Seven-bit JIS codes +
+ `J7@J` +	+ Seven-bit JIS codes +
+ `J7@H` +	+ Seven-bit JIS codes +
+ `JUNET` +	+ JUNET codes +
+ `JUBB` +	+ JUNET codes +
+ `JUBH` +	+ JUNET codes +
+ `JU@B` +	+ JUNET codes +
+ `JU@J` +	+ JUNET codes +
+ `JU@H` +	+ JUNET codes +
+ `EUC` +	+ EUC codes +
+ `HEX` +	+ Three-byte hexadecimal code +
+ `CAP` +	+ Three-byte hexadecimal code (Columbia AppleTalk Program) +

Character set

Definition

SJIS

Standard Shift JIS

JIS8

Eight-bit JIS codes

J8BB

Eight-bit JIS codes

J8BH

Eight-bit JIS codes

J8@B

Eight-bit JIS codes

J8@J

Eight-bit JIS codes

J8@H

Eight-bit JIS codes

JIS7

Seven-bit JIS codes

J7BB

Seven-bit JIS codes

J7BH

Seven-bit JIS codes

J7@B

Seven-bit JIS codes

J7@J

Seven-bit JIS codes

J7@H

Seven-bit JIS codes

JUNET

JUNET codes

JUBB

JUNET codes

JUBH

JUNET codes

JU@B

JUNET codes

JU@J

JUNET codes

JU@H

JUNET codes

EUC

EUC codes

HEX

Three-byte hexadecimal code

CAP

Three-byte hexadecimal code (Columbia AppleTalk Program)

+ Option +	+ Parameter +	+ Function +	+ Default +	+ Scope +
+ `message` `command` +	+ string (shell command) +	+ Sets a command to run on Unix when a WinPopup message is received +	+ None +	+ Global +

Option

Parameter

Function

Default

Scope

message command

string (shell command)

Sets a command to run on Unix when a WinPopup message is received

None

Global

+ Variable +	+ Definition +
+ `%s` +	+ The name of the file in which the message resides +
+ `%f` +	+ The name of the system that sent the message +
+ `%t` +	+ The name of the system that is the destination of the message + +

Variable

Definition

%s

The name of the file in which the message resides

%f

The name of the system that sent the message

%t

The name of the system that is the destination of the message +

+ +

Miscellaneous Options

+ +

Many Samba options are available to deal with operating system issues +on either Unix or Windows. In particular, some of these options are +used for setting limits for clients' use of +resources on the Unix server. The options shown in Table 11-9 deal with some of these issues.

+ +

Table 11-9. Miscellaneous options

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ Option +	+ Parameters +	+ Function +	+ Default +	+ Scope +
+ `deadtime` +	+ numeric (minutes) +	+ Number of minutes of inactivity before a connection should be +terminated. +	+ `0` +	+ Global +
+ `dfree command` +	+ string (command) +	+ Used to specify a command that returns free disk space in a format +recognized by Samba. +	+ None +	+ Global +
+ `fstype` +	+ `NTFS`, `FAT`, or +`Samba` +	+ Filesystem type reported by the server to the client. +	+ `NTFS` +	+ Global +
+ `keepalive` +	+ numeric (seconds) +	+ Number of seconds between checks for an inoperative client. +	+ `300` (none) +	+ Global +
+ `max disk size` +	+ numeric (MB) +	+ Largest disk size to return to a client, some of which have limits. +Does not affect actual operations on the disk. +	+ `0` (infinity) +	+ Global +
+ `max mux` +	+ numeric +	+ Maximum number of simultaneous SMB operations that clients can make. +	+ `50` +	+ Global +
+ `max open files` +	+ numeric +	+ Limits number of open files to be below Unix limits. +	+ `10000` +	+ Global +
+ `max xmit` +	+ numeric +	+ Specifies the maximum packet size that Samba will send. +	+ `65535` or `16644` +	+ Global +
+ `nt pipe support` +	+ Boolean +	+ Turns off an NT/2000/XP support feature; for benchmarking or in case +of an error. +	+ `yes` +	+ Global +
+ `nt smb support` +	+ Boolean +	+ Turns off an NT/2000/XP support feature; for benchmarking or in case +of an error. +	+ `yes` +	+ Global +
+ `ole locking` `compatibility` +	+ Boolean +	+ Remaps out-of-range lock requests used on Windows to fit in allowable +range on Unix. Turning it off causes Unix lock errors. +	+ `yes` +	+ Global +
+ `panic action` +	+ string +	+ Command to run if Samba server fails; for debugging. +	+ None +	+ Global +
+ `set directory` +	+ Boolean +	+ If `yes`, allows VMS clients to issue +`set` `dir` commands. +	+ `no` +	+ Global +
+ `status` +	+ Boolean +	+ If `yes`, allows Samba to monitor status for +`smbstatus` command. +	+ `yes` +	+ Global +
+ `strict sync` +	+ Boolean +	+ If `no`, ignores Windows application requests to +perform a sync-to-disk. +	+ `no` +	+ Global +
+ `sync always` +	+ Boolean +	+ If `yes`, forces all client writes to be committed +to disk before returning from the call. +	+ `no` +	+ Global +
+ `strip dot` +	+ Boolean +	+ If `yes`, strips trailing dots from Unix filenames. +	+ `no` +	+ Global +
+ `change notify timeout` +	+ numeric (seconds) +	+ Interval between checks when a client asks to wait for a change in a +specified directory. +	+ `60` +	+ Global +
+ `stat cache` +	+ Boolean +	+ If `yes`, Samba will cache recent name mappings. +	+ `yes` +	+ Global +
+ `stat cache size` +	+ numeric +	+ Number of entries in the stat cache. +	+ `50` +	+ Global +

+ + +

+ +

deadtime

+ +

This global option sets the number of minutes that Samba will wait +for an inactive client before closing its session with the Samba +server. A client is considered inactive when it has no open files and +no data is being sent from it. The default value for this option is +0, which means that Samba never closes any connection, regardless of +how long they have been inactive. This can lead to unnecessary +consumption of the server's resources by inactive +clients. We recommend that you override the default as follows:

+ +

[global]
+    deadtime = 10

+ +

This tells Samba to terminate any inactive client sessions after 10 +minutes. For most networks, setting this option as such will not +inconvenience users because reconnections from the client are +generally performed transparently to the user. See also the +keepalive parameter.

+ + +

+ +

dfree command

+ +

This global option is used on systems that incorrectly determine the +free space left on the disk. So far, the only confirmed system that +needs this option set is Ultrix. There is no default value for this +option, which means that Samba already knows how to compute the free +disk space on its own and the results are considered reliable. You +can override it as follows:

+ +

[global]
+    dfree command = /usr/local/bin/dfree

+ +

This option should point to a script that returns the total disk +space in a block and the number of available blocks. The Samba +documentation recommends the following as a usable script:

+ +

#!/bin/sh
+df $1 | tail -1 | awk '{print $2" "$4}'

+ +

On System V machines, the following will work:

+ +

#!/bin/sh
+/usr/bin/df $1 | tail -1 | awk '{print $3" "$5}'

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

fstype

+ +

This share-level option sets the type of filesystem that Samba +reports when queried by the client. Three strings can be used as a +value to this configuration option, as listed in Table 11-10.

+ +

Table 11-10. Filesystem types

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ Value +	+ Definition +
+ NTFS +	+ Microsoft Windows NT filesystem +
+ FAT +	+ DOS FAT filesystem +
+ Samba +	+ Samba filesystem +

+ +

The default value for this option is NTFS, which +represents a Windows NT filesystem. There probably +isn't a need to specify any other type of +filesystem. However, if you need to, you can override the default +value per share as follows:

+ +

[data]
+    fstype = FAT

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

keepalive

+ +

This global option specifies the number of seconds that Samba waits +between sending NetBIOS keepalive packets. These +packets are used to ping a client to detect whether it is still alive +and on the network. The default value for this option is +300 (5 minutes), which you can override as +follows:

+ +

[global]
+    keepalive = 600

+ +

The value of 600 (10 minutes) is good for networks +populated by reliable clients. If your network contains relatively +unreliable clients, you might prefer to set +keepalive to a lower value, such as +30. If keepalive is set to 0, +no NetBIOS keepalive packets will be sent. See also the +deadtime parameter.

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

max disk size

+ +

This global option specifies an illusory limit, in megabytes, for +each share that Samba is offering. It only affects how much disk +space Samba reports the share as having and does not prevent more +disk space from actually being available for use. You would typically +set this option to prevent clients with older operating +systems—or running buggy applications—from being confused +by large disk spaces. For example, some older Windows applications +become confused when they encounter a share larger than 1 gigabyte. +To work around this problem, max +disk size can be set as +follows:

+ +

[global]
+    max disk size = 1000

+ +

The default value for this option is 0, which +means there is no upper limit.

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

max mux

+ +

This global option specifies the maximum number of concurrent SMB +operations Samba allows. The default value for this option is +50. You can override it as follows:

+ +

[global]
+    max mux = 100

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

max open files

+ +

This global option specifies the maximum number of open files that +Samba should allow at any given time for all processes. This value +must be equal to or less than the amount allowed by the operating +system, which varies from system to system. The default value for +this option is 10000. You can override it as +follows:

+ +

[global]
+    max open files = 8000

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

max xmit

+ +

This global option sets the maximum size of packets that Samba +exchanges with a client. In rare cases, setting a smaller maximum +packet size can increase performance, especially with Windows for +Workgroups. In Samba versions up to 2.2.5, the default value for this +option is 65535. In 2.2.7 and later versions, the +default was changed to 16644 to match the behavior +of Windows 2000 and improve support for Windows NT 4.0. You can +override the default as follows:

+ +

[global]
+    max xmit = 4096

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

nt pipe support

+ +

This global option is used by developers to allow or disallow Windows +NT/2000/XP clients the ability to make connections to +NT-specific SMB IPC$ pipes. As a user, you +should never need to override the default:

+ +

[global]
+    nt pipe support = yes

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

nt smb support

+ +

This global option is used by developers to negotiate NT-specific SMB +options with Windows NT/2000/XP clients. The Samba Team has +discovered that slightly better performance comes from setting this +value to no. However, as a user, you should +probably not override the default:

+ +

[global]
+    nt smb support = yes

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

ole locking compatibility

+ +

This global option turns off Samba's internal +byte-range locking manipulation in files, which gives compatibility +with Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) applications that use high +byte-range locks as a method of interprocess communication. The +default value for this option is yes. If you trust +your Unix locking mechanisms, you can override it as follows:

+ +

[global]
+    ole locking compatibility = no

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

panic action

+ +

This global option specifies a command to execute in the event that +Samba encounters a fatal error when loading or running. There is no +default value for this option. You can specify an action as follows:

+ +

[global]
+    panic action = /bin/csh -c
+          'xedit <<: "Samba has shutdown unexpectedly";:'

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

set directory

+ +

This Boolean share-level option allows Digital Pathworks clients to +use the setdir command to change directories on +the server. If you are not using the Digital Pathworks client, you +should not need to alter this option. The default value for this +option is no. You can override it per share as +follows:

+ +

[data]
+    set directory = yes

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

status

+ +

This global option indicates whether Samba should log all active +connections to a status file. This file is used only by the +smbstatus command. If you have no intentions of +using this command, you can set this option to no, +which can result in a small increase of speed on the server. The +default value for this option is yes. You can +override it as follows:

+ +

[global]
+    status = no

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

strict sync

+ +

This share-level option determines whether Samba honors all requests +to perform a disk sync when requested to do so by a client. Many +Windows clients request a disk sync when they are really just trying +to flush data to their own open files. In this case, a disk sync is +generally unnecessary on Unix due to its high reliability, and it +mostly has the effect of substantially reducing the performance of +the Samba host system. The default value for this option is +no, which allows the superfluous disk sync +requests to be ignored. You can override the default as follows:

+ +

[data]
+    strict sync = yes

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

sync always

+ +

This share-level option decides whether every write to disk should be +followed by a disk synchronization before the write call returns +control to the client. Even if the value of this option is +no, clients can request a disk synchronization; +see the earlier strict sync +option. The default value for this option is no. +You can override it per share as follows:

+ +

[data]
+    sync always = yes

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

strip dot

+ +

This global option determines whether to remove the trailing dot from +Unix filenames that are formatted with a dot at the end. The default +value for this option is no. You can override it +per share as follows:

+ +

[global]
+    strip dot = yes

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

change notify timeout

+ +

The change +notify timeout global option +emulates a Windows NT/2000 SMB feature called change +notification. This allows a client to request +that a Windows NT/2000 server periodically monitor a specific +directory on a share for any changes. If changes occur, the server +will notify the client.

+ +

Samba performs this function for its clients at an interval that +defaults to 1 minute (60 seconds). Performing these checks too often +can slow down the server considerably; however, you can use this +option to specify an alternate time that Samba should wait between +performing checks:

+ +

[global]
+    change notify timeout = 30

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

stat cache

+ +

The stat cache global +option turns on caching of recent case-insensitive name mappings. The +default is yes. The Samba Team recommends that you +never change this parameter.

+ + +

+ + + +

+ +

stat cache size

+ +

The stat cache +size global option sets the number of cache +entries to be used for the stat +cache option. The default here is +50. Again, the Samba Team recommends that you +never change this parameter.

+ + +

Chapter 11. Additional Samba Information

Time Synchronization

Time-Synchronization Options

Table 11-1. Time-synchronization options

time server

time offset

dos filetimes

dos filetime resolution

fake directory create times

Magic Scripts

Magic Script Options

Table 11-2. Magic script options

magic script

magic output

Internationalization

Internationalization Options

Table 11-3. Internationalization options

client code page

Table 11-4. Valid code pages with Samba 2.0

character set

Table 11-5. Valid character sets

coding system

Table 11-6. Valid coding-system parameters

valid chars

Windows Messenger Service

Figure 11-1. Sending a message from a Windows 95/98/Me system (left); receiving a message (right)

Figure 11-2. Receiving a message on a Windows 2000 system

Windows Messenger Service Configuration Option

Table 11-7. Windows Messenger Service configuration option

message command

Table 11-8. message command variables

Miscellaneous Options

Table 11-9. Miscellaneous options

deadtime

dfree command

fstype

Table 11-10. Filesystem types

keepalive

max disk size

max mux

max open files

max xmit

nt pipe support

nt smb support

ole locking compatibility

panic action

set directory

status

strict sync

sync always

strip dot

change notify timeout

stat cache

stat cache size

TOC