p4 protect

Synopsis

Syntax

Description

• Control which files particular users can access;

• Manage which commands particular users are allowed to use;

• Combine the two, allowing one user to write one set of files but only be able to read other files;

• Grant permissions to groups of users, as defined with p4 group;

• Limit access to particular IP addresses, so that only users at these IP addresses can run Perforce.

Form Fields

When exclusionary mappings are not used, a user is granted the highest permission level listed in the union of all the mappings that match the user, the user's IP address, and the files the user is trying to access. In this case, the order of the mappings is irrelevant.

When exclusionary mappings are used, order is relevant: the exclusionary mapping overrides any matching protections listed above it in the table. No matter what access level is being denied in the exclusionary protection, all the access levels for the matching users, files, and IP addresses are denied.

If you use exclusionary mappings to deny access to an area of the depot to members of group1, but grant access to the same area of the depot to members of group2, a user who is a member of both group1 and group2 is either granted or denied access based on whichever line appears last in the protections table.

Options

-i	Read the form from standard input without invoking an editor.
-o	Write the form to standard output without invoking an editor.
g-opts	See the Global Options section.

Usage Notes

Can File Arguments Use Revision Specifier?	Can File Arguments Use Revision Range?	Minimal Access Level Required
No	No	super

• Each access level includes all the access levels below it, as illustrated in this chart:

• Access levels determine which commands you may use. The following table lists the minimum access level required for each command. For example, because p4 add requires at least open access, you can run p4 add if you have open, write, admin, or super access.

  Command	Access Level	Notes
  add	open
  admin	super
  annotate	read
  branch	open	The -f flag to override existing metadata or other users' data requires admin access.
  branches	list
  change	open	The -f flag to override existing metadata or other users' data requires admin access.
  changes	list	This command doesn't operate on specific files. Permission is granted to run the command if the user has the specified access to at least one file in any depot.
  client	list	The -f flag to override existing metadata or other users' data requires admin access.
  clients	list
  counter	review	list access is required to view an existing counter's value; review access is required to change a counter's value or create a new counter.
  counters	list
  delete	open
  depot	super	The -o flag to this command, which allows the form to be read but not edited, requires only list access.
  depots	list	This command doesn't operate on specific files. Permission is granted to run the command if the user has the specified access to at least one file in any depot.
  describe	read	The -s flag to this command, which does not display file content, requires only list access.
  diff	read
  diff2	read
  dirs	list
  edit	open
  filelog	list
  files	list
  fix	open
  fixes	list	This command doesn't operate on specific files. Permission is granted to run the command if the user has the specified access to at least one file in any depot.
  fstat	list
  group	super	The -o flag to this command, which allows the form to be read but not edited, requires only list access. The -a flag to this command requires only list access, provided that the user is also listed as a group owner.
  groups	list	This command doesn't operate on specific files. Permission is granted to run the command if the user has the specified access to at least one file in any depot.
  have	list
  help	none
  info	none
  integrate	open	The user must have open access on the target files and read access on the source files.
  integrated	list
  job	open	The -o flag to this command, which allows the form to be read but not edited, requires only list access. The -f flag to override existing metadata or other users' data requires admin access.
  jobs	list	This command doesn't operate on specific files. Permission is granted to run the command if the user has the specified access to at least one file in any depot.
  jobspec	admin	The -o flag to this command, which allows the form to be read but not edited, requires only list access.
  label	open	This command doesn't operate on specific files. Permission is granted to run the command if the user has the specified access to at least one file in any depot. The -f flag to override existing metadata or other users' data requires admin access.
  labels	list	This command doesn't operate on specific files. Permission is granted to run the command if the user has the specified access to at least one file in any depot.
  labelsync	list
  license	super
  lock	write
  login	list
  logout	list
  monitor	list	super access is required to terminate or clear processes, admin access is required to view arguments.
  obliterate	admin
  opened	list
  passwd	list
  print	read
  protect	super
  protects	list	super access is required to use the -a, -g, and -u flags.
  reopen	open
  resolve	open
  resolved	open
  revert	open
  review	review	This command doesn't operate on specific files. Permission is granted to run the command if the user has the specified access to at least one file in any depot.
  reviews	list	This command doesn't operate on specific files. Permission is granted to run the command if the user has the specified access to at least one file in any depot.
  set	list
  sizes	list
  submit	write
  sync	read
  tag	open
  tickets	none
  triggers	super
  typemap	admin	The -o flag to this command, which allows the form to be read but not edited, requires only list access.
  unlock	open	The -f flag to override existing metadata or other users' data requires admin access.
  user	list	This command doesn't operate on specific files. Permission is granted to run the command if the user has the specified access to at least one file in any depot.
  users	list	This command doesn't operate on specific files. Permission is granted to run the command if the user has the specified access to at least one file in any depot.
  verify	admin
  where	none	This command doesn't operate on specific files. Permission is granted to run the command if the user has the specified access to at least one file in any depot.

• When a new Perforce server is installed, anyone who wants to use Perforce is allowed to, and all Perforce users are superusers. The first time anyone runs p4 protect, the invoking user is made the superuser, and everyone else is given write permission on all files. Run p4 protect immediately after installation.

• In the course of normal operation, you'll primarily grant users list, read, write, and super access levels. The open and review access levels are used less often.

• Those commands that list files, such as p4 describe, will only list those files to which the user has at least list access.

• Some commands (for instance, p4 change, when editing a previously submitted changelist) take a -f flag that requires admin or super access.

• The open access level gives the user permission to change files but not submit them to the depot. Use this when you're temporarily freezing a codeline, but don't want to stop your developers from working, or when you employ testers who are allowed to change code for their own use but aren't allowed to make permanent changes to the codeline.

• The review access level is meant for review daemons that need to access counter values.

• If you write a review daemon that requires both review and write access, but shouldn't have super access, grant the daemon both review and write access on two separate lines of the protections table.

• To limit or eliminate the use of the files on a particular server as a remote depot from a different server (as defined by p4 depot), create protections for user remote. Remote depots are always accessed by a virtual user named remote.

• For further information, see the Protections chapter of the System Administrator's Guide.

Examples

Joe attempts a number of operations. His success or failure at each is described below:

Related Commands

To create or edit groups of users	p4 group
To list all user groups	p4 groups