source: trunk/server/docs-xml/smbdotconf/security/directorymask.xml

<samba:parameter name="directory mask"
        context="S"
        type="string"
                 xmlns:samba="http://www.samba.org/samba/DTD/samba-doc">
<synonym>directory mode</synonym>
<description>
    <para>This parameter is the octal modes which are 
    used when converting DOS modes to UNIX modes when creating UNIX 
    directories.</para>

    <para>When a directory is created, the necessary permissions are 
    calculated according to the mapping from DOS modes to UNIX permissions, 
    and the resulting UNIX mode is then bit-wise 'AND'ed with this 
    parameter. This parameter may be thought of as a bit-wise MASK for 
    the UNIX modes of a directory. Any bit <emphasis>not</emphasis> set 
    here will be removed from the modes set on a directory when it is 
    created.</para>

    <para>The default value of this parameter removes the 'group' 
    and 'other' write bits from the UNIX mode, allowing only the 
    user who owns the directory to modify it.</para>
                
    <para>Following this Samba will bit-wise 'OR' the UNIX mode 
    created from this parameter with the value of the <smbconfoption name="force directory mode"/> parameter. 
    This parameter is set to 000 by default (i.e. no extra mode bits are added).</para>

    <para>Note that this parameter does not apply to permissions
    set by Windows NT/2000 ACL editors. If the administrator wishes to enforce
    a mask on access control lists also, they need to set the <smbconfoption name="directory security mask"/>.</para>
</description>

<related>force directory mode</related>
<related>create mask</related>
<related>directory security mask</related>
<related>inherit permissions</related>
<value type="default">0755</value>
<value type="example">0775</value>
</samba:parameter>