[Samba] hosting library (ie. PVCS) on Samba

[webster at lexmark.com]

Hello.
I believe that I've done my due diligence in researching what info. is 
currently available on this issue.
I have been jacking with this for days, & believe that I have tried all 
possible solutions.

I am basically trying to move a [Merant] PVCS installation from an OS/2 
file server to a SuSE/Samba file server.
This installation consists of 'standard' source archives, client setup 
files, binary executables, archive meta-data files, temporary transfer 
directories, & administrative configuration files.

The primary issue is that the archive files are generally marked 
'read-only' from the Windows clients.  Whenever User1 checks in, labels, 
promotes, creates, etc. a source archive, he then becomes the owning user 
of that file.
Now, User2 is not able to remove the 'read-only' bit, which is most 
necessary for the library to function.


'solutions' tried:

1)  use 'store dos attributes' in smb.conf , so that the 'read-only' bit 
is kept in EAs, rather than removing the 'w' Unix permission bit for UGO . 
 User2 has 'rwx' access to the file through their primary group.  When 
User2 tries to remove the 'read-only' bit from the file, smbd hangs hard. 
I can't even kill the process, nor do an 'ls' in the local directory where 
the archive file lives.  I receive this in log.smbd: 
smbd/nttrans.c:call_nt_transact_ioctl(2076)  \ 
call_nt_transact_ioctl(0x90028): Currently not implemented.
I've tried this with 'dos filemode' set to both yes & no, with no 
difference in the result.

2)  Use 'extended' ACLs to explicitly give User2 'rwx' rights to the 
archive.  Whenever User1's PVCS client software marks the archive 
'read-only' the ACL 'mask' loses the 'w' permission, which obviously 
screws User2 .

3)  In researching this on USENET (& the archives of this list), some 
people have recommended using 'force user' in smb.conf , so that the *nix 
OS sees all Samba users of the service as the same user.  This solves some 
problems, but leaves me with the issue of now having no administrative 
users.  There are files/directories in the PVCS installation which need to 
be protected from standard library users.


'Solution' #1 above feels cleanest to me, & is what I would like to 
implement long-term.  However, there appears to be a bug or missing 
function in this area in Samba @ this point.
I have tried Samba versions 2.2.8, 2.2.8-SuSE, 2.2.9, 3.0.2a, 3.0.4-SuSE, 
& 3.0.4 .

Any direction would be appreciated.
Please feel free to ask questions if my explanation is not clear.
This is a fairly specific issue, & I think that I can sufficiently answer 
related questions.


Gary R. Webster