Create SambaFileSharing-Examples.md

SambaFileSharing-Examples.md

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+# Some Examples of File-Sharing Using Samba
+
+This "recipe" is a *re-hash* of a [Question I answered recently on Stack Exchange](https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/786845/286615). 
+
+The key to setting up 'shares' with `samba` on Raspberry Pi doing is in the `/etc/smb.conf` file. Open this file with your editor (I'll assume `nano` here), and go to the section named `#===== Share Definitions ====`; or perhaps it's just marked as `[homes]`. In any case, you're safe going to the end of the `/etc/smb.conf` file. 
+
+For each share you want to add, you will add a **"configuration block"** to the  `/etc/smb.conf` file.  
+
+And of course it's also necessary that the 'share' be `mount`-ed on the Raspberry Pi. We'll cover [the `mount` setup below](#4-mounting-the-shares) - after making the changes to `/etc/smb.conf`. 
+
+### 1. Share a plugged-in USB drive:
+
+To add a USB drive, add a *"configuration block"* we'll call `[usbshare]`: 
+
+```bash
+# Let's take care of creting the 'mount' point first:
+$ sudo mkdir -p /mnt/myusbstick
+#
+$ sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf
+
+#... editor opens file; add the following lines: 
+
+[usbshare]
+path = /mnt/myusbstick
+read only = no
+public = yes
+writable = yes
+
+#... save the file, and close the editor
+
+$ 
+```
+
+### 2. Share the `home` folder on your RPi:
+
+To add all the files from your Raspberry Pi's `home` directory, edit (or add) the following in your `/etc/smb.conf` file:
+
+```bash
+$ sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf
+
+#... editor opens file; add/edit the following lines: 
+
+[homes]
+browseable = yes
+read only = no
+
+#... save the file, and close the editor
+
+$ 
+```
+
+### 3. Share the root (`/`) folder on your RPi:
+
+To add **all the files** from your Raspberry Pi, do this: 
+
+```bash
+$ sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf
+
+#... editor opens file; add the following lines: 
+
+[root$]
+path = /
+create mask = 0755
+force user = root
+browsable = yes
+
+#... save the file, and close the editor
+
+# an extra step is required here to add privileges needed for 'root' access
+
+$ sudo smbpasswd -a root
+
+New SMB password:
+Retype new SMB password:
+Added user root.
+$
+```
+
+***NOTE: Be careful with this one (above); esp editing Linux files in a Windows text editor (i.e. don't do it unless you know what you're doing).***
+
+### 4. Mounting the 'shares'
+
+Before the `samba` server on your RPi can access the USB drive, the drive will have to be `mount`ed (**`homes` and `root$` are already mounted**) on your RPi. My usual preference is to set up all of my mounts in the file `/etc/fstab`, so we'll illustrate that here: 
+
+First, plug the USB drive into the RPi. Then, from the terminal on the RPi, let's use `lsblk` to get the information we need to create the appropriate entry in `/etc/fstab`:
+
+```bash
+$ lsblk --fs
+
+NAME        FSTYPE FSVER LABEL       UUID                                 FSAVAIL FSUSE% MOUNTPOINT
+sda
+└─sda1      exfat  1.0   SANDISK16GB 5B00-9E5C
+mmcblk0
+├─mmcblk0p1 vfat   FAT32 bootfs      DDE5-BCDC                             203.1M    20% /boot
+└─mmcblk0p2 ext4   1.0   rootfs      f877e440-e1dc-41e3-8cc0-62640c857595   48.7G    12% /
+```
+
+The USB drive is at `sda1`. Note the entries for `FSTYPE`, `LABEL`, and `UUID`; i.e. `exfat`, `SANDISK16GB` and `5B00-9E5C`, respectively. Your USB may be `FAT32` aka `vfat`, `ext<X>` or some Windows-peculiar filesystem. 
+
+Add this USB drive to `/etc/fstab`, using our `nano` editor: 
+
+```bash
+$ sudo nano /etc/fstab
+
+#... editor opens file; add the following line: 
+
+LABEL=SANDISK16GB /mnt/myusbstick exfat rw,nofail,user 0 0   # note mount point from above
+
+#... save the file, and close the editor
+
+$
+```
+
+Next, create the *mount point* in the Rpi filesystem:
+
+```bash
+$ sudo mkdir /mnt/myusbstick   # from the smb.conf configuration for [usbshare]
+```
+
+Next, actually `mount` the USB drive: 
+
+```bash
+$ sudo mount -a
+```
+
+Assuming all that went OK, your USB drive should now be mounted on your RPi, and the `Samba` server should allow you to access it from any laptop/desktop OS whose OS supports `smb`/`samba` - i.e. virtually **all** mainstream OSs. 
+
+In addition if you have chosen to add the 'share's named `homes` and `root$`, you will also be able to access `/home/pi` (or whatever user), and your `/` (root) file system folder.  
+
+
+
+---
+
+
+
+### REFERENCES:
+
+Note that the [`Samba` documentation](https://duckduckgo.com/?q=edit+smb.conf+share+definitions&t=ffab&ia=web) is both wide and deep! However, it's there if you need it.