>
> The permission you are being denied is file creation. That's the
> first thing that happens with CREATE DATABASE.
>
> What's in a name? A rose, etc.....but am I right to suspect that the
> "external" in this path is pointing to a NFS location? If so, you
> won't be able to create or access a database there. Database files
> must be on a local partition.
>
> Some more checks to do:
>
> 1. Are you sure there is not already a file named 'test.fdb' in the
> specified location?
>
> 2. What is the setting in firebird.conf for DatabaseFileAccess? (It
> would need to be FULL in order to access a database file via the path)
>
> 3. Do you have a firebird group set up? This should contain the
> firebird user plus any OS users that are going to access databases
> via the direct access method that you are trying to use. Possibly
> the Debian installer hasn't created this group for you...
>
> 4. Could the permissions problem be on the security database? (With
> the direct access method, you would need the firebird group with both
> firebird the OS user in it, plus adequate group permissions to access
> security.fdb and also to create and write to the firebird.log file.
>
> Otherwise....given that you can access existing databases by this
> method.....baffling....
>
> ./heLen
>

Hi,

Thank you all for help.

The filepath is a local path, external is just a regular dir name.
I've check all the groups and file permissions. I've installed Super
/ Classic, uninstalled and reinstalled. Nothing works.

Thus I'm officially giving up. I'm certain this is a Debian issue and
not a Firebird issue. Since the error I consistently get is ...

Error opening database connection.
operating system directive open failed
Permission denied
Unsuccessful execution caused by a system error that precludes
successful execution of subsequent statements
SQL Code = -902
Firebird Code = 335544373

... where the critical part is the OS 'open' failing.

Looks like I'll have to port my project to MySQL, I see no alternative
at this point.

Thank you all,

Andy