There seem to be as many different answers to this question as there are questions themselves! Setting up Apache2 (v2.4.41) and allowing it to create and use www-data isn't in itself the issue and that's what I have and need as some Web-based applications I am building need to be able to write to files. I had myself as the user but then it was impossible to open a file in the browser as writable and with www-data it is but I cannot save my programing in the desktop text editor.
However, how do I do this AND still be able to save files I'm working on in my desktop application along with being able to copy and move files and folders? I can't seem to find a way to do both.
Right now, ls -l shows this which lets me open writable files in a browser-based form:
drwxrwsr-x 15 www-data www-data 4096 Dec 26 12:14 html
but with this I cannot open files in the browser in a writable way:
drwxrwsr-x 15 don www-data 4096 Dec 26 12:14 html
. . . and with this, as above, I can edit and work on my files in my desktop editor but the Web server cannot write to them.
drwxrwsr-x 15 don don 4096 Dec 26 12:14 html
I have added myself to the www-data group but it seemed to make no difference. Any ideas?