HOWTO: Setup Virtual Users with shared folder access on Pure-FTP in Ubuntu 9.10

This post assumes you have already setup pure FTP and ubuntu server 9.10. If you have not, go read my earlier posts. Start by logging into the server and switching to root.

If you haven't already, make sure pure-ftp supports the database file for virtual users.
ln -s /etc/pure-ftpd/conf/PureDB /etc/pure-ftpd/auth/50pure

Restart your FTP server process or just reboot.

Create an FTP group account and 2 shared accounts for users. Users will get individual virtual accounts.
groupadd -g 2001 ftpgroup

useradd -u 2010 -s /bin/false -d /bin/null -c "pureftp limited access user" -g ftpgroup ftplimited
useradd -u 2011 -s /bin/false -d /bin/null -c "pureftp full access user" -g ftpgroup ftpfull

Create a set of directories for the FTP files and to serve as chroot access points. I create a mess of folders for my purposes. You can read about my goals in an earlier post.
cd /var
mkdir ftp
cd /var/ftp
mkdir dropbox
mkdir work
mkdir media
cd media
mkdir music
mkdir video
cd /var/ftp
mkdir workmedia
cd workmedia
mkdir work
mkdir media
cd /var/ftp
chown -R ftpfull:ftpgroup /var/ftp
chmod -R 755 /var/ftp
chmod 735 /var/ftp/dropbox

Lets add some users:

Joey - dropbox user, SLOW download (he shouldn't need to download anyways.)
pure-pw useradd joey -u ftplimited -g ftpgroup -d /var/ftp/dropbox -t 1
Make up a password for joey at the next prompt.

Pam - Dropbox admin, normal download, but slow upload
pure-pw useradd pam -u ftpfull -g ftpgroup -d /var/ftp/dropbox -t 200 -T 1

Mr. Smith - Work user, normal download speed, unlimited upload
pure-pw useradd smith -u ftpfull -g ftpgroup -d /var/ftp/work -t 250

Dave - Media user, normal download speed, unlimited upload
pure-pw useradd dave -u ftplimited -g ftpgroup -d /var/ftp/media -t 250

ME. No speed limits.
pure-pw useradd john -u ftpfull -g ftpgroup -d /var/ftp/workmedia


After adding/modifying users you must issue this command to commit them.
pure-pw mkdb


Some other helpful commands:
List all user accounts
pure-pw list
Show a particular account details
pure-pw show dave
List all active users
pure-ftpwho
Reset User Password
pure-pw passwd dave
Delete User
pure-pw userdel dave
Modify User (give Dave an upload speed limit of 20)

pure-pw usermod dave -T 20

You should be able to log in as any user. However since we have not mounted the shares, no files will be visible. Some users should be able to upload files, but delete these temporary files before mounting your shares.
Next I'll go through my mounting techniques. I use binding too to simplify mounting.