How to properly instantiate os.FileMode

FileMode is just a uint32. http://golang.org/pkg/os/#FileMode

Setting via constants isn't "cheating", you use it like other numeric values. If you're not using a constant, you can use a conversion on valid numeric values:

mode := int(0777)
os.FileMode(mode)

My fix has been to define my own constants as I couldn't find any in os or syscall:

    const (
        OS_READ = 04
        OS_WRITE = 02
        OS_EX = 01
        OS_USER_SHIFT = 6
        OS_GROUP_SHIFT = 3
        OS_OTH_SHIFT = 0

        OS_USER_R = OS_READ<<OS_USER_SHIFT
        OS_USER_W = OS_WRITE<<OS_USER_SHIFT
        OS_USER_X = OS_EX<<OS_USER_SHIFT
        OS_USER_RW = OS_USER_R | OS_USER_W
        OS_USER_RWX = OS_USER_RW | OS_USER_X

        OS_GROUP_R = OS_READ<<OS_GROUP_SHIFT
        OS_GROUP_W = OS_WRITE<<OS_GROUP_SHIFT
        OS_GROUP_X = OS_EX<<OS_GROUP_SHIFT
        OS_GROUP_RW = OS_GROUP_R | OS_GROUP_W
        OS_GROUP_RWX = OS_GROUP_RW | OS_GROUP_X

        OS_OTH_R = OS_READ<<OS_OTH_SHIFT
        OS_OTH_W = OS_WRITE<<OS_OTH_SHIFT
        OS_OTH_X = OS_EX<<OS_OTH_SHIFT
        OS_OTH_RW = OS_OTH_R | OS_OTH_W
        OS_OTH_RWX = OS_OTH_RW | OS_OTH_X

        OS_ALL_R = OS_USER_R | OS_GROUP_R | OS_OTH_R
        OS_ALL_W = OS_USER_W | OS_GROUP_W | OS_OTH_W
        OS_ALL_X = OS_USER_X | OS_GROUP_X | OS_OTH_X
        OS_ALL_RW = OS_ALL_R | OS_ALL_W
        OS_ALL_RWX = OS_ALL_RW | OS_GROUP_X
)

This then allows me to specify my intent directly:

        // Create any directories needed to put this file in them
        var dir_file_mode os.FileMode
        dir_file_mode = os.ModeDir | (OS_USER_RWX | OS_ALL_R)
        os.MkdirAll(dir_str, dir_file_mode)

I'm sure this could be improved by use of iota, and some more combinations of permissions, but it works for me for now.