how to turn off read only

users
#1

Now that I have created my invoice form, I went into file/properties and checked 'open as read only', so the form does not get "filled in".

Then I decided to make some improvements. When I opened the file, of course, it is set to read only, so I went to properties and found the check box grayed out, so I exited LO and used Linux to set the file to read/write for me and my group (of me). When I opening the file, I found it was still grayed out. Help explained how to edit the file, but when I went to save it, it would only save as 'save as'.

How do I change the setting so it does not go to 'read only' when I open the file in LO?

John

#2

On the main toolbar you will find an "/Edit File/" icon. Clicking that
icon allows you to edit read only documents.

You can also set/unset a file's read only status under the "/Security/"
tab of the document "/Properties/" dialog. From the main menu select the
"/File -> Properties.../" option.

You will find it helpful to read the "Getting Started" and "User" guides
at: http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/documentation/

Dave

#3

Good Morning All:

Re: the properties/security/read only, this is where it all started, because I used that feature to secure the file. Unfortunately after I printed the invoice and compared it to others, I found changes to make. When I went back to the same location to 'uncheck' the box, it was grayed out, meaning that I could not modify it, probably because the check means that the file is opened in the read only mode. What we have here is a continuous loop.

Re: the save as feature, that is good for future use of a correct form, but not for the updating of the original form.

Re: the edit icon, I found that in the Help section, which allows me to edit the file set to read only, but I cannot save the modified without using the 'Save as' feature, therefore not allowing me to modify the original file.

A last/worst case, brute force solution is to copy the original form with no mods to a new file name, exit LO, using Linux, delete the original file. I just assumed there was a way to unset what LO set.

John

#4

More data:
At the OS level: User: R/W, Group: R/W, Others: RO
Opened the file. went to file/properties/security: RO checked, grayed out.
Used the Edit Icon, made a change, the change was allowed, I was able to save using the 'Save' command, exited LO, confirmed no RO changes at the OS level, opened the file, the changes had been saved to the original file.

I can now change the original file using the Edit Icon, but I cannot remove the RO selection once it it made.

Above was a test that I either did not perform, or documented wrong. We're gettin' close.

By the way there were 'reset' and 'apply user changes' buttons/boxes selections in the properties selection, but they had no effect.

John

#5

Hi :slight_smile:
Can you move the file into a new sub-folder such as "OldVersions-Backups"
and then use "Save As.." to create a new copy in the main folder.

I found a neat work-flow for editing my html files in GEdit in Gnu&Linux
(but that doesn't work in Windows) is to
1. open the document
2. in the file-browser rename the file to add a version number (such as
reverse date)
3. re-save the document, make some edits and re-save again.

4. Every once in a while i move all the prior versions into the sub-folder
and maybe delete some.

Also i sometimes find that when other people have opened a file the
lock-file is often left behind even if they close the file properly. So in
the same folder as the file is there a hidden file with almost the same
name but that has something like "~lockfile" added to the name? Deleting
that make the proper file behave normally again.
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#6

John R. Sowden wrote:

More data:
At the OS level: User: R/W, Group: R/W, Others: RO
Opened the file. went to file/properties/security: RO checked, grayed out.
Used the Edit Icon, made a change, the change was allowed, I was able to
save using the 'Save' command, exited LO, confirmed no RO changes at the
OS level, opened the file, the changes had been saved to the original file.

I can now change the original file using the Edit Icon, but I cannot
remove the RO selection once it it made.

The following sequence works for me (LO 4.0.4 and 4.3.0 in Windows) with a file saved with "Open file read-only" set:
- Open the file.
- Click the icon to switch to edit mode.
- File > Properties > Security > untick "Open file read-only" (which can be modified, now that you're in edit mode).
- Save the file (which can be done, now that it's not set to open read-only).

As others have mentioned, OS / file system permissions are separate, so you still won't be able to save over the original file if those permissions don't allow it. From your description above, it doesn't look like that should be a problem though (assuming your user account is either the owner of the file, or in the file's group).

Above was a test that I either did not perform, or documented wrong.
We're gettin' close.

Maybe all the right steps but not quite in the right order. Double-check the OS file permissions and owner, particularly if you've been changing them in the course of finding a solution; the settings you show above look fine to me, so not expecting a problem there. Or maybe it works differently on Linux than Windows (which may be by design or may be a bug).

By the way there were 'reset' and 'apply user changes' buttons/boxes
selections in the properties selection, but they had no effect.

Reset returns the options to how they were when you opened the dialog, the same effect as clicking "Cancel" and then re-opening it. So, for example, in a new document:
- Open File > Properties; "Open file read-only" is not ticked.
- Tick "Open file read-only", but don't close the dialog.
- Click "Reset"; "Open file read-only" returns to unticked.
- Tick "Open file read-only" and click OK.
- Open File > Properties; "Open file read-only" is ticked.
- Untick "Open file read-only", but don't close the dialog.
- Click "Reset"; it will return to ticked.