What does the "read Only" really do in MSP2003

[Kathleen]

Hi everyone - I am wondering what project is doing with the document in the
following scenario

I double click the link in a document library for a word document
the document opens in word and has [Read Only] after the file name
I make edits and then click close
Asks me if I want to save changes
opens the Shared Doc site it came from
and I click Save
File saves in the library

QUESTION - why does it say it is a read only file if it truly isn't? Or do
I have some settings that are askew?

Thank you
Kathleen

 

[Jonathan Sofer]

Does it let you overwrite the existing document? I have not see this happen
before if the document shows as read only. Usually, it will show as read
only if another user already has the same document open for edits. This is
hard to tell which is why it is good practice to train users to always do a
check out if they are going to edit a document, this lets others know they
cannot edit the document as well. You can include the checked out to field
in the document library views as well.

Jonathan

 

[Kathleen]

Hi Jonathan - Yes it does let you overwrite the existing doc. We have
trained the users as you suggested; however they are inconsistent in applying
the training and so we are seeking an alternate solution. THe opening as
read only was enabled when we went to Office 2003 in Office 2000 you double
clicked the link and it opened in the web as read only. It's different in
Office 2003 - are you using Office 2000?

Kathleen.

Does it let you overwrite the existing document? I have not see this happen
before if the document shows as read only. Usually, it will show as read
only if another user already has the same document open for edits. This is
hard to tell which is why it is good practice to train users to always do a
check out if they are going to edit a document, this lets others know they
cannot edit the document as well. You can include the checked out to field
in the document library views as well.

Jonathan

Hi everyone - I am wondering what project is doing with the document in
the
following scenario

I double click the link in a document library for a word document
the document opens in word and has [Read Only] after the file name
I make edits and then click close
Asks me if I want to save changes
opens the Shared Doc site it came from
and I click Save
File saves in the library

QUESTION - why does it say it is a read only file if it truly isn't? Or
do
I have some settings that are askew?

Thank you
Kathleen

 

[Jonathan Sofer]

I am using Office 2007 and I was just able to replicate your issue. I
opened a document that came up as "Read-only" yet I was able to save it back
and overwrite the existing document. I was not aware of this issue. I know
this doesn't help you but thought I would let you know that I am seeing the
same thing as you.

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan - Yes it does let you overwrite the existing doc. We have
trained the users as you suggested; however they are inconsistent in
applying
the training and so we are seeking an alternate solution. THe opening as
read only was enabled when we went to Office 2003 in Office 2000 you
double
clicked the link and it opened in the web as read only. It's different in
Office 2003 - are you using Office 2000?

Kathleen.

Does it let you overwrite the existing document? I have not see this
happen
before if the document shows as read only. Usually, it will show as read
only if another user already has the same document open for edits. This
is
hard to tell which is why it is good practice to train users to always do
a
check out if they are going to edit a document, this lets others know
they
cannot edit the document as well. You can include the checked out to
field
in the document library views as well.

Jonathan

Hi everyone - I am wondering what project is doing with the document in
the
following scenario

I double click the link in a document library for a word document
the document opens in word and has [Read Only] after the file name
I make edits and then click close
Asks me if I want to save changes
opens the Shared Doc site it came from
and I click Save
File saves in the library

QUESTION - why does it say it is a read only file if it truly isn't?
Or
do
I have some settings that are askew?

Thank you
Kathleen

 

[Kathleen]

Hi Jonathan - thank you for the follow up. I thought I read in MSP2007 you
can (under version control) force the users to check out the document. I was
wondering if that fixes this issue becuase it forces the users to check the
document out and therefore the doc is not opened "read only"
let me know if you try that if that is true.
Kathleen

I am using Office 2007 and I was just able to replicate your issue. I
opened a document that came up as "Read-only" yet I was able to save it back
and overwrite the existing document. I was not aware of this issue. I know
this doesn't help you but thought I would let you know that I am seeing the
same thing as you.

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan - Yes it does let you overwrite the existing doc. We have
trained the users as you suggested; however they are inconsistent in
applying
the training and so we are seeking an alternate solution. THe opening as
read only was enabled when we went to Office 2003 in Office 2000 you
double
clicked the link and it opened in the web as read only. It's different in
Office 2003 - are you using Office 2000?

Kathleen.

Does it let you overwrite the existing document? I have not see this
happen
before if the document shows as read only. Usually, it will show as read
only if another user already has the same document open for edits. This
is
hard to tell which is why it is good practice to train users to always do
a
check out if they are going to edit a document, this lets others know
they
cannot edit the document as well. You can include the checked out to
field
in the document library views as well.

Jonathan

Hi everyone - I am wondering what project is doing with the document in
the
following scenario

I double click the link in a document library for a word document
the document opens in word and has [Read Only] after the file name
I make edits and then click close
Asks me if I want to save changes
opens the Shared Doc site it came from
and I click Save
File saves in the library

QUESTION - why does it say it is a read only file if it truly isn't?
Or
do
I have some settings that are askew?

Thank you
Kathleen

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Jonathan and Kathleen --

I believe this was a known issue in Project Server 2003, for whatever that's
worth. Kind of renders Read-Only useless, doesn't it?

I am using Office 2007 and I was just able to replicate your issue. I
opened a document that came up as "Read-only" yet I was able to save it
back and overwrite the existing document. I was not aware of this issue.
I know this doesn't help you but thought I would let you know that I am
seeing the same thing as you.

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan - Yes it does let you overwrite the existing doc. We have
trained the users as you suggested; however they are inconsistent in
applying
the training and so we are seeking an alternate solution. THe opening as
read only was enabled when we went to Office 2003 in Office 2000 you
double
clicked the link and it opened in the web as read only. It's different
in
Office 2003 - are you using Office 2000?

Kathleen.

Does it let you overwrite the existing document? I have not see this
happen
before if the document shows as read only. Usually, it will show as
read
only if another user already has the same document open for edits. This
is
hard to tell which is why it is good practice to train users to always
do a
check out if they are going to edit a document, this lets others know
they
cannot edit the document as well. You can include the checked out to
field
in the document library views as well.

Jonathan

Hi everyone - I am wondering what project is doing with the document
in
the
following scenario

I double click the link in a document library for a word document
the document opens in word and has [Read Only] after the file name
I make edits and then click close
Asks me if I want to save changes
opens the Shared Doc site it came from
and I click Save
File saves in the library

QUESTION - why does it say it is a read only file if it truly isn't?
Or
do
I have some settings that are askew?

Thank you
Kathleen

 

[Kathleen]

Hi Dale - yes it really does. One of my software developers would like me to
explain to him what the system is really doing when it says read only but it
really isn't..... Do you know of an explanation for that or a link I could go
to? It's funny because if the users would follow the process the read only
could be an issue forever and no one would know! ;-)
thanks
Kathleen

Jonathan and Kathleen --

I believe this was a known issue in Project Server 2003, for whatever that's
worth. Kind of renders Read-Only useless, doesn't it?

I am using Office 2007 and I was just able to replicate your issue. I
opened a document that came up as "Read-only" yet I was able to save it
back and overwrite the existing document. I was not aware of this issue.
I know this doesn't help you but thought I would let you know that I am
seeing the same thing as you.

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan - Yes it does let you overwrite the existing doc. We have
trained the users as you suggested; however they are inconsistent in
applying
the training and so we are seeking an alternate solution. THe opening as
read only was enabled when we went to Office 2003 in Office 2000 you
double
clicked the link and it opened in the web as read only. It's different
in
Office 2003 - are you using Office 2000?

Kathleen.

:

Does it let you overwrite the existing document? I have not see this
happen
before if the document shows as read only. Usually, it will show as
read
only if another user already has the same document open for edits. This
is
hard to tell which is why it is good practice to train users to always
do a
check out if they are going to edit a document, this lets others know
they
cannot edit the document as well. You can include the checked out to
field
in the document library views as well.

Jonathan

Hi everyone - I am wondering what project is doing with the document
in
the
following scenario

I double click the link in a document library for a word document
the document opens in word and has [Read Only] after the file name
I make edits and then click close
Asks me if I want to save changes
opens the Shared Doc site it came from
and I click Save
File saves in the library

QUESTION - why does it say it is a read only file if it truly isn't?
Or
do
I have some settings that are askew?

Thank you
Kathleen

 

[Jonathan Sofer]

Kathleen,

You are correct, in 2007 there is a versioning option that forces users to
check out the document before editing. It actually works very well under
most scenarios that I have just tested except one.

If you open the document for editing and do not make any changes to the
document and close or exit out of work. The tool will not detect that you
have made any changes and so will not kick off the process to ask you
whether you want to check it back in or not. It will close the document and
leave it checked out to you.

In all other scenarios, it works nicely though and will ask you to check in,
save changes or discard after making edits.

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan - thank you for the follow up. I thought I read in MSP2007
you
can (under version control) force the users to check out the document. I
was
wondering if that fixes this issue becuase it forces the users to check
the
document out and therefore the doc is not opened "read only"
let me know if you try that if that is true.
Kathleen

I am using Office 2007 and I was just able to replicate your issue. I
opened a document that came up as "Read-only" yet I was able to save it
back
and overwrite the existing document. I was not aware of this issue. I
know
this doesn't help you but thought I would let you know that I am seeing
the
same thing as you.

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan - Yes it does let you overwrite the existing doc. We have
trained the users as you suggested; however they are inconsistent in
applying
the training and so we are seeking an alternate solution. THe opening
as
read only was enabled when we went to Office 2003 in Office 2000 you
double
clicked the link and it opened in the web as read only. It's different
in
Office 2003 - are you using Office 2000?

Kathleen.

:

Does it let you overwrite the existing document? I have not see this
happen
before if the document shows as read only. Usually, it will show as
read
only if another user already has the same document open for edits.
This
is
hard to tell which is why it is good practice to train users to always
do
a
check out if they are going to edit a document, this lets others know
they
cannot edit the document as well. You can include the checked out to
field
in the document library views as well.

Jonathan

Hi everyone - I am wondering what project is doing with the document
in
the
following scenario

I double click the link in a document library for a word document
the document opens in word and has [Read Only] after the file name
I make edits and then click close
Asks me if I want to save changes
opens the Shared Doc site it came from
and I click Save
File saves in the library

QUESTION - why does it say it is a read only file if it truly isn't?
Or
do
I have some settings that are askew?

Thank you
Kathleen

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Kathleen --

I'm not aware of any link or explanation of this situation. All I know is
that I have seen the Read-Only behavior and can confirm that you description
is absolutely dead on. I think the best you can do is to make the checkout
of documents and "training and performance" issue with your people. Train
them how to do this correctly, and then you must hold them responsible for
doing what you train them to do. If people continually mess up, then they
are either incompetent or are blatantly disobeying what you teach them. In
either case, someone in authority should deal with them.

I hate to be so harsch about this, but if you have multiple people editing a
document (as our company does when we write our books), then EVERYONE has to
follow the check out/check in process or it will really mess things up.
Hope this helps.

Hi Dale - yes it really does. One of my software developers would like me
to
explain to him what the system is really doing when it says read only but
it
really isn't..... Do you know of an explanation for that or a link I could
go
to? It's funny because if the users would follow the process the read
only
could be an issue forever and no one would know! ;-)
thanks
Kathleen

Jonathan and Kathleen --

I believe this was a known issue in Project Server 2003, for whatever
that's
worth. Kind of renders Read-Only useless, doesn't it?

I am using Office 2007 and I was just able to replicate your issue. I
opened a document that came up as "Read-only" yet I was able to save it
back and overwrite the existing document. I was not aware of this
issue.
I know this doesn't help you but thought I would let you know that I am
seeing the same thing as you.

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan - Yes it does let you overwrite the existing doc. We have
trained the users as you suggested; however they are inconsistent in
applying
the training and so we are seeking an alternate solution. THe opening
as
read only was enabled when we went to Office 2003 in Office 2000 you
double
clicked the link and it opened in the web as read only. It's
different
in
Office 2003 - are you using Office 2000?

Kathleen.

:

Does it let you overwrite the existing document? I have not see this
happen
before if the document shows as read only. Usually, it will show as
read
only if another user already has the same document open for edits.
This
is
hard to tell which is why it is good practice to train users to
always
do a
check out if they are going to edit a document, this lets others know
they
cannot edit the document as well. You can include the checked out to
field
in the document library views as well.

Jonathan

Hi everyone - I am wondering what project is doing with the
document
in
the
following scenario

I double click the link in a document library for a word document
the document opens in word and has [Read Only] after the file name
I make edits and then click close
Asks me if I want to save changes
opens the Shared Doc site it came from
and I click Save
File saves in the library

QUESTION - why does it say it is a read only file if it truly
isn't?
Or
do
I have some settings that are askew?

Thank you
Kathleen